Vegetarian French Onion Soup to Warm Your Cockles
Let Me Tell You About This Soup…
You know how some recipes just feel sort of like a big ol’ hug? That’s how I feel about this Vegetarian French Onion Soup. First, a confession: the first time I made it, I accidentally grabbed balsamic vinegar instead of red wine and my very polite (but clearly disappointed) friend said, “Oh, that’s…interesting.” Let’s say we stick with the wine, yeah?
Growing up, my mom made classic French onion soup with the works (Gruyère, beef stock, the whole shebang). I wanted that same coziness but, you know, without the beef. Honestly, it took a while, but after a handful of onion-induced crying fits and one unforgettable “burnt cheese stuck to everything” incident, I’ve landed on a version my family actually requests—like, more than once a year. Small victories.
Why You’ll Love This Soup (Or At Least I Do!)
I make this when I’ve had one too many rainy days or just want my kitchen to smell downright amazing. My family goes crazy for this because the onions go all sweet and jammy (like, actual magic?), and cheese on toast is basically irresistible however you slice it.
Random aside: this is also really budget friendly, unless you start splurging on fancy cheese; ask me how I know…
And you don’t need to mess about with meat substitutes. Maybe that sounds a bit lazy, but trust me, good veg stock does all the heavy lifting.
What You’ll Need (Plus Some Things You Can Maybe Swap)
- 5-6 big yellow onions, sliced
(Sometimes I sneak in a red onion when I’ve run out. Nobody noticed. My grandmother would disapprove, but what she doesn’t know…) - 3 tbsp unsalted butter
(I tried vegan butter once—actually worked pretty well.) - 1-2 tbsp olive oil (depends on how buttery you’re feeling)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (helps the onions caramelize, or so I tell myself)
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced (I just use that jarred stuff when I’m tired; don’t tell anyone.)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (red will do if that’s all you’ve got, just don’t use balsamic—learn from my mistakes!)
- 6 cups good vegetable stock (Honestly, I just use Better Than Bouillon these days—homemade when I feel ambitious, but not often. Here’s the brand I like.)
- 1 bay leaf or two (not the end of the world if you skip it, but nice)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme (dried is fine, I won’t tell)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Baguette, sliced (I’ve used sourdough in a pinch—kind of obsessed with it, actually)
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère (Swiss is fine and actually, once I used sliced cheddar; it was okay, just not the real deal)
How To Make It (Don’t Worry, I’ll Hold Your Hand)
- Slice Those Onions
Grab your best knife, maybe blast some music, and get slicing. You want ‘em thin. Try not to cry too much (I always do anyway). - Sweat and Caramelize
Butter and oil go in a big pot over medium-low. Throw in all those onions plus the sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir like a pro for the first few minutes, then just let it all do its thing. 30-ish minutes, maybe longer; you want golden, soft, sweet onions. If it sticks, just add a splash of water—no biggie.
This is when I usually sneak a taste. If you’re impatient, keep reminding yourself it’s worth it. - Garlic and Wine Time
Add the garlic and let it get fragrant—like, a minute or so. Then pour in the wine. Scrape up any brown bits; tons of flavor hiding there. It’ll smell like a fancy bistro for a sec. - Broth, Herbs, and Patience
In goes the stock, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring it all up to a simmer. Taste for salt and pepper. Lower the heat and let it hang out for maybe 30 minutes. Don’t freak out if it looks a little boring—it’s getting better by the minute. - Bread and Cheese Action
Heat your broiler/grill. Lay out your bread slices on a tray, top ’em with cheese, and pop under the broiler till bubbly. Or do this right over each soup bowl (ovenproof bowls only!). Oh, and if your cheese drips off the bread and fries on the tray, consider it a snack for the cook. - Serve It Up
Ladle soup into bowls, float cheesy toast on top, and maybe add more cheese. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t. Let cool enough that you don’t burn your tongue (speaking from experience).
A Few Things I’ve Learned (aka Notes)
- If your onions go from golden to brown too quick, your heat’s too high. Just nudge it down—no need for drama.
