Easy Vegan French Onion Soup (no wine)
This vegan French onion soup recipe is cheesy, garlicy, and loaded with flavor! It is the perfect appetizer to any dinner party… I mean who doesn’t love French onion soup?! Out of all the French onion recipes this one has got to be a crowd favorite and it is extremely easy to make vegan! You only need a few simple swaps to get that delicious herby oniony flavor we all know and love!
What ingredients do I need for my easy vegan French onion soup?
- Onions
- Garlic
- Fresh Thyme
- Bay Leaves
- Veggie Stock – I LOVE the Better than Bouillon Brand it has the most insane flavor and is lower in sodium!
- French Bread
- Vegan Cheese or my Homemade Stretchy Vegan Mozzarella Cheese found here
How to make this vegan French onion soup recipe
There are only a few steps between you and your French onion soup. I know it sounds like an intimidating soup to make, but it is actually quite easy. Most of your time will be taken caramelizing the onions, but the rest is a breeze! Here’s how to do to it!
Caramelizing the onions: Start by slicing up 5-6 onions thinly. It will seem like a lot but trust me then cook down to nothing! Heat up 2 tsp of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot, large enough to hold your soup, then add in your sliced onions. Over medium heat cook your onions for about 25-30 minutes until they have caramelized down and have become slightly brown. Make sure to stir every 5 minutes or so, so the onions do not stick to the bottom.
Add in the flavor: Once the onions have cooked down, add in the garlic and fresh chopped thyme and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add in your broth and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer: Bring to a boil the let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
Add the toppings: While the soup is simmering, slice up some French bread and toast it in a pan. Transfer your French onion soup into an oven safe bowl then top with a couple slices of your toasted bread and top with some vegan cheese. Bake for 5-10 minutes at 425f until the cheese is melty and and the soup is sizzling.
Watch out for this
I usually make this easy French onion soup recipe with no wine, which is why it comes out as a lighter yellow color. The color will also reflect the color of your veggie broth, so if you want to have the robust red flavor use a darker veggie broth. You can also add in 3/4 of a cup or red wine for a more authentic flavor and to add a deeper red color to the soup! Just BE CAREFUL, a lot of wine is actually not vegan and contains binders such as egg whites and dairy products! Sometimes it will be written on the back of the bottle, but most of the time you have to do the digging yourself and scour the internet. You can also check the website Barnivore, it is a wine directory that you can search to find vegan friendly bottles.
Substitutions & Additions
- Make this soup gluten free by swapping your French bread for a gluten free bread, or omit the bread all together!
- You can use a store bought vegan cheese, although these tend to be oil based and are not the healthiest option. If you are whole foods try topping your soup with my homemade stretchy mozzarella cheese recipe! It can be found here made with my healthy vegan poutine!
- If you do not have fresh thyme you can swap for 1 tbsp of dried thyme.
- This recipe can easily be made oil free by omitting the oil and using vegetable broth to caramelize your onions instead.
- For a robust red color and deeper add in 3/4 of a cup of red wine!
Other recipes you will love
- Avocado Pesto Pasta
- The Best Vegan Alfredo
- Greek Style Vegan Souvlaki
- Vegan Butter Chicken with Chickpeas
Try this recipe with my homemade vegan stretchy mozzarella recipe found here!
Did you make this recipe? I LOVE seeing your recreations! Make sure to tag me on Instagram @that.veganbabe so I can share the love! And don’t forget to leave a comment or review!
Easy Vegan French Onion Soup Recipe (no wine)
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 5-6 Large White Onions
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 6 sprigs Fresh Chopped Thyme or 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 7 cups Vegetable Broth
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 loaf Vegan French Bread or gluten free bread
- ½ cup Vegan Cheese or my homemade melty mozzarella cheese, see recipe linked above
Instructions
- Thinly slice up your onions. Heat your olive oil over medium heat in a large pot large enough to hold your soup then add in your sliced onions.
- Cook the onions for 25-30 minutes over medium heat stirring every 5 minutes so they don't burn. You will know they are done when they turn a slight brown color.
- After your onions have caramelized add in your fresh chopped thyme and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in your veggie broth, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering slice your French bread and toast the slices in a pan until golden.
- Add the bread on top of the soup then top with your vegan cheese and pop into the oven at 425f for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the soup is sizzling.
- Top with some more fresh thyme or chopped chives and enjoy!