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Home » Recipes » Soup & Stew Recipes

Panera Bistro French Onion Soup Copycat

Published: Apr 2, 2021 · Modified: Sep 13, 2024 by Brooke Fajcz · As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Feel like a big bowl of Panera Bread's famous soup, but want to save some cash?  Try our Panera bistro French onion soup copycat version.  It's full of sweet, dark caramelized onions and a savory beef broth topped with crispy focaccia croutons and melted Gruyère cheese.

Need more Panera copycat soups in your life?  Try our 10 vegetable soup or our black bean soup for when that craving hits. Don't miss our collection of 11 Panera copycat soup recipes, too!

three bowls of French onion soup with bread and cheese.
Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Variations
  • How to Make Panera French Onion Soup
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Serve
  • Expert Tips
  • Other Panera Copycat Recipes
  • Recipe
  • Panera Bistro French Onion Soup Copycat
  • Comments

Ingredients

glass bowls of ingredients for Panera french onion soup.

This French classic uses common pantry staples that are easy to find at any major grocery store in the U.S.  The only two items you might not normally have in your pantry are the sherry  vinegar, which is used in the tomato gastrique, and the beef stock.

  • Onions: We used yellow onions because they provide the best flavor, but if you're in a pinch use white onions.
  • Flour: We used all-purpose flour to make the roux, but switch it to King Arthur multi-purpose gluten free flour if needed.
  • Wine: We used cooking sherry.  If needed, feel free to use only beef stock, but it will change the flavor profile.
  • Stock: We used reduced sodium beef stock, but switch to vegetable stock if you're vegan or vegetarian.
  • Cheese: We used finely grated Gruyère cheese because it melts well and that's what Panera uses.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

  • Need this vegan?  Use vegan butter, vegetable stock, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and vegan cheese.
  • Need this gluten free?  Use King Arthur multi-purpose gluten free flour instead of all purpose.
  • Need this soy free?  Omit the soy sauce and use coconut aminos.
  • Can't find Gruyère?  Swap it out for a mixture of freshly grated parmesan and Asiago cheese.

How to Make Panera French Onion Soup

Gather all your ingredients.  Peel and chop the yellow onions, then measure out the rest of the ingredients.

caramelizing onions in a pot.
  1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, then add the onions.  Sprinkle on the salt to help draw the moisture out.  Stir occasionally during the first 10 minutes with a large wooden spoon.  When the onions are cooking, make the tomato gastrique.  (See the recipe card for instructions.) (image 1)
  2. Continue cooking the onions. Sprinkle on the sugar to help with the caramelization.  At this stage, constantly stir the onions for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook for another 5 minutes. (image 2)
deglazing the pan of onions and adding beef broth.
  1. Deglaze the pan with sherry by scraping the browned bits off the bottom with a large wooden turner.  Make the roux by sprinkling on the flour and cooking for two minutes to cook out the raw taste. (image 3)
  2. Deglaze the pan a second time, this time with 1 to 2 cups of beef stock.  This will get all the browned bits off the bottom of the Dutch oven and will help build the flavor for the broth. Pour in the rest of the beef broth. (image 4)
adding spices and the tomato gastrique to the soup.
  1. Add the dried spices, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce, then stir. (image 5)
  2. Add the tomato gastrique and stir it in so it dissolves in the soup.  Simmer on medium low for at least 20 minutes, or up to 2 hours if you're not in a hurry.  Taste and adjust any seasonings, if necessary. (image 6)
serving the French onion soup with cheese and croutons.
  1. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice. (image 7)
  2. Serve the bistro French onion soup in individual bowls topped with black pepper focaccia croutons and Gruyere cheese.  Enjoy! (image 8)

Recipe FAQs

What is in Panera Bistro French Onion Soup?

Panera describes this long-time fan favorite as "sweet onions in a savory broth with a sherry wine vinegar gastrique and sea salts, topped with gruyere and housemade black pepper focaccia croutons."

Why did Panera discontinue French Onion soup?

Panera temporarily removed this popular soup from its menu to make room for two seasonal soups, turkey chili and autumn squash, but they brought it back in February 2020 because of the huge fan outcry on social media.

Is Panera's French Onion soup good for you?

One cup of their bistro French onion soup has 190 calories, 21g carbs, 8g fat, 10g sugar, and 6.2g protein.
For a one cup serving size, our copycat version has 256 calories, 42.1g carbs, 7.2g fat, 24.3g sugar, and 6.2g protein.  For more nutritional information, please scroll to the end of the recipe card.

