Yes! You can make a rich French Onion Soup Vegetarian! You might think it impossible, but I'm here to tell you that our Vegetarian French Onion Soup is amazingly delicious, no wonder is one of our most popular recipes!
One of the classics, this soup hits all the right flavor notes you crave. We replaced the traditional beef broth with a rich mushroom broth to make this Vegetarian French Onion soup irresistible.
What is French Onion Soup?
Traditional French Onion Soup is made with a rich base of caramelized onions in beef broth, with gruyère cheese and a crusty bread baked right into the soup with a pile of cheese broiled to crisp up on top.
How to Make Vegetarian Onion Soup Video
Ingredients for Vegetarian French Onion Soup
We made three classic changes to give this homemade French onion soup recipe a rich, decadent flavor so that you will not miss the beef broth. First, we substituted mushroom broth for the base of the soup for amazing umami flavors. Second, we added vegan Worcestershire sauce to up the flavor profile even more and imitate the flavor of beef. Third, we give you "permission" to use your favorite cheese or whatever you have on hand in place of the more traditional Gruyère, provolone, or Swiss cheese. Here's what you will need to make our recipe.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Sweet Onions. Depending on the source, these might be labeled Vidalia onions at your grocery store.
- Salt.
- Sugar.
- All-Purpose Flour.
- Mushroom Broth
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce.
- Dry White Wine. You can use a dry vermouth or a dry sherry.
- Ground Black Pepper.
- Sugar.
- French Baguette.
- Your Favorite Cheese. If you want to make this soup vegan pick a vegan cheese, is that simple.
How to Make Vegetarian French Onion Soup
This recipe starts with making caramelized onions, and that takes time to do right. But the soup's richness depends on these onions, so don't rush the process. Add the olive oil to the pan and get it moderately hot. Then add the onions and salt and stir. Leave this cooking for thirty minutes on medium-high heat. Then add the sugar and cook it for another hour on medium-low or low. Stir occasionally. Add the flour.
Next, simmer the mushroom broth, Worcestershire sauce, wine, and pepper. While the soup is simmering toast your bread slices which we will use to finish the soup. We recommend you freeze the cheese you will use for 30-60 minutes to make it easier to shred.
When ready to serve, ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls and place them on a baking tray. Add baguette slices and the cheese to the top of each bowl. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake it for about ten minutes, then broil for a minute or so until the cheese starts to brown on the edges.
Make Ahead Tips to Make Fabulous Soup
- You can make this soup ahead of time! It's so nice to get the rich broth made beforehand, and then right before you serve it, bake it with the bread and cheese. This should make it easier to fit this recipe into a busy week.
- Alternatively, you can cook the onions ahead of time and freeze them. This way your French onion soup will come together in no time.
What to Serve with French Onion Soup
Serve our delicious vegetarian soup with this Fennel Salad or this Fennel Salad with Pomegranates and these Empanadas. Light and acidic sides will make an excellent complement.
Storing and Freezing and Vegetarian French Onion Soup
This soup can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. Reheat the soup and add the bread and cheese and bake it right before serving. It can also be frozen for up to three months and baked with bread and cheese after the broth is thawed and reheated. Thaw the frozen soup in a microwave or on the stovetop until it is hot before baking.
Variations on a Theme
Classic French onion soup can be given a few upgrades or changes you may enjoy. First, you can add butter to the onions before adding the flour. Let the butter melt, then add the flour and continue with the recipe. Add freshly minced garlic and a bay leaf to the broth for increased flavor. Whole garlic cloves could be added and then removed with the bay leaf. Fresh thyme is a common spice to add as well, and you can boil thyme sprigs in the soup and remove them if you prefer.
Substitutions
- The vegetable broth will not have the same depth of flavor or delightfulness as the mushroom broth, but it can be used if necessary.
- You can use soy sauce or Tamari if you cannot find vegan Worcestershire sauce.
- Yellow onions can be used in place of sweet onions.
- You can use classic cheeses such as Gruyere cheese, provolone, or Swiss if you are looking for a traditional French onion soup. Whether you use vegan or full-dairy versions, melty cheese is a requirement for this soup.
- Gluten-free bread is a great substitute if needed.
