French Onion Soup
This vegan French onion soup recipe is full of rich, savoury flavour, and lots of melty plant-based cheese! The perfect cozy dinner for a chilly evening.
French onion soup is one of those recipes that’s so much more than the sum of its parts. Soup—with just onions?! With cheese and bread on top? It sounds iffy on paper, but of course, we all know that this is a soup loaded with the most rich flavour. This vegan version is just as delicious as the classic recipe, minus the traditional dairy cheese and beef stock!
Why You’ll Love This Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe
- Layers of flavour. This soup may take some time to make, but the end result is worth it. The combination of caramelised onions, herbs, and white wine creates a rich and complex flavour profile.
- Comfort in a bowl. There’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of soup on a cold winter night. This vegetarian French onion soup recipe will leave you feeling cozy and satisfied!
- Easy to make. Although it does take some time, there is nothing complicated about the recipe, and most of the ingredients are pantry staples.
Notes on Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Butter – You can use store-bought or homemade vegan butter.
- Olive oil
- Onions – Yellow onions are the classic choice for French onion soup. Sweet onions have high water content and become too soft in the soup, so they should be avoided.
- Garlic – Another element of the flavour in this vegan French onion soup recipe.
- Balsamic vinegar – This helps add some richness to the broth.
- Dry white wine – Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are two great options.
- Vegetable broth – I like to use my homemade vegetable broth. Mushroom broth also works, and it makes a great stand-in for beef stock.
- Thyme – You can use fresh thyme leaves or dried thyme.
- Bay leaves
- Dark brown sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Baguette slices – The slices should fit in your soup bowls.
- Vegan cheese – If you are lucky enough to find an artisanal vegan gruyere wedge, snatch it up for this recipe! Otherwise, shredded vegan Parmesan or mozzarella works.
How to Make French Onion Soup
- Caramelise the onions. Cook the onions with the olive oil and butter over medium heat until they’re jammy and caramelised.
- Add the garlic. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Deglaze the pan. Add the balsamic vinegar and wine; wait a minute, then start scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Simmer. Stir in the broth, herbs, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Toast the baguette slices. Place them on a baking sheet and toast at 375ºF for 10 minutes, or until browned.
- Broil. Remove the bay leaf, then divide the soup into bowls. Add baguette slices and vegan cheese. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh thyme, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Slice the onions evenly. This is important! You don’t want thick slices of onion that stay crisp instead of caramelising.
- Be patient with the onions. Achieving properly caramelised onions is critical for the soup’s depth of flavour. It might be tempting to rush this step, but slow-cooking the onions until they’re quite dark and jammy in texture ensures the best taste.
- Use oven-safe soup bowls. If you don’t have oven-safe soup bowls, you can top the toasted baguette slices with shredded cheese and return them to the oven to broil. Once the cheese has melted, transfer the cheesy bread to your soup bowls.
What to Serve With French Onion Soup
A simple green salad is all you need to round out this dinner. If you want something a bit fancier, try my vegan Nicoise salad, easy vegan Caesar salad, or kale apple and chickpea salad with vegan feta.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. (It’s best not to store the baguette slices in the soup to keep them from getting mushy.)
- Freeze: If you want to freeze this French onion soup recipe, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag (without the bread and cheese). It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm up the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop, then ladle it into ovenproof bowls and top with toasted baguette slices and cheese. Follow the instructions in the original recipe for broiling and serving.
Enjoy friends! If you make this French onion soup recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
French Onion Soup
This vegan French onion soup recipe is full of rich, savoury flavour, and lots of melty cheese! The perfect cozy dinner for a chilly day.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 large yellow onions, 6 cups, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ⅓ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 baguette slices
- 1 cup vegan cheese, shredded (like Gruyère, Parmesan, or mozzarella)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil and vegan butter over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until they become soft and caramelized. This will take about 30-40 minutes. This step is important to get a rich, flavorful soup, so don’t undercook your onions.
- Once the onions are golden brown, add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the balsamic vinegar and white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Pour in the vegetable broth and stir to combine.
- Add the thyme, bay leaves, and dark brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- While the soup simmers, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Don’t turn off the oven.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup and discard.
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls. Place two slices of baguette on top of each bowl of soup. Top with grated vegan cheese.
- Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Serve hot, garnished with extra thyme.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. (It’s best not to store the baguette slices in the soup to keep them from getting mushy.)
- Freeze: If you want to freeze this French onion soup recipe, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag without the bread or cheese. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm up the soup in a saucepan on the stovetop, then ladle it into ovenproof bowls and top with toasted baguette slices and cheese. Follow the instructions in the original recipe for broiling and serving.
Calories: 378kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.003g, Sodium: 2072mg, Potassium: 260mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 868IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 3mg
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
