French Onion Soup
Warm cozy and flavourful French onion soup is without a doubt one of the best soup recipes of all time! Deliciously rich and deceptively easy to make its the perfect dinner for this autumnal weather we're having. We've topped ours with a crispy crouton and lots of plant-based grated cheese for that extra richness. Check out the recipe below!
Serves
Ingredients
For the Soup
<item-todo-done>3 tbsp vegetable oil<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>6 medium brown onions<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>1 tsp sugar<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 cloves of garlic<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>125g Shiitake mushrooms<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>7 sprigs of fresh thyme<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>3 bay leaves<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>2 tbsp cornflour<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>150ml dry white wine<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>4 plant-based beef stock cube - in 1.5l water<item-todo-done><item-todo-done> Salt and pepper<item-todo-done>
For the Cheesy Crouton
<item-todo-done>1 french baguette<item-todo-done><item-todo-done>100g plant-based cheese<item-todo-done>
To Serve
<item-todo-done> handful of chives<item-todo-done>
Before you start
Garlic crush or microplane | Large sauce pan
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
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
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
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!