Copycat Applebee's French Onion Soup Recipe
This simple copycat recipe tastes as close to the exact Applebee's French onion soup recipe as you can get!
Love that French onion soup you get at restaurants like Applebee's? Now you can make your very own French onion soup with this Copycat Applebee's French Onion Soup Recipe. Copycat restaurant recipes are perfect for weeknight dinners and more. Serve up a smile with this warm and comforting meal. It's the perfect starter to pair with an entree of chicken or steak, like Applebee's bourbon street steak, but it also works great a la carte.
To make French onion soup the way they do at Applebee's, you'll need the right balance of cheeses and soft, sautéd onions that add those extra layers of caramelized flavor and texture. You can create a restaurant-quality meal but still keep the comfort of home with this Copycat Applebee’s French Onion Soup recipe. Plus, because you make this recipe at home, you don't have to worry about the price tag that comes with eating out for dinner, and you have more control over what goes into your soup, like the amount of sodium and the number of calories.
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Serves10
Cooking Time1 hr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds mild onions, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely minced
- 8 cups beef stock
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 hamburger buns
- 10 thin slices of Provolone cheese
- 10 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
Just when you thought the three cheese chicken cavatappi from Applebee's couldn't get any better, we kicked it up a notch by adding a fourth cheese! You'll fall in love with this creamy, cheesy dish:Just Like Applebee's Chicken Cavatappi
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
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In a large heavy bottom soup pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium low heat, stirring only a few times, until they begin to brown, about 15 minutes (see note). Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute until very fragrant. Raise the heat, add the beef stock, water, salt, and pepper and bring soup to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
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While soup is cooking, slice the “crown” top off each of the hamburger buns, giving you 10 rounds of approximately the same size. Place on a cookie sheet and bake 20 minutes.
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Remove and change oven temperature to broil.
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When the soup is cooked, taste and adjust seasonings as desired. (see note)
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Ladle soup into individual soup bowls, top each with a crouton, then with a slice of Provolone and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Broil about 5 minutes until cheese is melted and beginning to become a golden brown. Sprinkle each with a bit more Parmesan and serve immediately.
Notes
- To increase the sweet onion flavor, you may extend the cooking time to 25 minutes or longer, but keep an eye on the pot so that the onions get a lovely gold caramel color and do not burn and get bitter. Stir only occasionally so that they brown evenly.
- If you wish your soup to have a deep rich beef-y flavor, using the best beef broth possible is the key. You can also add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and or soy sauce - you will not taste these ingredients but they will add a deep “meaty” flavor to the soup.
Up next:
Copycat Applebee's Smothered Steak Skillet
What's your favorite thing to order at Applebee's?
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Edmund K
Aug 31, 2017
Onion soup is one of my favorites, though I could probably eat quite happily the cheesy, bready top all by itself. This is a good version of French Onion soup, and I was pleased to note that the writer recommends adding a bit of Worcestershire sauce to the soup while cooking. I've always done this and it adds just a subtle bit to the taste of the soup. I've not tried using soy sauce, but I think it might make it a bit saltier than I'd like.
asoley 3922608
Feb 22, 2017
I love French onion soup - it's one of my favorites - but I might cut back on the cheese a bit, since I find too much cheese overwhelming.
caitlinmm
Oct 29, 2015
Not my favorite version of French onion soup, but the cheesy crouton was genius! I bet it would taste good with any soup.
CreativityGoddess
Oct 28, 2015
Didn't have the full, rich flavor that I love in restaurant French onion soups, but this was really good for a homemade version!
ErinJ
Oct 28, 2015
I LOVED the cheesy "crouton", it's full of flavor and perfect for dipping in soup!
amatlin
Oct 28, 2015
This was a great soup for a cool day. I especially loved the large, cheesy "crouton"!
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