does anyone have a really good french onion soup recipe!???

Question

I really need a good recipe for french onion soup!!! My husband and I love the stuff, especially from panera, and I'd love to be able to make it at home!!!
Thanks for sharing!!

Answer 1

TSR- Panera Bread® French Onion Soup


The 665 Panera Bread outlets in 35 states are famous for fantastic sandwiches, but it's this delicious French onion soup that gets most of the cloning requests. The biggest difference I find with Panera's formula versus other onion soup recipes is the inclusion of a small, almost undetectable, bit of tomato sauce. So, rather than opening up a whole can of tomato sauce to use just one tablespoon, I discovered that a bit of ketchup works perfectly. Panera Bread also makes their soup special by using sweet cream butter to sauté the onions, and just a bit of Tabasco pepper sauce in the pot to wake everything up. The croutons on top of the soup appear to made from the chain's foccacia bread that has been buttered, cubed, and toasted until crispy, but you can use any bread you may have on hand. As for the cheese on top, the menu says it's asiago-parmesan, but the cheese I tasted was more asiago than parmesan, so using plain asiago cheese (that's been shaved using a potato peeler) works like a charm.

1/4 cup sweet cream butter
8 cups sliced yellow onions (4 to 5 med. onions)
2 14-ounce cans beef broth (I used Swanson)
3/4 cup chicken broth (Swanson again)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
couple drops Tabasco pepper sauce

shaved asiago cheese
Onions and croutons and cheese...oh, my.

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add sliced onions and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions turn brown.
2. Add remaining ingredients (but not the garnish) to the pan and stir to combine. Heat soup until it's boiling, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
3. Make croutons for the top of the soup by slicing foccacia bread (or any bread you may have) into 3/4-inch thick slices. Butter both sides of those slices, then cut the slices into bite-size cubes. Bake the bread in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until crispy. Shave some asiago cheese by simply dragging a potato peeler over the edge of a wedge of asiago.
4. Serve the soup superhot with a handful of croutons floating on top followed by a couple tablespoons of shaved asiago cheese. (http://www.topsecretrecipes.com)

Makes 8 cups.

Answer 2

Fantastic French Onion Soup

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons expeller-pressed grape seed or olive oil
1 tablespoon butter or canola oil margarine, unhydrogenated
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
5 cups chicken broth
5 cups beef broth
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry white wine

Preparation:

Sauté the onions in the oil and butter for 30 minutes, over medium-low heat. Stir in the dry mustard and sauté for an additional 30 minutes

Occasionally, stir the onions to prevent sticking. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes. This soup tastes even better when served a day or two later.

Answer 3

Here's a really easy recipe that tastes even better tha Panera's (I know it's hard to believe anything could tast better ;)
4 cups thinly sliced onions
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups beef broth
4 slices French bread, toasted
1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese

In soup pot, cook onions, sugar, and pepper in oil until caramelized (about 15-20 minutes).
Stir often.
Add broth; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Ladle into ovenproof bowls.
Top each with bread and cheese.
Broil until cheese is bubbly.

Answer 4

French Onion Soup
1/4 cup butter
6 medium cooking onion, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups beef broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 slices day-old French bread
2 cups swiss cheese, Grated
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, Grated
paprika



1. In large Dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter.
2. Add onions and sugar.
3. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until onions are tender but not colored.
4. Uncover pan, increase heat slightly and continue to cook, stirring regularly until onions are rich caramel colour (10 to 15 minutes) DO NOT LET ONIONS BURN.
5. Stir in flour until well blended.
6. Gradually add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens.
7. Stir in beef broth and pepper; bring to boil.
8. Reduce heat to low.
9. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
10. Ladle soup into 6, 1-1/2 cup oven proof bowls.
11. Top each with bread slice; sprinkle with swiss cheese and parmesan cheeses and paprika.
12. Place bowls on jelly roll pan.
13. Broil until cheese melts and bubbles.

Here are some of the reviews for this recipe:
"This was fabulous! The kids wolfed it down and I really enjoyed having this at home. It tasted better than Panera's version.Thanks for sharing! Will make this again."

"Outstanding! I did add Worcestershire sauce, however, basic recipe was amazing, Kristin. I've posted a photo of "befoe" eati and almost posted the "after" eat... empty bowl.!! LOL THX for sharing! It's a keeper!"

"I made the soup just as the directions stated and now I make it at least once a week. It is so easy and delicious and my boyfriend keeps says its the best soup he has ever had. Thanks for such a good recipe."



Let me know how it comes out, I myself have been wanting to make some (I LOVE panera's as well, but I couldn't find you a copycat recipe =( Good luck!)

