Vegetarian French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is one of the first soups I learned to make on my own when I was in my early twenties. Back then, I used the traditional ingredient of beef broth. However, over the years I’ve tweaked what I originally started with and made my own version of Vegetarian French Onion Soup.

Vegetable broth replaces the beef broth, while the red wine and Worcestershire sauce help to give it a rich “beefy” flavor.

French Onion Soup is such a classic soup that has an elegant presentation, and is certain to impress anyone you are serving it to!

Ingredients for this Soup

• Onions, yellow
• Vegetable broth
• Butter (vegan butter to make this vegan)
• Red wine
• Worcestershire sauce
• Bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• French bread
• Olive oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Swiss or Gruyere cheese (plant-based if desired)

Instructions

1. Start by slicing the onions thin. You can do this with a sharp chef’s knife or with a mandoline slicer. I personally use a mandoline as it keeps the slices uniform. However, I have made this soup many times with a regular kitchen knife and it tastes the same either way!
2. In a 4-6 quart saucepan or dutch oven, melt the butter over moderate to high heat. Add the onions and sauté until onions are a light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.
3. Add the red wine and Worcestershire sauce, sauté until most of liquid evaporates. Sprinkle the onions with flour and cook about 1 minute. (The flour helps to add a touch of thickening.)
4. Gradually add the vegetable broth to the pot, stirring to combine. Then add the bay leaves and ground pepper. Bring the soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook the onion soup uncovered for about 30 minutes.
5. Remove from heat. Add salt and additional pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves.
6. Preheat broiler in the oven, or if using non broiler-proof dishes, heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
7. Slice French bread or Sourdough into 1 – 1 1/2 inch slices. Brush each slice with olive oil. Note – if your bread is a little hard that’s good, the bread will soak up the broth and soften.
8. Ladle the French onion soup in broiler-proof soup tureens or small individual casserole dishes. Place the bowls on a sheet pan. Place sliced French bread in each bowl. Sprinkle each bowl evenly with the cheeses.
9. Place pan about 6 inches under preheated broiler (or in the 425 degree oven). Broil or bake until the cheeses melt and are lightly browned about 1-2 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

Enjoy!

FAQ’s

• You can easily make this soup ahead of time by completing making the onion soup and storing in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Then heat soup, and ladle into soup tureens, add French bread and cheeses and then broil and serve.
• If you do not have red wine, you can easily omit this step. While the wine adds a richer flavor it can be omitted. You can also substitute with white wine if that is all that you have handy.
• To make the Vegetarian French Onion Soup Vegan – simple use vegan butter, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and plant-based cheeses.

What to serve with French Onion Soup?

While this Vegetarian French Onion Soup can be served simply on its own, it does pair well with any salad, like this Arugula Salad, or Maple Roasted Butternut Squash Salad. Try it with a side of roasted vegetables for a lighter pairing as the bread and cheeses in the soup can be filling for many.

If you enjoy this recipe, then check out our other soup recipes: Creamy Kale Soup, Instant Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup, and Broccoli Cheddar Soup.