Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (2024)

Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (1)

Vegan French Onion Soup is hearty, elegant, and surprisingly easy to make.

This is my vegan twist on classic French onion soup, the main difference being that I use vegetable stock instead of beef stock.

With just six ingredients and a little (hands-off) patience while the onions caramelize, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making this for years to use up any onions you have sitting on your counter.

In these colder winter months, there’s no better way to stay warm than with a cozy bowl of hot soup.

Aside from being delicious, this vegan french onion soup recipe has nourishing and healing properties.

Give it a try; you’ll be shocked at how much it tastes like the original. I prefer a few big white or yellow onions in this soup.

However, you can use any combo of onions you have on hand—they all become sweet when cooked down and caramelized.

The hands-on time for this recipe is really limited; most of the time it takes is spent on the stove without your help.

It’s the perfect thing to make on a weekend afternoon while you’re doing other chores around the house.

It makes your kitchen and house smell amazing, trust me!

Vegan French Onion Soup Key Ingredients

To make this delicious healthy soup, you’re going to need just a few simple ingredients.

Onions (Of Course!)

Onions, along with garlic, shallots, scallions, and leeks, come from the Allium family and are loaded with antioxidant power.

Plus, they are delicious. Especially when cooked low and slow in recipes like this.

Onions are particularly high in flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant for your liver that helps eliminate toxins.

Onions also contain high levels of sulfur and quercetin, which help neutralize free radicals in the body and protect cell membranes.

Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (2)

Thyme (Preferably Fresh)

Our other star ingredient, thyme, has been used for its medicinal purposes for centuries to treat things like gastrointestinal issues, laryngitis, and lack of appetite.

Thyme can also help relieve respiratory ailments related to the common cold and flu. Thymol, flavonoids, B vitamins, vitamin C, and others give thyme its healing properties.

Fresh thyme has an incredible aroma and flavor that’s hard to capture when it’s dried. Use fresh thyme if you can, but feel free to use dried thyme if you can’t find it fresh.

Thyme is a hearty herb that grows well in pots and planters. So, if you find yourself making vegan french onion soup often, then grab yourself a little thyme plant at your local garden store for around $3 to enjoy thyme all year round.

Vegan French onion soup is easy and extra good for you, so eat up!

If you like this soup, try dozens more healthy soup recipes — soup is one of my specialties.

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Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (3)

Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star5 from 8 reviews

  • Author: Elizabeth Rider
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Description

This vegan French onion soup recipe has been a top Google search result for almost 10 years now—for good reason! It’s healthy, simple to make, and absolutely delicious. If you love it, please leave a star rating in the comments below to help other readers in our community.

Ingredients

UnitsScale

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 large white or yellow onions, sliced into thin half-moons
  • 3 large fresh thyme sprigs (about 1 tbsp), leaves stripped, OR 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 4 cups (1 quart) vegetable stock/broth (no salt added), OR (if not vegan) beef broth or chicken broth)*
  • 2 cups of filtered water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons good-quality aged balsamic vinegar
  • 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided (plus more to taste if needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional

  • sprouted whole grain bread
  • vegan cheese melted on top

(Non-Vegan Version):

  • grated Gruyere cheese or Swiss cheese (obviously not vegan!) is traditional to melt on top of French onion soup if you follow a “flexitarian” eating style

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot or Dutch oven.
  2. Add the onions, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the onions; lower the heat to medium-low. The onions may be filling the pot completely but will cook down to about ⅓ of their mass.
  3. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally until the onions caramelize and turn light golden brown, about 50-60 minutes.
  4. Add the balsamic and cook until it’s absorbed and the onions are a deeper brown, about 15 more minutes.
  5. Add the stock, water, bay leaf, remaining salt, and pepper, then bring to a boil.
  6. Turn the heat to low and simmer at least 30 minutes.
  7. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
  8. I usually eat it just like this, but you can also serve it with toasted sprouted grain bread and melted gruyere cheese for a more classic presentation (adding the cheese of course makes it not vegan). Instead of baking the cheese onto the soup, put slices of sprouted grain bread on a baking sheet, rub the tops with a fresh garlic clove, drizzle with a little olive oil, and top with the gruyere cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 350º until the cheese is melted. Top each cup of soup with a slice of the cheesy bread and serve.
  9. This soup (minus the cheese and bread) freezes well in an airtight glass container.
  10. Tip: You can also substitute 1/4 cup of good quality, bold red wine for the balsamic vinegar. I suggest a burgundy or cabernet sauvignon if you want to use wine instead of balsamic vinegar.