Is French onion soup vegetarian?

Traditionally, this soup is made with 100% beef stock.  Panera uses 100% chicken stock.  If you'd like this vegetarian, you would have to use vegetable stock and vegan Worcestershire sauce.

Serve

Panera serves this entree with a choice of sourdough bread bowl for an upcharge, a bag of kettle chips, a piece of baguette, or an apple. Other serving suggestions are a slice of crusty bread, side salad, and fresh fruit.

Looking for other Panera soup recipes? Make sure to try our copycat recipes for Panera baked potato soup, autumn squash soup, Panera chicken noodle soup, chicken and wild rice soup, and Panera turkey chili. Round out your meal by serving one of these 8 Panera copycat dessert recipes after you enjoy your soup.

dipping a piece of baguette into French onion soup.

Expert Tips

  • To minimize tears when cutting onions, peel the onions, slice in half, cover with foil, and refrigerate to cool them before chopping.
  • Make the tomato gastrique ahead of time or during the first 10 minutes of caramelizing the onions.
  • Make your own croutons.  Cube the focaccia, drizzle on oil, and sprinkle on salt.  Bake 13 minutes at 400°F.

Other Panera Copycat Recipes

  • person holding a spoonful of wild rice soup
    Panera Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
  • large bowl of Panera turkey chili with a wooden spoon and bowls of toppings
    Panera Turkey Chili Copycat
  • bowl of Panera chicken noodle soup
    Panera Chicken Noodle Soup Copycat
  • bread bowl of Panera broccoli cheddar soup
    Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Recipe

three bowls of French onion soup with bread and cheese.

Panera Bistro French Onion Soup Copycat

Our Panera bistro French onion soup is an easy copycat recipe to make to impress your friends and family for dinner tonight.  Sweet caramelized onions, perfectly seasoned beef broth, crunchy croutons, and melted cheese turn this French classic into an unforgettable meal.
4.2 from 6 votes
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 7 cups
Calories: 323kcal
Author: Brooke & Emma

Ingredients
 

Soup Base

  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 10 cups yellow onion, chopped
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sherry
  • 8 cups reduced sodium beef broth
  • 1 ½ tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ⅓ cup tomato gastrique, see notes

Spices

  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf

Finishing & Garnish

  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 ¼ cups black pepper focaccia croutons
  • 1 cup Gruyère cheese, finely grated
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Instructions

  • To caramelize the onions: Melt the butter over medium high heat, then add the chopped onion and sprinkle on the salt to help draw out the water from the onions.  Cook and stir the onions occasionally for the first 10 minutes.  Sprinkle on the sugar and continue cooking the onions on medium high for another 25 minutes, stirring frequently so they don't burn. (When a fond builds up, deglaze with ½ cup of water.)
  • To make the gastrique: Pour the sugar and water in a small heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat, then stir to dissolve the sugar.  Don't stir after the sugar is dissolved. When bubbles start to form, reduce the heat to just above medium and watch for it to change color to a medium caramel, then remove it from the heat and slowly whisk in the vinegar.  Be careful not to burn yourself, as the mixture is hotter than boiling water.  Whisk in the tomato paste until smooth.  Return to the heat and reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for one to two minutes to thicken the sauce.  Pour it into a small bowl; the sauce will thicken to a molasses-like consistency as it cools.
  • Once the onions have caramelized, increase the heat to medium high, then pour in ½ cup of sherry.  Using a wooden turner, scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the brown bits off.  This will give the soup more flavor.
  • Sprinkle on ¼ cup of flour and cook it for 2 minutes while constantly stirring. The roux will help thicken the soup.
  • Pour in 1 cup of beef stock to deglaze the pan, so the bottom of the soup pot is clean and all that extra flavor is added to the soup.
  • Pour in the rest of the beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce.  Add the bay leaf, dried spices, and tomato gastrique. (If the tomato gastrique has hardened, microwave it for 20 seconds and stir.)  Stir, cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for at least 20 minutes.  During the last 10 minutes of cooking, taste and adjust spices, if necessary. Make the croutons when the soup is simmering. See notes.
  • Remove the soup from the heat, remove the bay leaf and stir in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  • Top each bowl with the homemade croutons (see notes) and grated Gruyère cheese.  If desired, serve the soup in ovenproof bowls and put under the broiler for 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Make it like Panera Bread and serve this soup with a chunk of Panera's French baguette, kettle chips, or apple slices.

