Panera Bread is known for its savory soups. The Bistro French Onion Soup was removed from the menu, and now it is back. Enjoy a bowl of copycat Panera Bread Bistro French Onion Soup.
What makes this soup special? This soup is full of chopped perfectly seasoned onions in every single bite. There are lots of crispy croutons and an excellent blend of melted cheese on top. You can recreate this delicious soup at home with this easy to prepare copycat recipe.
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Panera Bread French Onion Soup
What do you need for this recipe? You will need beef stock, chicken stock, butter, and lots of onions. We are also going to add some beef soup base for a nice depth of flavor, and a touch of thyme.
The soup’s flavor comes from the sauteed onions. The onions make the soup amazing. I suggest you use yellow onions. White onions work well too, but for this soup, the yellow onions taste best.
When preparing your onions for this recipe you will find that they chop their onions rather large, and they are chopped, not sliced. The chopped onions make sure that the onion pieces end up in every bite. It is nice when you can dive into a bowl of soup and get something more than broth in every single bite of soup.
When purchasing ingredients for the soup, I suggest that you buy stock instead of broth. I think it has more flavor, and you want all of the flavors you can get with this soup. The soup base also adds a lot of flavors. You will find it sold near the soups.
They top their soup with croutons. You can use store-bought, make them in a skillet, or learn how to make croutons in an air fryer.
The cheese that is tops the soup is Gruyere cheese combined with a touch of Asiago cheese.
This soup is a savory soup that is easy to prepare. This soup reheats very well so you this soup will taste even better the next day.
Homemade croutons are easy to make
If you would like to make your homemade croutons for the soup in a skillet, you can get a loaf of sourdough bread and cube it up into large pieces.
Add about a tablespoon of butter to a large skillet and then add the bread cubes. Sprinkle in seasoned salt and some garlic powder, and toast the bread until it becomes nice and brown.
Love Panera Bread? Check out these recipes
- Creamy Tomato Soup
- Broccoli Cheese soup
- Baked Potato Soup
- Autumn Squash Soup
- Black Bean Soup
- Warm Grain Bowl
Popular Soup Recipes
- Friendship Soup
- Copycat Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Potato Soup from Scratch
- Campbell’s Beef Soup
- Celery Soup
- Cheese Soup Recipe
- Cheeseburger Soup
Take a look at more of my easy homemade soup recipes and the best Panera copycat recipes.
Panera Bread Bistro French Onion Soup Copycat
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 pounds yellow onions chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 32 ounces beef stock
- 14.5 ounces chicken stock
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 2 tablespoons beef base
- 1 cup croutons
Cheese Mixture
- 1/4 cup gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon asiago cheese
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium-high heat add chopped onions and butter. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the onions. Saute the onions for about 20 minutes, or until they have become golden brown. Add 1 tablespoon of flour, and stir to coat the onions with flour. Cook for the flour for another minute or until it becomes fragrant like pie crust. Add in the beef stock, chicken stock, beef base, and thyme. Reduce heat to a low temperature. Cook the soup for another 15 to 20 minutes. Before serving top with croutons and shredded cheeses.
Amanda
I just made this tonight and loved it! I just discovered Panera’s French onion soup last week, but didn’t want to keep spending all of my money there for lunch. This recipe was such a good alternative and a MUCH more cost effective option for this grad student. Thank you!
Stephanie
I am glad you liked it 😉 Going through grad school is tough, best of luck to you. I remember this time, I watched no TV during those years!
Nicole
I just made this and it is amazing! Thank you so much!
Stephanie
So glad you liked it.
Jan Morgan
Can’t wait to make this. I lived in France for 3 years as a child (Army Brat) and one of the things I loved when we went to restaurants was the onion soup. Panera has the closest to what I remember, but without crutons and cheese. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Stephanie
I hope you enjoy this one!
AThomas
This soup is amazing!!!!! I’ve tried others and this BY FAR is the best. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Stephanie
I am glad you enjoyed the soup!
P. Kile
It’s delicious. I’ll leave the salt till the end and salt to taste. Thank you for posting.
Elise
Is it dried thyme or fresh?
Stephanie
Both can work, the recipe is written for dry. If you want to use fresh, use half of what is listed.
ashley
This was absolutely amazing. Thank you!
Stephanie
I am so glad you liked this one.
