Applebees French Onion Soup is a classic French Onion soup, so flavorful and so perfect for when you want a light meal. You can recreate this recipe at home with this copycat version of Applebees French Onion Soup.
Table of Contents
Homemade French Onion Soup
Who doesn’t love Applebees? Applebees is a fun restaurant. At Applebees, you can find something for everyone. They have great burgers, salads, and if you enjoy a cocktail or two, you are in luck. I love the variety of their menu.
Did you know it is fairly easy to make French Onion Soup at home? The only hard part is cooking the onions. And while it isn’t hard, it just takes a little bit of time to cook the onions slowly to allow them to caramelize.
If you have a food processor or a mandolin you can use it to help you slice the onions quickly. Most of the time I just give my knife a quick sharpen and I slice right through the onions.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Butter
- Vegetable oil
- White onions
- Salt
- Garlic
- Low-sodium beef broth or beef bone broth
- Beef base
- Ground black pepper
- Firm bread like sourdough or French bread
- Parmesan cheese
- Provolone cheese
How to Make Applebee’s French Onion Soup
- Heat butter and oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and salt. Sauté the onions until they are browned. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- Add garlic and cook until the garlic has become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, beef base, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes over low heat.
- Heat the oven to broil.
- Ladle soup into individual ovenproof bowls.
- Place a slice of bread on top of each.
- Top each slice with Parmesan and provolone cheese.
- Place under the broiler until the cheese begins to brown.
Recipe Notes
For this recipe, I recommend using white onions if you have them on hand. I think that white onions taste a little sweeter, so I am rather partial to them. You can use yellow onions if you desire.
One ingredient that I call for is beef base. Beef base is a paste of concentrated beef flavor. It is like a bouillon cube, but I think beef base offers more flavor. Beef base is sold near where you would find bouillon cubes.
I hope you give this recipe a try, you can make a delicious pot of French Onion Soup just like Applebees.
Love Applebee’s? Try these copycat recipes!
- 19 Most Loved Applebees Recipes
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Check out more of my easy soup recipes and the best casual dining restaurant copycat recipes here on CopyKat!
Applebees French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 10 cups sliced white onions 6 to 7 large onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic chopped
- 10 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon beef base
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 slices firm bread
- 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 8 tablespoons grated Provolone cheese or slices
Instructions
- In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the butter and oil.
- Add the sliced onions and salt. Saute until the onions are browned. This will take up to 30 minutes. You want the onions to have the color of caramel. Stir frequently to prevent burning.
- When the onions are almost fully caramelized, add the chopped garlic.
- Cook the onion and garlic together until the garlic has become fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add beef broth, beef base, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes over low heat.Â
- To serve soup, preheat the oven to broil.
- Ladle soup into 8 individual ovenproof bowls.
- Place a slice of bread on top of each
- Top each slice with 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese, and provolone cheese.
- Place under the broiler and cook until the cheese just begins to brown.
Velnita Hamlar
I’m so happy that I found you!! Getting dressed to go to apple bees everyday wasn’t cutting it for me. I love their French onion soup, and now I can make it from home in my pajamas 😋 si delish!!!! Thanks 😊
Jessica
This is my first time making french onion soup and it turned out delicious!!!
JoAnn
The best ever
April Biddle
Wonderful
Noreen
Can you use Swiss cheese rather than provolone? Just curious if there is a difference.
Stephanie
Sure you could use it, it will work just fine.
Sue Ellen McGoey
Love this soup! Ty! I always add 2T of apple butter to my French onion soup,gives a great richness 🙂
Kelly Roach
Hi, what kind of “firm bread” do you use? Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try the recipe. I LOVE Applebee’s french onion soup!
Stephanie
I would perhaps a ciabatta, a french bread, or something else that has some heft. I would not use white sandwich bread like Wonderbread for this. White sandwich bread may get very soggy and be disappointing quickly.
DanielDan
This soup is the best! It tasted even better the second day.
Judy
You can double or even triple the caramelized onion recipe, just store them in a container with a tight fitting lid for up to 2 weeks. They’re great on burgers as well as other sandwiches.
Stephanie
Great idea!
Lenoria
This sounds so good, especially right now when I have “the crud” stuffy head and all that fun stuff. I would love to have a big bowl of this, I love Applebee’s French Onion Soup.
2pots2cook
Great photos! Thank you for the idea !
Rita Hawk
Recently came across a helpful hack that I tried for carmelizing these overnight (10-12 hrs on high- yes high) in a crock pot with just 2 T olive oil and 2 T butter. Adds to the time, but if you plan ahead, nothing easier. I always struggle with the “right” cheese to use. Love your recipes, thank you!
Sue Ellen McGoey
I do mine same! Lol