- If you prefer not to use wine increase the mushroom broth by ⅓ and add 2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is French Onion Soup Vegetarian?
As you probably know, traditional French Onion soup is made with a beef broth or beef stock base. With that as a critical ingredient, most recipes put this soup out of the running for us. However, we were determined to create a vegetarian alternative just as savory and delightful as the original inspiration.
How Long Do I Bake French Onion Soup?
Since the soup is already hot, it only takes about ten minutes to melt all the cheese and a minute or so under the hot broiler in your oven to brown and crisp the cheese slightly.
More Great Soup Recipes
There’s something special that only a steaming bowl of soup can offer when snow is falling outside. It's the ultimate comfort food! As much as I love tomato-based and vegetable soups, I’m not always in the mood for them. They’re, of course, great, but after we have had weeks of winter, I usually have exhausted my collection of favorite cold-weather comfort food recipes, and there are only so many ways to approach vegetable or tomato soups in their traditional forms. You might also love Creamy Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Spiced Savory Granola, our Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, Carrot Ginger Soup, Mushroom Barley Soup, Lentil Soup, and Cabbage Soup.
What Inspired This Recipe
Now that we have finally gotten deeper into winter weather we wanted to warm you up with a delicious soup recipe. If you’re like us, you probably love the warm, comforting taste of a hot bowl of soup when it’s chilly outside. I know that the colder it gets, the more I crave something warm and flavorful!
As I was thinking about new soup ideas, my cousin Adrianna came to mind. Growing up in Barcelona, our cousins, aunt, and uncle were the only family we had near. They became more like siblings to us than anything else. Adriana is our youngest cousin and even as a child was blessed with the most spunky, witty personality. Being around her always meant a guaranteed laugh, and there was never a dull moment with her. Luckily, she now lives in New York City, and we always look forward to seeing her.
As a child, Adrianna LOVED French onion soup and always ordered it when we were out, if it was available. She also despises the cold weather, so you can see where our inspiration came from!
What people often look for in French Onion Soup is richness. We believe we’ve mastered that with this recipe, by replacing beef broth with mushroom broth and of course using cheese to stay close to the roots of this dish. Combining all the ingredients should provide you with a deep, full flavor that is perfect for keeping you and your family warm on the freezing days of winter.
If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe? Do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Vegetarian French Onion Soup
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 cups
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This super delicious Vegetarian French Onion Soup is rich, decadent, and comforting it is all you need to keep warm and cozy this winter. By replacing the traditional beef broth with a rich mushroom broth we made this Vegetarian French Onion Soup Recipe simply irresistible.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 large sweet onions, sliced
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 8 cups mushroom broth
- 1 tbsp Vegan Worcestershire sauce, Soy Sauce or Tamari sauce
- ⅓ cup dry white wine (see note 2 for a wine alternative)
- ⅛ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- 1 French Baguette
- 21 ounces Gruyere Cheese, Swiss Cheese, or any cheese of your choice, shredded
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and salt and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and continue cooking for about 50 minutes, stirring frequently. Add flour, mix well, and cook for another 5 minutes
- While the onions cook, place the cheese in the freezer for 20 minutes (so it's easier to shred).
- Add mushroom broth, Worcestershire, Soy or Tamari sauce, wine, and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste your soup and adjust salt and pepper and sugar if necessary (remember the cheese may salt depending on the cheese you are using)
- While the soup cooks, shred the cheese and set it aside in the fridge
- Slice the baguette into ½-inch rounds and toast until it crunchy.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place 4-6 oven-proof bowls on the baking sheet and spoon soup into the bowls. Add 3 tablespoon shredded cheese to each bowl, mix well
- Gently place one or two pieces of bread (depending on the size of the baguette and your ramekin) on top of the soup and cover the bread with ¼ cup of cheese per bowl
- Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes
- Broil for 1-2 minutes, keeping an eye on the bread so it doesn't burn. Serve immediately
Notes
- The soup base can be made ahead of time, add bread and cheese and bake just before serving.
- If you prefer not to use wine increase the mushroom broth by ⅓ and add 2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the soup.
- This recipe starts with making caramelized onions, and that takes time to do right. But the soup's richness depends on these onions, so don't rush the process.