Jeanette
Your
amazing
Tala
I had to buy Swiss,mozzarella,and fontinella cheese to substitute,bc store didn’t have asiago and gureye cheese,how would I use those in their place?thank you
Tala
Does it take 4 onions or 4lbs of onions?it says 4lbs,but that seems like too much…..
stephanie manley
I meant 4 pounds of onions. That should be about 4 large onions.
Tala
Thank you!Just wanted to be sure!
Stephanie
Sure no problem!
Jeanette
Tooo
funny
Pam
I’m not sure there is such a thing as too much onion! And I feel the same way about garlic!
Lizzie O
Judy, you took this over the top. I made this last night and it was a very authentic taste against Panera’s. I made this exactly as written but I crocked it yesterday for the flavor to marinate in the onion and it was incredible. The cheese blend was perfect. The only thing that made me sad was that it precisely fed my family of 6 with no leftovers. I wanted to take some with me to work today! Great job on the recipe!
Ann Lewis
Is it 4 pounds of onions?! My son recently made this and it was WAY to many onions.
Pam
I don’t think there’s such as thing as “too many onions”, “too much garlic”, “too much chocolate”. or “too much sleep”.
Holly
Can you use Vidalia onions in this recipe?
deborah a lariscy
They might be too sweet. Yellow/spanish onions are the best.
Janet Parks
Thanks so much for the Panera French Onions Soup. Tasted just like it and I loved it!!!!!
You are a master chef!! Thanks so much!!!!!!
Janet
Stephanie
I am glad you liked it.
Rachel
I love this soup and I am thrilled to find a recipe for it! My husband doesn’t share my enthusiasm so I will be making it just for myself. Can I freeze the leftovers?
Mike
The recipe seems to have been removed from the page
Stephanie
There was a glitch, the recipe is back online. My apologies.
Ilovesoups
Made this recipe as exactly written- very good! Now that I tried it, I will go back and double the broth as lots of onions before I freeze. Good cheese blend too! Thanks for the recipe!
Stephanie
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed this soup. I love French Onion soup, this one is quite good.
Sara B
I’ve tried other mock recipes of this soup and this comes stunningly close to the original flavor. I definitely recommend the “Better Than Bouillon” brand beef base and chopping the onions in the shape you want them to appear in the soup. This recipe turns out amazing!
Stephanie
I am a big fan of Better Than Bouillion too!
Roberta
Absolutely amazing! I couldn’t stop eating it!
Christine@Freebies4MeBeez
Stephanie, this is one of my all-time favorite soups to eat and I order it every time I go to Panera Bread. I decided to try your recipe last night and absolutely LOVED it! I was seriously surprised at just how much it tasted like theirs. Thank you so much for this recipe. I can’t wait to make it again!!
Stephanie
I am so glad you liked this recipe. It is a really good French Onion soup recipe. I like that it does not have any alcohol in it. This way I feel comfortable serving it to people that do not partake of alcohol.
William Unger
Stephanie, what is the beef base. Is it the same thing as Better Than Bouillon?
deborah a lariscy
Going to try this as a “gift” to some of my family that is so busy working – those young folks !! I am Not adding alcohol, but doesn’t the actual alcohol cook off and not a problem for those who don’t partake?? All the best to you and yours !!
Stephanie
It is a myth that alcohol cooks out fully. It cooks out some. https://www.oasas.ny.gov/admed/fyi/fyi-cooking.cfm I hope y’all enjoy the soup.
deborah a lariscy
Thank You !!
Judy Konos
Stephanie it appears that the cut onions are lengthy rather than the cubed look? Or is that cheese in the photo. I will make this and wish to do it correctly, hoping I can find the stock that you speak of and is the base like the jar that has chicken bullion but instead beef?
Stephanie @CopyKat.com
The onions a chopped onions, they are chopped into larger pieces. The beef base is a paste, it is typically sold near the dry bullion cubes. They make chicken base as well. These have a little less salt, and seem to have a flavor that is richer.
CLBD
Judy, I think I can help you. It is located in the same aisle that the bouillon cubes are in. It is called ‘Better Than Bouillon’ and it’s an 8 oz. round jar with a black and white lid. When you open it, it’s a nice soft texture, but since it needs to be refrigerated, the texture is harder but with a spoon you can still dig it out. I use it for all my soups that call for broth.. Actually 1 jar lasts me about a year. I hope this helps!