Video

Notes

  • Tomato Gastrique: You'll need ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, ¼ cup cooking sherry vinegar, and 1 ½ teaspoons tomato paste.  Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to two weeks.  Make the gastrique while the onions are in the first ten minutes of cooking.
  • Black Pepper Focaccia Croutons: Cut a 7-inch round Panera Bread loaf into cubes, drizzle with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and bake at 400 F for 13 minutes, stirring half way through the cooking time.  Make the croutons while the soup is simmering.
  • Want less tears?  Peel and cut the onions in half, cover with foil and refrigerate to cool them before slicing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 323kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 34g (11%)Protein: 15g (30%)Fat: 14g (22%)Saturated Fat: 8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 38mg (13%)Sodium: 1164mg (51%)Potassium: 957mg (27%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 11g (12%)Vitamin A: 399IU (8%)Vitamin C: 18mg (22%)Calcium: 259mg (26%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Peggy

    December 03, 2023 at 8:49 am

    5 stars
    One word. "DELICIOUS"

    Reply
    • Emma Fajcz

      December 04, 2023 at 4:22 am

      Peggy, We are thrilled to hear you loved this soup.

      Reply
  2. Taryn

    April 24, 2023 at 4:10 pm

    The amount of protein you listed for Paneras version of soup is a lot less than what the current app calculates. They say there is 15 g of protein in a cup and 19 g in a bowl.
    Is the Panera app inaccurate or did they change the recipe?

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 25, 2023 at 4:37 am

      Taryn, We got the protein amount from Panera's website, not their app. I hope this helps. Let us know how our recipe turns out once you make it.

      Reply
  3. Jacque

    March 11, 2023 at 11:03 pm

    3 stars
    This would have been a great recipe if not for the Tomato Gastrique. The gastrique over powered the other flavors of the soup and masked that deep rich flavor of the broth. It also made the soup really too sweet. Panera French Onion soup is not at all sweet. I think I will make this again and use plain tomato paste. The caramelized onion is all the caramelization this soup needs, I believe.

    Reply
    • Emma

      March 13, 2023 at 7:32 am

      We're sorry that you didn't care for the gastrique, Jacque. Let us know if you make this again with just tomato paste!

      Reply
  4. Nellys Bradley

    December 02, 2022 at 7:26 pm

    It was amazing!!! I was honestly worried I wasn’t doing it right. The end result was fantastic. I felt like I had just made a bowl of Panera French Onion Soup. Thank you for taking the time to share. Will definitely be making it again in the future. I did add more spice than it called for because I like heavy flavor but it was definitely on point.

    Reply
    • Emma

      December 03, 2022 at 6:47 am

      Nellys, thank you for your kind words. We are so excited that you loved this soup as much as we do!

      Reply
  5. LB

    November 13, 2022 at 6:41 pm

    The flavors are delicious! It was a bit too sweet for my taste, so next time I will reduce the sugar in the gastrique.

    Reply
    • Emma

      November 17, 2022 at 6:34 am

      Glad you enjoyed the soup, LB!

      Reply
  6. Paula

    October 19, 2021 at 1:46 am

    2 stars
    The gastrique ruined it. Skip this one and use another. What a waste of time and materials.

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 19, 2021 at 7:06 am

      We're sorry that the gastrique didn't work out for you, Paula. We are happy to help you troubleshoot to see what went wrong!

      Reply
  7. Ilya

    October 11, 2021 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    I normally don't comment on recipes but this was delicious! Perfect seasoning and I didn't bother with baking croutons as I had something in the oven already. I will definitely make this soup again 😁

    Reply
    • Emma

      October 11, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      Thank you so much, Ilya! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the French onion soup so much!

      Reply
  8. Alex

    April 02, 2021 at 4:50 pm

    5 stars
    This soup is nicely salted and the onion is soft. The color is nicely caramelized, and the croutons on top are delectable.

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 02, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      We're glad you enjoyed it, Alex!

      Reply
  9. Beth

    April 02, 2021 at 4:49 pm

    5 stars
    This smells fragrant and mouthwatering! It is tangy and savory. The cheese is yummy on top--the perfect accent to the soup. This is absolutely divine! I love how this soup is packed full of flavor.

    Reply
    • Emma

      April 02, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      We're so glad to hear that, Beth!

      Reply

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We're Brooke & Emma Fajcz, the mother-daughter team behind Savor the Flavour. Increase your kitchen confidence with our recipes, instructional photos, and helpful tips and facts. Our recipes have been featured in Oprah Magazine, The Guardian, Parade, Insider, Delish, and BuzzFeed.

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