Panera's French Onion Soup

I love French Onion Soup. My favorite has got to be Panera's and my mom recently sent me their recipe. You can't find it on their website anymore...but here's a link to it. I just had to try it, and I was pleased with the results. In fact, apparently it was so good my husband now likes onions. (Or so he says...not sure I believe him yet.)

I made a slight variation in my soup due to what I had on hand. It really did taste just about identical to their French Onion Soup at Panera Bread though. So I am definitely impressed they actually put their recipe on the web! :)

I made a half batch because I only cook for two and quite frankly I don't have a big enoguh pot for a whole batch. (Who really does?!?) I had all the types of onions except for leeks, so I didn't put them in. I also used dried Thyme instead of fresh. Beware when you are buying the ingredients because the "Gruyere" cheese is quite expensive. (Expect to pay around $20 a pound, but you don't need a whole pound for this recipe.) You wouldn't have to get this type, but I highly recommend it. It was just the perfect touch to ensure it tasted like Panera's soup.

I hope you enjoy this soup at home as much as I did. Get cooking, if you'd like! :)