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This Vegan French Onion Soup is comfort food at its best! It's loaded with deeply caramelized onions, broth-soaked bread, and melty vegan cheese that's broiled until bubbly and golden.
French Onion Soup was a childhood favorite of mine, and I was pretty bummed after going vegan that I couldn't have it anymore. Thankfully, I quickly learned how easy it was to veganize. I really enjoy recreating those food memories, and this Vegan French Onion Soup is one of my favorites.
I love making soup, especially during the cooler months. It's usually easy to make, budget-friendly, comforting, and perfect for make-ahead meals. Plus, leftovers are even better the next day!
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 this soup. The onions are the star of the show!
They're what create that deep, rich flavor, so don't rush the caramelization process. As the onions slowly cook, they'll become very soft and deeply golden, developing the sweet, savory flavor that makes this soup so irresistible.
Vegan French Onion Soup - No dairy needed
The homemade vegan mozzarella is soft, creamy, and stretchy, making it the perfect topping for this French onion soup. Once broiled, it gets melty and lightly golden on top without the need for dairy.
It comes together with just a handful of simple ingredients: raw cashews, tapioca starch, nutritional yeast, non-dairy milk, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt.
The cheese is surprisingly easy to make. Just blend everything until completely smooth, then cook it on the stovetop for a few minutes until it thickens and becomes stretchy.
Spoon it generously over the toasted baguette slices, then place the soup under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. It adds the perfect creamy contrast to the rich, savory broth and caramelized onions.
And if you want to keep this recipe even easier, you can use your favorite meltable vegan mozzarella instead.
How to make Vegan French Onion Soup
1. Caramelize the onions. Cook the onions covered for about 10 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the sugar and cook until the onions are very soft, deeply golden, and caramelized. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent burning.
2. Build the flavor. Add the garlic and thyme, then pour in the wine and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Once the wine has reduced, stir in the flour and cook briefly.
3. Simmer the soup. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
4. Make the vegan mozzarella. Blend the cheese ingredients until completely smooth, then cook in a small saucepan, stirring frequently as it thickens, until stretchy and scoopable.
5. Assemble and broil. Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks and top with toasted baguette slices and vegan mozzarella. Broil for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
FAQs
Yes. A dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio works well and will give the soup a slightly lighter flavor. Avoid sweet wines, which can make an already naturally sweet onion soup too sweet.
Yes. You can use a few sprigs of fresh thyme in place of the dried thyme. Add the sprigs with the broth and bay leaf, then remove them before serving.
Yes. Make the soup through the simmering step, then cool and refrigerate it separately from the bread and cheese. When you're ready to serve, reheat the soup, toast the baguette slices, assemble the crocks, and broil
Yes. I would freeze just the soup, without the bread or cheese. Once cooled, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop, then add freshly toasted baguette and cheese before broiling.
If you're using a mild vegetable broth and want a little more savory depth, a small amount of soy sauce or tamari can help. I'd start with 1 teaspoon, taste after the soup has simmered, and add more only if needed. Reduce the added salt accordingly.
More soup recipes to enjoy
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Recipe
Vegan French Onion Soup
Ingredients
Soup
- ¼ cup vegan butter or olive oil (or a blend of both)
- 4 medium(2 lbs) yellow onions , sliced ¼-inch thick
- ¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ cup dry red wine (cabernet, merlot, or pinot noir)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 quarts low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt , more to taste
- Fresh ground pepper , to taste
- 1 baguette , sliced
Cashew Mozzarella (*Optional - See Note)
- ¼ cup raw cashews , soaked if needed (*see note)
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- 2 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Recommended Equipment
- Large, Wide-bottomed pot with a lid
- Oven-Safe Soup Crocks (*see note)
- High-Powered Blender (*if making homemade cheese)
Instructions
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and toss to coat. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the onions are softened, translucent, and beginning to collapse.
- Uncover and cook until most of the excess moisture has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Add the sugar and continue cooking uncovered, stirring more frequently as the onions start to brown. Reduce the heat as needed if they're browning too quickly. Continue cooking until the onions are very soft, deeply golden, and caramelized. This can take 45-60 minutes.
- Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- Add the red wine and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until most of the wine has reduced.
- 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 broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Cover, then raise the heat to get things moving. Now, uncover and reduce the heat to gently simmer for 10-15 minutes to let the flavors develop.
- When the soup is almost finished, prepare the mozzarella. Add all of the cheese ingredients to a high-powered blender. Blend on high until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cheese is thick and stretchy. If needed, stir in a splash of milk to loosen.
- Preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet and broil for 1-2 minutes per side, until lightly crisp. Watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, toast the slices in a toaster or toaster oven. Keep the broiler on to finish the soup.
- When the soup is done, remove the bay leaf and taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Ladle the soup into oven-safe crocks or bowls, leaving room for the bread and cheese. Add a slice of toasted baguette and top with a generous scoop of cheese.
- Place the crocks on a rimmed baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and bubbly. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Notes
- Cashews: If you don't have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix, you'll need to soften the cashews. Pour boiling water over the cashews, then cover and soak for 20 minutes. Alternatively, soak them in room-temperature water for 2-3 hours or in the fridge overnight. Drain and rinse before using.
- The mozzarella will thicken as it cools. If it becomes too firm to scoop, gently reheat it with a splash of plant milk until soft and scoopable again.
- Cheese option: Store-bought, meltable vegan mozzarella shreds or slices will work in place of homemade.
- Wine: If you prefer to cook without it, use a splash of broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits, then proceed with the flour step. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious. Not all wines are vegan, so check a vegan wine directory if needed.
- Broth: For richer flavor, use beef-style broth in place of vegetable broth. Broths vary in saltiness and intensity, so if yours is particularly salty or strong, you can replace part of it with water. Start with less added salt and adjust to taste after simmering.