Notes

*Note on choosing stock: This recipe is written to be vegan so I use vegetable broth. I’ve included these substitutions if making it vegan is not important to you:

  • (Non-vegan options) Beef broth is traditional in French onion soup and has a deep earthy flavor. Chicken stock is also a great option here if you prefer it. When choosing beef or chicken stock, I suggest a high-quality (preferably organic) stock that does not contain added preservatives or excess sodium. (I like the brands Pacific, 365 from Whole Foods and Kirkland from Costco.) You can also use my homemade chicken stock (aka bone broth) recipe or store-bought bone broth to make this soup for extra protein and healing properties.
Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (4)
Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe | Elizabeth Rider (2024)

FAQs

How do you deepen the flavor of French onion soup? ›

My personal go-tos include worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and brandy. Each deepens the flavor of french onion soup. Balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are other great options.

What broth is French onion soup made of? ›

This soup traditionally is made with beef stock, though sometimes a good beef stock can be hard to come by and expensive to make. If you use boxed stock, taste it first! If you don't like the taste, don't use it. (If you cook a lot of beef or beef roasts, save the scraps and freeze them to make a stock with later.)

What is the difference between onion soup and French onion soup? ›

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

What is a good substitute for cheese in French onion soup? ›

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Cheese: To me, there is no better cheese in a French onion soup than Gruyere! However, shredded Swiss or provolone also works very well. Just be sure to find something that is easily shredded or grated, as that's what will give you that amazing gooey, melty cheese we all love.

How do you fix bland onion soup? ›

Fix a bland onion soup by using supermarket broth and mild white onions, tasteless oil for sauteeing, stale plain white bread instead of croutons, and mild white cheese. Start by reducing the broth. Simmering out some water will intensify the flavor of the broth. Once you get it to the right point, add some salt.

Why do you put baking soda in French onion soup? ›

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

Is French onion soup good for you? ›

Onions are a great source of soluble fibre and therefore a good prebiotic; food for the good gut bacteria. Optimal gut health is crucial for weight loss and this delicious soup provides great nutrients to help boost weight loss as part of a weight management programme.

What is the best wine to use in French onion soup? ›

Wine is optional to deglaze the pan and add flavour to the soup. I recommend a dry white or red wine, such as a good quality Pinot Grigio/Gris, Sauv Blanc, Sémillon, Chardonnay, Merlot or Pinot Noir. Generally, if you can't drink it, don't cook with it.

How dark should onions be for French onion soup? ›

Caramelizing the onions slowly in butter until they're rich golden brown (but not so dark as to taste bitter) produces the sweetest, most flavorful results. If you don't have homemade beef stock, the recipe's suggested homemade or store-bought chicken stock substitutions are better than most store-bought beef stock.

Why did Panera change their French onion soup? ›

First, it removed the French Onion Soup, a staple on the menu for over 20 years, to make room for seasonal menu items in June. Then, it was revealed the brand was heating up frozen dishes. In a change from their previous social media reactions to public outcry, the St.

Why is French onion soup so good? ›

French onion soup is the ultimate comfort food. Onions get slowly cooked until sweet and caramelized, then simmered in rich broth until they're practically falling apart. To finish it off, toasted bread is added to give it that lovable crisp-gone-soggy texture and a generous amount of Gruyère cheese is melted on top.

Why is my French onion soup too sweet? ›

Onions are very sweet, especially when they're cooked down, and that is the main purpose of onion soup. The sweetness can be balanced by adding some dry wine or vinegar. Taste as you go and don't overdo it. A little salt will balance it too, but don't forget that the grated cheese you will top it with is salty.

What can I use instead of thyme in French onion soup? ›

What is a Good Thyme Substitute in French Onion Soup? Thyme adds a lot of flavor to french onion soup, but if you don't have any on hand you can use herbs de provence, bay leaf, or oregano to be sure your soup will not be dull.

Can I use mozzarella instead of Gruyère in French onion soup? ›

Combine 1 ½ cups of shredded Gruyère, 1 ½ cups of shredded Mozzarella, and ½ cup shredded Parmesan in a bowl. This is my favorite combination of cheeses, but you can use whichever cheeses you have on hand.

Can you use red onion instead of yellow in French onion soup? ›

Onions: You can use white, yellow or red onions for French onion soup. But to make it the classic way, you will need 5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced. Butter: The tastiest (French) way to caramelize those onions.

How do you make soup taste stronger? ›

Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.

What spices add depth to soup? ›

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

How do you get the depth of flavor in vegetable soup? ›

A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.

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