- I think this soup tastes even better the next day (if by some miracle it lasts that long), but don’t stress if you eat it immediately—still fab.
- Don’t skip the pinch of sugar unless you want onions that sulk instead of caramelize.
- Sometimes store-bought stock’s a little bland, so bump up the herbs or a splash of soy sauce (weird, but tasty!).
Tried-and-True Soup Swaps and Experiments
- Gruyère’s pricey—honestly, plain ol’ Swiss or even sharp white cheddar is good. Parm on top? Sure. Once, I tried vegan mozzarella: passable, not life-changing.
- I attempted sourdough bagels instead of baguette just to mix things up. Um, too chewy. Stick to sliced bread things.
- For a deeper flavor, I sometimes sauté a spoonful of tomato paste with onions, especially when I want it extra rich.
What If I Don’t Have the Right Soup Bowls?
Look, everyone on the internet (or Food Network) has those fancy crocks. I used coffee mugs the first time, just kept the cheese toast on the side. Worked a treat. In a pinch, even deep cereal bowls do the trick, just don’t broil in plastic (obviously).
Storing Your Leftovers (If You Have ‘Em)
Let it cool, pop in a sealed container, and stick in the fridge. Lasts 3-4 days easy, but, honestly, it’s usually gone by the next morning in my house. Cheesy bread’s best fresh, but the soup’s still top-notch if reheated. Oh! You can freeze just the soup (breadless), which is handy for sad desk lunches later in the week.
How I Like To Serve This (Feel Free to Steal My Style)
We do soup as a main for dinner, all piled into big bowls with extra cheese on the side because, well, cheese. Sometimes I make a quick green salad with a sharp vinaigrette—salad helps you pretend you’re being healthy. My cousin swears by a little hot sauce on top, which I’d never have tried without her persistence. Not too shabby though!
Lessons Learned (Pro Tips, or Things I’ve Messed Up)
- I once tried rushing the onion stage and…no. Patience = flavor here. Don’t wander so far you burn them, but don’t babysit either.
- Toast your bread before cheesing it up. Soggy toast ruins everything (figure I’d mention it since I learned this the hard way).
- Try to use at least decent stock. The cheap kind will let you down. For a homemade veg stock trick, Serious Eats shares a solid method.
Questions People Actually Ask Me About This (FAQ-ish)
- Can I make it vegan? Yep—swap out butter for vegan butter and skip the cheese or go for one of those fancy vegan cheeses (I actually like Miyoko’s). But, full honesty, traditional cheese is better if you eat it.
- Does this freeze well? The soup base does, no problem! But the bread and cheese — do those fresh, or you’ll get gluey mush. (Yuck.)
- My onions stick! What do I do? Splash in water or even a bit more oil. And give ‘em a gentle scrape; those brown bits = more flavor.
- Do I need wine? You can skip it and add a bit more broth plus a drizzle of vinegar for zing, but, honestly, wine adds something special. Cheap is fine; just don’t use anything labeled “cooking wine.”
- My soup tastes bland. Fix? Add extra salt, a splash of soy sauce (trust me), or simmer a bit longer with more thyme. Sometimes I just let it bubble away while watching the telly and it sorts itself out.
A quick digression: one time, my neighbor borrowed a bowl to try a scoop, then brought the bowl back the next day with a scone as thanks. So, technically, French Onion Soup may also earn you baked goods—no guarantees, but worth a shot?
If you want more cozy vegetarian classics, I usually browse Smitten Kitchen for inspiration. Can’t go wrong there.
Ingredients
- 4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 baguette, sliced
- 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
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1Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring often, until onions are deeply caramelized, about 35-40 minutes.
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2Stir in the fresh thyme and pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let simmer for 2-3 minutes until the wine reduces slightly.
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3Add the vegetable broth. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
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4While the soup simmers, preheat the oven broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them for about 2 minutes per side until golden.
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5Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Top each bowl with a toasted baguette slice and a generous sprinkling of grated Gruyère cheese. Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
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6Carefully remove bowls from the oven and serve hot.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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