- No oven-safe crocks? You have two options. For the easiest method, ladle the soup into regular bowls and top with the toasted baguette and warm vegan mozzarella. Or, for a lightly browned topping, place the toasted baguette slices on a baking sheet, top with the mozzarella, and broil until lightly browned before adding them to the soup.
- Take your time with the onions: Caramelized onions are key to the soup's rich flavor. Cooking time and heat level will vary depending on your cookware and stovetop, so use their color and texture as your guide. Cook until soft and deeply golden, adjusting the heat slightly higher/lower as needed. A wide-bottomed pot will generally caramelize onions faster than a narrower one.
rh
" ...soft and stretchy again. You can add a splash of milk, if it's too thick."
Sure hope you mean vegan milk.....
Melissa Huggins
The ingredient list lets you know what kind of milk to use for the recipe. Writing vegan milk in every sentence is just redundant. All my recipes are 100% vegan 🙂
Justin
People that make comments like this make me embarrassed to be vegan sometimes.
Holly
Made the French Onion soup today. Fabulous. My spouse loved it, too!
Melissa Huggins
So happy to hear this! Thank you for making it! 🙂
Desiree
Can I use potato starch instead of tapioca?
Melissa Huggins
Hi Desiree, the tapioca gives the 'cheese' a slight stretch. The potato starch will work to thicken, but it will be missing the stretch.
Cate
I’ve tried a few recipes for vegan French onion soup but this is the best by far! Just had it for dinner & will definitely be making it again 👍🏼
Melissa Huggins
Hi Cate, thank you for making it! So happy you enjoyed it! It's my favorite wintertime soup 🙂
Rebecca
Hello! My hubby absolutely loves French Onion Soup - but I only buy red onions (more antioxidants!). Would it still work with red onions? Thanks! Looking forward to trying this recipe!! 🙂
Melissa Huggins
Hi Rebecca, I haven't tried it with red onions, but I'm sure it would work. The only thing is that the red onions have a milder flavor when cooked, so that could change the flavor a bit. I'd love to hear how it turns out for you. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Lisa
I made this for dinner last night, it was really good! I didn’t make the cashew cheese and instead used a vegan mozzarella I already had on hand. I have not had French onion soup since becoming vegan a few years ago and was always a favorite. Thank you for the recipe!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Lisa! Thank you for making it! It was always a favorite of mine too so I just had to veganize it. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Kris
Made this last night and loved it! My mom refused to believe it was vegan! Lol
Melissa Huggins
Hi, Kris! Yay, thank you for making it! I'm so happy that it's mom-approved 🙂
Margie Vail
I made this soup and it was delicious! I changed it a bit because I didn't have the ingredients for the cheese so I just used Daiya. I let the onions cook down for an hour, adding splashes of broth or wine to keep them from burning. My husband said it was the best French Onion soup he has ever had!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Margie, Thank you for making it and sharing your feedback. I'm so happy that you and your hubby loved it. Daiya is a perfect substitute and much easier too. 🙂
Daniela
Grandpa said it tasted just like the best onion soup he'd had at the bank of the Seine in his youth (ehem, ultimate compliment). Subbed the vegan mozzarella for camembert for my non-vegan familiars though.
Also, my alcoholic self couldn't help but pour a bit more wine with the broth.
Great recipe!!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Daniela, wow, tell your Grandpa that I said, thank you!!!! That is such a nice compliment. I'm really happy you all loved the soup. I'm all about adding more wine too. It's what makes cooking fun 😉
Steve
Just made a batch. We both ate two bowls. Omg. Only change was I put the "mozzarella" in my silicon muffin dishes to set a bit more. Thank you for helping me find my latest replacement!!
Melissa Huggins
Hi Steve, oh wow, I just found this in my spam folder. I'm sorry for the late reply. Thank you for making this soup. I've actually been craving it all day. Soups on tomorrow! Have a great weekend! 🙂
Oriane
Being french and vegan is not easy, trust me haha but I am so happy I have found your recipe!
One question though, I live in Dubai and we can't buy alcohol here, what would you suggest to replace the wine..? Thank you for your help and congratulations, your website is awesome 🙂
mhuggs
Hi Oriane, I could only imagine. 😉 I'm glad you found my site, too. Welcome! I haven't used anything other than wine, but I have read that some people will use red grape juice (unsweetened). I probably wouldn't use the whole 3/4 cup, but I would do half that & half vegetable broth. I looked online and some people have suggested a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, but I haven't tried it. Good luck to you. I'd love to know how it turns out. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Cara H.
Craving French onion soup and found this recipe, it came out so perfectly and the instructions were super user friendly for someone who had never made this soup before. I am a vegan with a gluten intolerence and I substituted Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Baking Flour and it came out perfectly! Thank you!
mhuggs
Hi Cara, thank you so much for your feedback. I'm so happy you like this soup. It's good to know that the GF Bob's Red Mill worked well in it. I will give it a go next time I make it. Have a great day! 🙂
milli
We just had this delicious soup for lunch. We really liked it, it is nice and creamy and flavorful, a really special treat for fall time.
Thanks for the recipe, I will make this again!
mhuggs
Thank you so much for making it and commenting. It's always nice to hear what other people think. I'm glad you loved it as much as I do 🙂
Chrissy
I used mushroom broth! Yum!
mhuggs
Hi Chrissy, wow, that sounds good with mushroom broth. I'll have to try it that way next time. Thank you for making it and for commenting. It's always nice to hear. 🙂
Agnes
Thank you for the awesome recipes. I just found your site and love it.
mhuggs
Hi Agnes, You're welcome! Thank you for visiting my site. I'm so happy you like the recipes. 🙂