Answer 5

Lots of other good recipes, so I'll chime in with the two techniques that made all the difference for me:

First, use butter as well as oil when you cook your onions. Slice them very thin, then cook them over medium-high heat. Keep cooking them until you think they are about to burn -- you should see dark-brown spots on them, and they should be completely clear and look "deflated".

When you think "oh no, I've burned the onions," IMMEDIATELY pour about a quarter-cup of water into them (and pull your hand back because the steam will rise VERY fast and can scald you).

Stir the water in with the onions. This does two things: first, it stops the cooking because it cools the onions down, but second, it dissolves the caramelized sugars and turns the onions that glorious rich brown color that all the best onion soups have. (I learned this technique from Julie Sahni, author of an Indian cookbook; it's the basis of an Indian cooking technique called "korma" but it's awesome for soupe a l'oignon gratinee.)

From there it's pretty simple -- add beef stock, simmer and reduce slightly to concentrate the flavors, make your toasted rounds of French bread and then pour them into heatproof bowls -- toast, onions, soup, toast, and cheese in that order. Then pop them under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese.

Then it's the next trick (and this one I learned from Julia Child): After you take the bowls out of the oven, VERY carefully lift one edge of the cheese and pour in just an ounce or so of port before serving.

Oh, my. This is SOOOOO good. And of course, it's best with homemade brown stock, but it's just fine with tinned broth too...

Answer 6

We just made tyler florence's french onion soup and it was great. French Onion Soup Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence 3 tablespoons bacon drippings (4 bacon strips) 6 Maui or Vidalia onions (3 pounds/8 cups), thinly sliced 2 large shallots, chopped 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 cup burgundy wine 2 teaspoons dried oregano 3 quarts chicken broth Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Sliced baquette, toasted and seasoned Swiss cheese, grated Flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish In a large saucepan over medium heat, fry 4 strips of bacon until crisp. Discard bacon. Saute onions and shallots in bacon fat until tender, about 10 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, wine and oregano; cook for 30 minutes. Stir frequently until the onions caramelize and are golden brown. Blend in chicken broth. Simmer gently for 1 hour, stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 4 ovenproof bowls. Float the croutons on top of soup and sprinkle with grated cheese. Broil until cheese melts. Garnish with flat-leaf parsley, serve immediately.

Answer 7

You think Panera has good onion soup? My God, are your standards low.

Saute white onions and shallots in butter, yes butter, add homemade beef stock, season to taste. In bottom of soup crock place a french bread crouton, (toasted sliced day old baguette), add heated soup, top and seal with shredded or sliced Gruyere cheese. Brown and melt cheese under broiler. Serve piping hot.

Answer 8

HERE ARE TWO RECIPES:

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup butter
3 onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup red wine
2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed beef broth
1 French baguette
8 ounces sliced Swiss cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Melt butter or margarine in a 4 quart saucepan. Stir in sugar. Cook onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Stir in flour until well blended with the onions and pan juices. Add water, wine, and beef broth; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover soup, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Cut four 1 inch thick slices of bread from the loaf. Toast the bread slices at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) just until browned, about 10 minutes. Reserve the remaining bread to serve with the soup.
Ladle soup into four 12 ounce, oven-safe bowls. Place 1 slice toasted bread on top of the soup in each bowl. Fold Swiss cheese slices, and fit onto toasted bread slices. Place soup bowls on a cookie sheet for easier handling.
Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 10 minutes, or just until cheese is melted

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Classic French Onion Soup

1 stick butter (8 Tablespoons)
8 cups onions, thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons flour
3 quarts beef stock
1 Tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup brandy
1 teaspoon BV meat glaze (or kitchen bouquet, bovril, or oxo, in a pinch)--optional
grated Gruyere cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
French bread
olive oil
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and add the onions, stirring constantly. cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft.
In the meantime, cut slices of French bread into 1/2 inch pieces and toast them at 350 degrees in the oven for about 15 minutes--until they are dry crusts.

When the onions are soft, sprinkle them with flour, stir, then add 2 cups of beef stock and stir until the mixture is thickened. Add the remaining stock, stir into 1 Tablespoon of salt, the pepper, and the brandy. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 1/2 hour to an hour. Add the meat glaze and taste for seasoning.

When you're ready to serve, ladle the soup into individual bowls and cover each with a thick handful of Gruyere cheese. Top each with a piece of the toasted bread, which has been drizzled with olive oil. Sprinkle it with the Parmesan, then run them under a broiler for a few minutes and carry out to the table.

Answer 9

Go to Culinary Chef at http://www.culinarychef.com for recipes and special occasions menus.

Answer 10

Here's the top secret recipes version: You'll have to purchase it, but it is only 79cents!

http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/recipedetail.asp?sessionid=&login=yes&id=184&agree=yes