Vegan French Onion Soup
This vegan French onion soup tastes just like the classic version, with deeply caramelized onions, a rich savory broth, and a slice of toast topped with melty vegan cheese floating on top. It is far easier to make than it looks, needs no special skills or equipment, and comes together from a handful of pantry ingredients. If you have been putting this recipe off because it seems too fancy, this is your sign to make it tonight.
I wanted to make vegan French onion soup for quite a while, but I don’t know why I never had the courage to do it. The recipe always seemed too sophisticated to me, and it turned out I was completely wrong. I’m a huge onion fan and use them in almost every savory meal I make, so this soup went straight to first place on my list of favorite soups. Next I’m planning on making garlic soup, and I’m curious which one I’ll end up liking more.
What goes into this soup
The ingredient list is short, so each one earns its place. Onions are the star here, and you want five of them, sliced thin (julienned) so they soften and caramelize evenly. Yellow or brown onions work best because they hold up to long cooking and turn beautifully sweet. Garlic, bay leaves, and fresh thyme build the aromatic base, so use fresh thyme sprigs if you can find them rather than dried.
For the liquid, I used blonde beer instead of wine. Traditionally French onion soup uses white wine, but it turns out I may be allergic to wine, so I stopped using it for cooking. Blonde beer gives the same malty depth and works wonderfully here, though white wine is a fine swap if you prefer it. A little flour or cornstarch thickens the broth slightly, and vegetable broth carries all that flavor (water works too if that is what you have). For the topping I opted for the easy way and bought some sliced vegan cheese from the store, but if you would rather make your own stretchy vegan mozzarella at home, that works just as well.
The secret is in the caramelized onions
Everything about French onion soup rests on how well you caramelize the onions. This is the one step you cannot rush. Cook them low and slow for about 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until they turn soft, golden, and jammy. That slow cooking breaks down the onions’ natural sugars and builds the deep, sweet, almost meaty flavor the soup is famous for. If you crank the heat to speed things up, the onions will scorch and turn bitter instead of sweet, so patience really pays off here.
Once the onions are caramelized, deglazing with the beer lifts all those browned bits off the bottom of the pot, and that is pure flavor. Let it simmer until the liquid mostly evaporates before you add the flour, which gives the broth its silky body without any dairy.
Tips for getting it right
- Slice the onions as evenly as you can so they cook at the same rate and caramelize together.
- Do not add the flour or cornstarch until the beer has reduced, or the broth can turn gluey instead of smooth.
- Remember to fish out the bay leaves and thyme sprigs before serving, since they have done their job and are not pleasant to bite into.
- Toast the bread and melt the cheese on it under a lid at low heat, which gives you that gooey, broiler-style top without needing an oven.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper right at the end, once the broth has fully simmered and the flavors have concentrated.
What to serve with vegan French onion soup
With the cheesy toast baked right in, this soup is filling enough to be a light meal on its own. If you want to round it out, a crisp green salad or a second soup alongside makes a lovely spread. It sits happily next to my cream of mushroom soup with thyme if you are feeding a crowd of soup lovers, and for something heartier you could pair it with a bowl of vegan red lentil soup. To finish the meal, a few vegan whole grain cookies keep things simple and homey.
Storage and make-ahead
The soup base actually improves overnight, so it is a great one to make ahead. Store it (without the toast and cheese) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and reheat gently on the stovetop until steaming. It also freezes well for up to 3 months, so I like to make a double batch and tuck half away for a cold day. Always add the toast and melty vegan cheese fresh, right before serving, so the bread stays crisp instead of going soggy in the broth. If you love a make-ahead soup, my creamy scallion soup keeps just as nicely.
I hope you’ll try my vegan French onion soup and see for yourself that those caramelized onions make all the difference. Once you have made it, come back and leave a star rating, and drop a comment to tell me whether you went with beer or wine and how it turned out for you.
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Vegan French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 5 onions julienned
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup blonde beer or white wine
- 4 Tbsps olive oil
- 2 Tbsps flour or cornstarch
- 4 cups vegetable broth or water
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- slice toast 1-2 per serving
- sliced vegan cheese 1 slice per serving
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the onions.
- Heat the oil in a pot.
- Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
- Add the beer or wine, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Add the flour or cornstarch and stir. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the vegetable broth. Bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Place a slice of bread in a pan and toast it on one side without burning. Flip it over, place a slice of vegan cheese on top, cover with a lid, and let it melt over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Serve hot, with the toast and melted cheese floating on top.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
No, traditional French onion soup is not vegan. It is normally made with butter, beef broth, and broiled cow’s-milk cheese on top. This version swaps in olive oil, vegetable broth, and sliced vegan cheese so it is fully plant-based while keeping the same rich, savory flavor.
Yellow or brown onions are the best choice because they hold up to long, slow cooking and turn deeply sweet as they caramelize. You need about five onions, sliced thin so they soften evenly. Sweet onions work too, but standard yellow onions give the most classic flavor.
Yes. The recipe calls for a cup of blonde beer or white wine, but you can leave it out and use extra vegetable broth or water instead. The beer or wine adds depth after deglazing the caramelized onions, so if you skip it, let the onions caramelize a little longer to build that flavor.
Bitter onions usually mean the heat was too high and they scorched rather than caramelized. Cook them low and slow for around 25 minutes, stirring now and then, until they are soft and golden. Patience is the key, since rushing this step is the most common mistake.
A sliced vegan cheese labeled as melting or mozzarella-style works best for that gooey, broiled top. I toast the bread, lay a slice of vegan cheese on it, and cover it with a lid at low heat for a minute or two until it melts. You can also make your own stretchy vegan mozzarella at home if you prefer.
Absolutely. The soup base keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes for up to 3 months, and the flavor deepens overnight. Store it without the toast and cheese, then add those fresh right before serving so the bread stays crisp instead of getting soggy.
Sooooo flavorful! Just like the original! Definitely bookmarked.
Thank you!