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    Home » Soups and Salads

    Vegan French Onion Soup

    December 7, 2015 By Melissa Huggins / 133 Comments

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    This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

    Jump to Recipe
    Get ready to cry some happy tears, because you have found a Vegan French Onion Soup. This bistro-style classic is rich, savory & downright scrumptious. It's calls for very simple ingredients & just a little love.

    This Vegan French Onion Soup will make you cry happy tears! It's loaded with savory flavors from caramelized onions, broth-infused bread, and bubbly gooey 'cheese'.

    Overhead photo of vegan french onion soup in a white crock. Topped with vegan cheese and fresh rosemary.

    French Onion Soup was a childhood favorite of mine and I was kinda bummed after going vegan that I couldn't have it anymore. However, I quickly learned how easy it was to veganize. I really enjoy turning my past food memories into reality today. This Vegan French Onion Soup lets me reminisce about the past while nourishing my body, mind & soul.

    Wow, that's deep! (who needs chicken soup!)

    I love making soup, especially during the cooler months. They are easy to make, inexpensive, comforting, and great for make-ahead meals. They freeze really well and make great leftovers, too.

    This Creamy Potato Leek Soup is another family favorite, along with my Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup. They are both hearty, savory & satisfying!

    Alright, back to the soup - the onions are the star of this show!

    They will create a deep, rich & flavorful soup. So, give them thyme and let them do their thing. Just relax and have a glass of that red wine and watch the magic happen.

    They will reach a deep golden brown color as they caramelize and they will give off a heavenly, sweet aroma in your kitchen.

    They will shine!


    Side view of vegan french onion soup in a white crock on top of a striped napkin. Rosemary sticking out.

    Vegan French Onion Soup - No dairy needed

    Check out that soft, gooey & stretchy cheese! Doesn't it look mouth-watering? You can have all that deliciousness without a drop of dairy.

    Can you believe it?

    INGREDIENTS FOR THE VEGAN MOZZARELLA CHEESE:

    • Raw cashews
    • Tapioca starch
    • Nutritional yeast
    • Non-dairy milk
    • Lemon Juice
    • Garlic powder
    • Salt

    These healthy ingredients will make the most delicious mozzarella-like cheese ever! Just whirl it all up in a high-powered blender and heat it up on the stove for a couple of minutes.

    It will start to thicken and stretch just like dairy cheese.

    It's a vegan miracle!

    This fabulous stretchy vegan cheese adds the perfect creamy texture to your savory soup. Just toast a baguette slice, drop it into the soup and cover with this gooey goodness.

    You won't be missing the "real" cheese, I promise.

    So, are you ready to try this homemade batch of loveliness? You will be happy that you did!

    Two white crocks of vegan french onion soup. Topped with bread and vegan cheese.

    HOW TO MAKE VEGAN FRENCH ONION SOUP

    STEP 1: In a large pot, heat the butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sugar. Sauté until the onions are very tender & caramelized, about 40-50 minutes. Stir often to avoid sticking or burning.

    STEP 2: Now add the garlic and thyme. Sauté 30-60 seconds.

    STEP 3: Add the red wine and turn heat up to bring to a simmer. Now reduce heat and gently simmer on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated.

    STEP 4: Stir the flour into the onions. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so the flour doesn't burn.

    STEP 5: Add the vegetable broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Turn heat up to to get things moving and turn right down to gently simmer for 10-15 minutes. When the soup is done, remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Add more if needed.

    STEP 6: Heat the broiler to high and carefully ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks or bowls. Fill halfway and place 1-2 slices of toasted baguette into each bowl. Now add more soup, pouring directly over bread. Top each baguette slice with a big scoop of cheese and place the bowls in the oven. Broil for 2-3 minutes to slightly brown and melt the cheese. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

    Vegan French Onion Soup

    Looking for more soup recipes? Here are my faves:

    • Vegan Baked Potato Soup
    • Red Lentil Soup
    • Yellow Split Pea Soup
    • Vegan Clam Chowder
    • Chickpea Curry Soup

    I’d love to hear from you

    If you make this Vegan French Onion Soup, let me know what you think by ★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. It would really make my day. You can also follow me on Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @veganhuggs and hashtag #veganhuggs so I don’t miss it.

    Recipe

    Two white crocks filled with vegan french onion soup. Striped napkin and bread on the side.
    Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
    4.97 from 92 votes

    Vegan French Onion Soup

    This Vegan French Onion Soup will make you cry happy tears! It's loaded with savory flavors from caramelized onions, broth infused bread and bubbly gooey 'cheese'.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time1 hour hr
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: French, Vegan
    Servings: 6 People
    Calories: 323kcal
    Author: Melissa Huggins

    Ingredients

    Soup

    • ¼ cup vegan butter or olive oil (or a blend of both)
    • 4 medium yellow onions , sliced
    • ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
    • 4 cloves garlic , minced
    • 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
    • ¾ cup red wine (*see note)
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 quarts vegetable broth , low sodium
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt , more to taste
    • Fresh ground pepper , to taste
    • 1 baguette , sliced and toasted