- When reheating leftover soup. Make sure the soup is hot before topping it with the bread and cheese and placing it in the oven.
This recipe was originally published on January 21st, 2016
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 mins
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 331
- Sugar: 5.1 g
- Sodium: 794.7 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 27.3 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 16.7 g
- Cholesterol: 41.9 mg
Lisa Jay
Delicious.
Heidi K
My son is BEGGING me to make this. He's 16 and had his braces tightened this morning (ow!), so today's the day! I'm not sure he's ever even had french onion soup since you never see vegetarian out there. We're excited!
Sissi
As an avowed carni/piscivore I must say this is one of the most luscious looking vegetarian dishes I've ever seen!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much!
Tzivia
What is hechsher on the sincerely bridgette cheese?
Vicky & Ruth
It's circle K
ZazaCook
Wow, your vegetarian French onion soup is fantastic! Looks so tasty!
Choclette
That looks gorgeous. I love soup. Squash is possibly my favourite, but I'd be more than happy to tuck into a big bowl of this. I think I only ever tried French onion soup once. I'm guessing it wasn't great as I've never made it again.
Meghan | Fox and Briar
You grew up in Barcelona? I loooove Barcelona. I was able to visit when I was studying in Spain years ago. What a cool city! And this soup looks so perfect for cold weather! I could dive into a bowl of it right now!
Vicky & Ruth
Yes, we did! Barcelona is a great City!
Katarina Stuart
This recipe is not truly vegetarian. Worcestershire sauce has anchovies in it.
Vicky and Ruth
We used a vegan Worcestershire sauce
Mark, CompassandFork
An old favorite, made with such simple ingredients. I love the idea of the tarragon, ginger cheese. Lovely photo too.
Vicky & Ruth
Thanks Marc!
Shawn
OMG this soup looks so delicious! I only have three words to say... Tarragon...Ginger... Cheese! How amazing is that. Tarragon is very French and ginger is very Asian, so the combination of the two is very bold! I will have to pick some up to make this pronto!
Kate
looks delicious. What do you recommend to replace the worcestershire sauce with to make it vegetarian?
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Kate, you can use vegan Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and even some porcini mushroom powder ( just grind dried porcini mushrooms into a powder). you need that umami flavor for this soup since French Onion soup is usually made with beef broth.
Heidi
Better than Bullion makes a no beef base that is vegan and I used it for this recipe and it’s fabulous!
Alexandra
Worcestershire sauce isn't vegetarian, btw! It's made with anchovies!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Alexandra,
Thank you for your comment. If you check the link we have for the Worcestershire sauce, you'll notice it's a vegan one by Edward & Sons.
Mary Ann Garren
FYI to the vegetarian community, most worcestershire sauces contain anchovies...
Read your labels.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Mary Ann,
Thank you for your comment. If you take a look at the link we have for Worcestershire sauce, you'll see that it takes you to a vegan one by Edward & Sons. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Alison
Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies.
It’s not necessarily vegetarian.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Alison, thank you for your comment. The Worcestershire sauce we use here is vegan ( the link will take you to it). We will make sure to specify it on the ingredient list. Sorry about that!
Heather olsen
I don't understand why so many people are indignantly pointing out that Worcester sauce has anchovies. Read the recipe--it says to use VEGAN Worcester sauce. It's sold in any health food store; I've tried several brands and always have it on hand. The author has politely pointed this out several times in response to these comments. Might as well comment, "French onion soup! But that's made with beef stock! It's not vegetarian!"
Jane Youn
This is absolutely scrumptious! I’m not a vegetarian but am always looking good veggie options. This is actually the best French Onion soup I’ve tried at home! Even without cheese and bread!
Vicky & Ruth
So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Viciousbee
This soup is delicious! I had to use yellow onions instead of sweet onions and sherry for the white wine but it still turned out amazing!
Samantha
This soup is out of this world good!
Amber
I’ve gone through most of my life having never tried French onion soup before, given the fact that I have pretty much always been vegetarian. I finally got to try my first veg French onion soup from a restaurant a couple weeks ago and it was truly divine. After that, I was DETERMINED to find a good recipe that I could make at home that would taste just as good and darn it, this is the one! I made the mushroom broth and basically followed the recipe to a T and it came out wonderfully! Will certainly be making again in the future. (:
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Amber!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. We're so happy to hear you like our recipe!!! So glad you found it. Enjoy!! 🙂
Ron Deen
Thank you for this recipe. I love French Onion Soup. I have made this soup twice thanks to you.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much! Enjoy!
