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Applebee's French Onion Soup Copycat Recipe

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 large yellow onions thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups beef broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry sherry optional
  • 4 thick slices baguette
  • 2 cups Swiss or Gruyere cheese shredded
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a heavy pot and caramelize the sliced onions over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes minimum, stirring often.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
  3. Add the wine to deglaze if using, then gradually add the beef broth and simmer 15 minutes.
  4. Ladle into oven-safe bowls, top each with a slice of baguette and a generous handful of cheese.
  5. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and browned, watching closely so it does not burn.

Notes

Caramelization takes patience - rushing it on high heat makes the onions bitter, not sweet. Applebee's uses Gruyere or a Swiss Gruyere blend; Swiss alone is a budget swap with less depth. The optional wine adds acidity to balance the sweetness, and without it the soup can taste flat. Oven-safe bowls are a must and broiling goes from melted to burnt fast.