French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

French onion soup is one of those recipes we kept putting off making vegan because we thought it would be impossible to get that deep, rich, almost beefy flavour without the meat. We were wrong. This one is properly special, with slow-caramelised onions that turn sweet and jammy, shiitake mushrooms adding a brilliant savoury depth, and a broth that tastes like it's been going for hours. Chuck a cheesy crouton on top and honestly, it's one of the most comforting bowls of food you'll ever eat. If you've got 70 minutes and want to genuinely impress yourself, make this tonight.

Cook: 70 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large saucepan
  • 4 ovenproof bowls
  • Grill preheated

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 6 medium brown onions
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 125g Shiitake mushrooms
  • 7 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 150ml dry white wine
  • 4 plant-based beef stock cube - in 1.5l water
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 french baguette
  • 100g plant-based cheese
  • handful of chives

Method

1

Prepare the vegetables

  • Peeled and finely slice the onions
  • Peel and crush the garlic
  • Thinly slice the shitake mushrooms
  • Remove the thyme leaves from the stalks using your index finger and thumb
2

Caramelise the onions

  • Melt the butter or oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
  • Once melted and foaming, add the onions and a pinch of salt
  • Cook the onions for 3-4 minutes or until they are starting to brown, and sprinkle over the sugar
  • Reduce the heat to low, cover with a cartouche (parchment paper lid), and cook for 40-45 minutes
  • Be careful not to burn the onions, stirring a every so often during cooking should help this
  • Your onions are ready when they are a deep brown colour
3

Return to the soup

  • When the onions of caramelised, add the crushed garlic and shitake mushrooms
  • Saute for a couple of minutes to realise the delicious aromas
  • Add the cornflour and stir to fully combine, this will thicken the soup
  • Next, add the thyme and bay leaves
  • Finally, gradually pour in the wine, followed by the water and stock cubes
  • Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 20 minutes, this will help create a delicious flavour
4

Prepare the crouton and finish the soup

  • Slice 4 thick pieces of bread and turn the grill on
  • Toast the bread under the grill until golden, flip and toast the other side
  • Divide the soup between four oven- proof bowls
  • Top each bowl with a slice of toasted bread
  • Scatter with cheese
  • Gently place the bowls under the grill for 3-4 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbling
  • Finish with chopped chives and serve immediately!

Tips & Variations

  • Don't rush the onions: We know it's tempting to crank up the heat, but low and slow is the only way here. Give them a full 30 to 40 minutes and they'll reward you with incredible sweetness and colour.
  • Make it gluten-free: Swap the crouton for a thick slice of toasted gluten-free bread and use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari in the broth. Same result, no compromise.
  • Get the crouton right: Use a good crusty sourdough or baguette, toast it well, and pile on your favourite vegan cheese. We love a melty vegan gruyere-style here. Grill it until it's properly bubbling and golden before it goes on top.

Why This Works

The real magic here is patience with the onions. Don't rush the caramelisation, that slow browning is where all the flavour lives, and it transforms them from sharp and pungent into something almost sweet and silky. The shiitake mushrooms are doing a lot of heavy lifting too, bringing that umami savouriness that makes the broth taste really deep and complex rather than just, well, onion water.