    Cashew "Mozzarella" Cheese

    • ¼ cup raw cashews , soaked in water for 2 hours (*see note for quick method)
    • 1 ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk , hot (be careful not to burn the milk)
    • 2 tablespoons tapioca flour/starch
    • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, heat the butter or oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and sugar. Sauté until the onions are very tender & caramelized, about 40-50 minutes. Stir often to avoid sticking or burning. 
    • Now add the garlic and thyme. Sauté 30-60 seconds.
    • Add the red wine and turn heat up to bring to a simmer. Now reduce heat and gently simmer on medium-low for about 10-15 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated.
    • Stir the flour into the onions. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly so the flour doesn't burn.
    • Add the vegetable broth, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Turn heat up to to get things moving and turn right down to gently simmer for 10-15 minutes. 
    • Now's a good time to prepare the "mozzarella" cheese. Drain cashews and discard water. Place all ingredients into a blender. Blend on high until smooth. Now pour mixture into a small pot and place over medium heat. Stir often, so it doesn’t stick or burn. Scrape the sides and bottom as needed. The cheese will start to thicken up and get slightly stretchy. This whole process should take about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
    • When the soup is done, remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. Add more if needed. 
    • Heat the broiler to high. Carefully ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks or bowls. Fill halfway, and place 1-2 slices of toasted baguette into each bowl. Now add more soup, pouring directly over bread. Make sure not to overfill the bowls. Now top each baguette slice with a big scoop of cheese and place the bowls in the oven. I placed a big piece of parchment paper under the bowls. Sometimes the cheese melts over, so it avoids mess in your oven.
    • Broil for 2-3 minutes to slightly brown and melt the cheese. Watch carefully to avoid burning. 

    Notes

    • To soften cashews faster, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes.
    • Not all wine is vegan and may contain egg whites. However, there are many that are vegan. Here is a vegan wine directory.
    • Leftover cheese can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days. Just reheat to make it soft and stretchy again. You can add a splash of 'milk' if it's too thick. If you'd like to skip the cheese step, you can use stretchy store-bought vegan cheese. Daiya, Chao and Follow Your Heart make delicious vegan cheese. Just slice and place on top of the soup. Broil for 2-3 minutes to melt.
    *Cheese adapted from Vedged Out. You can find more delicious recipes on their page.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Bowl | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 577mg | Potassium: 397mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 0.7mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 2.8mg
    Tried this recipe?Follow me @veganhuggs and mention #veganhuggs!



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    About Melissa

    I’m Melissa Huggins – the creator of Vegan Huggs. I started this blog to share delicious vegan recipes that everyone will love. Yep, that includes carnivores, too! Read more...

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    Comments

      4.97 from 92 votes (49 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Stacey

      May 30, 2025 at 7:27 pm

      5 stars
      This soup is amazing. I don’t even really like opinions but this is amazing. I’ve made it about 6 times and won’t stop. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 11, 2025 at 12:16 pm

        I'm so happy you love the soup, Stacey. Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    2. AnnaMaria Hagelios

      May 13, 2025 at 6:57 am

      5 stars
      Excellent. Would definitely make again. Followed directions exactly and it came out really good. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        May 13, 2025 at 12:03 pm

        I'm so happy you loved it! Thank you for giving it a try. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Kiki

      February 05, 2025 at 11:43 am

      5 stars
      excellent

      Reply
    4. Naomi Boucher

      January 19, 2025 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      This soup kicks ass thank you so much

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        March 20, 2025 at 10:09 am

        I'm so glad you love it, Naomi! Thank you. 😉

        Reply
    5. Susan Orr

      November 29, 2024 at 4:43 pm

      5 stars
      This was delicious.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        December 07, 2024 at 5:53 pm

        I'm so glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Kitty

      May 25, 2024 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      Loved it! The mozzarella bit was not as difficult as I thought it might be. The flavour was great.i need to buy some soup crocks though. Thanks

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        June 01, 2024 at 3:51 pm

        Yay! I'm so glad you loved it and found it easy to make. Soup crocks are great! Thank you for trying the recipe and sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
    7. Heather

      April 28, 2024 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      Simply phenomenal! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Melissa Huggins

        April 29, 2024 at 3:17 pm

        I'm so glad you loved it, Heather! Thank you for sharing feedback. 🙂

        Reply
        • Cat

          March 20, 2025 at 7:31 am

          I am eager to try this and wondering if you are familiar with an alternative to cashews for the mozza cheese. My husband allergic to cashews but not seeds, almonds or pistachios. Have you had success with an almond base cheese? I will try the daiya as a back up but this mozza sounds amazing if only I can figure out a way!

        • Melissa Huggins

          March 20, 2025 at 10:08 am

          Hi Cat, can he have macadamia nuts? Those would be a similar replacement and they have a neutral flavor. Blanched almonds will work well too, but they require a longer soak time (8-12 hours) and you will need a high-powered blender to get a smooth consistency. I'm sure sunflower or pumpkin seeds will work but I'm not sure how the cheese will taste. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions. Thank you. 🙂

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