Amanda
Absolutely delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you Amanda, we love these French Onion recipe as well, it is a staple in our house.
Lulu
The recipe sounds amazing! I can’t wait to make it! But, I have a quick question. What can I use to replace the wine? Thanks.
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Lulu, you may want o replace the wine with vegetable broth or non-chicken broth.
Kimberly Rezentes
This was amazing. The flavor was rich and sweet. Best soup I’ve made this season. Thanks for sharing.
Vicky & Ruth
We are so happy you enjoyed it1
EKR
Have been looking for a good vegetarian onion soup recipe for years. Made this one today and it was delicious!
Thanks!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you very much! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed our vegetarian onion soup recipe.
Carmelina Macario
So rich and comforting! The onions cooked faster so the recipe didn't take as long!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much Carmelina, so glad you enjoyed our vegetarian French onion soup
Lisa Jay
Love this!
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you!
Abigail
Outstanding flavor!
ali
this is the best french onion soup ever. I had to sub sherry for the white wine, but even with the sub it was delectable.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you so much ALi, we love this recipe as well!
Mike
Worcester sauce isn't vegetarian 🙁
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Mike,
For this recipe we used vegan Worcestershire sauce by Wizard's. You can find the link on the recipe card 🙂
GM
This soup was really delicious! Thanks so much! Actually didn`t have time for the baguette on top, so sprinkled cheese instead. Much appreciated . Your recipes are super.
Vicky & Ruth
Happy hear that you enjoyed our vegetarian onion soup recipe. Keep Cooking!
Jennifer
What would you suggest I sub the Sincerely Brigitte Tarragon Ginger cheese with as I can't find it in my town. Look forward to making if for Christmas Eve!!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Jennifer, you can substitute de Tarragon Ginger cheese with Swiss cheese, you can either use a slice or shredded. You can also try gouda cheese. Use a cheese that has a little more distinct flavor. Mushroom broth is sometimes hard to find, so make sure you shop early for this recipe. Enjoy! Happy Holidays!
dylan
would vegetable broth be okay to use in place of the mushroom broth? how different would it taste?
Vicky & Ruth
The mushroom broth really adds a nice flavor to this recipe, but we think that the vegetable broth should work. If you are going to use vegetable broth try adding (if you have it available) some very finely ground dried mushrooms or a mushroom powder or bouillon. Please come back and let us know how your Vegetarian French Onion Soup came out. Happy and Healthy New Year!
Rebeca
I added dry thyme to the soup while cooking. OMG, sooooo good! Absolutely amazing
Vicky & Ruth
Thyme, sounds delicious! Enjoy!
Neta
This soup is one of the best soups ever! So tasty, so comforting, so good I just love it.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you! We love it too!
Carol
This looks and sounds so delicious. Do you have any thoughts about thickener if you are trying to make this gluten free?
Thank you!
Vicky & Ruth
Hi Carol, you may use corn rice flour or any gluten-free flour you may have.
JD Barton
Hi - this soup looks delicious - I have always enjoyed French onion soup and am glad to find a vegan version. The link to the mushroom broth takes me to a Vitacost shopping cart page with no recipe. I would like to make this broth. Can you provide the link to the recipe for the mushroom broth? Thanks
Vicky & Ruth
We are so sorry for the broken link. Here's a link to the mushrooms broth, we don't actually have a recipe for mushroom broth. https://amzn.to/395V6Lq
JD
Hi - this looks delicious. The link to the mushroom broth takes me to a Vitacost cart and not the recipe. Can you provide the broth recipe?
Vicky & Ruth
We are so sorry about the broken link, here's the link: https://amzn.to/395V6Lq
JD Barton
Thanks for the link!
AS
Exceptional French onion recipe. So flavorful and satisfying.
Vicky & Ruth
Thank you! So happy to hear you enjoyed our French Onion Soup!
Kevin
Worchershire sauce has anchovies in it. Not a vegetarian dish. Still sounds good though.
Vicky and Ruth
Hi Kevin, we used a vegan Worcesshire sauce for this recipe.
V
Is there a replacement for wine? We do not keep wine at home.
Thank you,
Vicky and Ruth
Just add the more mushroom broth and a splash of apple cider vinegar for acidity.
Marion
Wow, this is a perfect onion soup, the stock is rich and flavourful, in every way at least as good as an onion soup with meat-based stock. So for me: better! I used 1/2 mushroom stock 1/2 vegetable stock. Worked well.
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you so much Marion!
Sheirin
I’m looking forward to making this recipe, it looks amazing and sounds perfect with the cooling weather. Most of the non-vegetarian recipes I found use red wine, a few use white. Any reason to choose one over the other? How does white vs. red wine affect the flavor of the soup? I have plenty of both, but am too lazy to experiment with both :’)
Vicky and Ruth
White wine gives the soup a lighter more subtle flavor than red wine. Plus we like the neutral color of white wine for this recipe.
Marion
I wanted to make French onion soup for my roommate who is vegetarian and never has had it before. It was delicious!!! I didn’t have any wine so I just used a little extra mushroom broths, and used a vegetarian friendly steak sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce. Also used bagged croutons and circular provolone cheese to save a little time. It turned out great
Vicky and Ruth
Happy to hear. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Delphine
Best ever onion soup!!
Delphine
Best ever onion soup!!
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you! We love it too!
Eileen Shanley
Absolutely Delicious! My husband and I loved it!!
Vicky and Ruth
So happy to hear. Thank you for sharing!
Brenda
This is absolutely delicious! I made it last night to have on hand today for a friend who will be recuperating from surgery at my home. She’s vegetarian and loves French onion soup. Of course I had a small serving when it was done. I can’t tell the difference between vegetarian and non vegetarian. I’m sure she’ll be requesting more next week!
Vicky and Ruth
We hope your friend feels better soon and that she enjoyed the soup!
Toni
I made this last night for the second time. The first time, it was amazing! Last night, I had to use a new brand of vegetable broth (I can't find my old favorite anywhere anymore) and it came out a bit too salty; I have to remedy that for the rest of the pot. But that's not the fault of the recipe. The additions of a flour roux, which thickens the soup slightly, and white wine, which provides a bit of brightness and acidity, really make the difference in this soup recipe! I never use the vegan Worcestershire sauce as I can't bring myself to buy it, so I sub soy sauce or even teriyaki sauce in a pinch. It's not quite the same, I'm sure, but it's worked so far. If you like your onions with a little bit more texture, as I do, I would recommend starting cooking with roughly 4/5 of the onions and then adding the last 1/5 in about the last 10 minutes of sauté time. That way the last batch will get partially cooked before the broth goes in, but hold their shape and texture a little better than the fully caramelized ones.
Speaking of the onions, do you really cook your onions for 30+50 = 80 minutes total?? I cooked mine for 30 minutes total and they looked about the same as those in your video.
Thanks for a great recipe!
Vicky and Ruth
It's funny you ask me about the onions, sometimes onions take me forever to cook and other times they cook faster. It is probably the type of onions used. Do what works for you. Enjoy!
Leslie
Fantastic, rich and full flavor. You'd swear it was made from homemade beef stock. Caveat: I make homemade mushroom stock. I'm about to make it again with store-bought, so we'll see if that makes a big difference.
Vicky and Ruth
Thank you! I would love to hear how it came out!
Sarah Quinlan
Being a lifelong vegetarian I have tried many French Onion recipes and even tried to create my own by adapting regular recipes but WOW, this recipe takes the blue ribbon. I make French Onion Soup for either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve and I can’t wait this year to try this one on my guests. I’ve made it once so far for my family and it was gobbled up in one sitting. I’ve made a smaller batch of the broth and froze it and it was even better when I microwaved for myself for a quick hot filling supper when it’s just me. The mushroom broth definitely makes it heartier and dare I say “meatier”!!!! You ladies are the bomb!!! Keep the wonderful recipes coming as we need these hot and hearty dishes in the Great White North (Canada). Thanks
Vicky and Ruth
YAY! so glad you love it! Thank you so much for your kind words!