Go Back
Print

Vegan French Onion Soup

You won't miss the fat in this oil-free Vegan French Onion Soup. The caramelized onions and fresh herbs bring a delicious flavor to this classic soup. 

Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine French
Keyword Vegan French Onion Soup
Author Trish Hall

Ingredients

Soup

  • 2-3 lbs sweet yellow onions, sliced thinly
  • 1 tsp sugar (optional, but I recommend it)
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup red wine (the alcohol cooks off)
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (chopped fine)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp gluten-free flour
  • 2 tbsp tamari (I use 50% less sodium type) (or soy sauce if not gluten-free)
  • 1 tsp white miso paste
  • 6 cups veggie broth (I use Trader Joe's Organic Hearty Vegetable Broth that has no oil)

Melty Mozzarella

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 tbsp tapioca starch
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 slices or chunks of bread or rolls (I used Schar Gluten Free hamburger buns, but if you are not gluten sensitive, I recommend sliced sourdough flutes)

Instructions

Soup

  1. In a large soup pot, sauté the onions over medium/low heat. You don't want to brown them...just soften them slowly. 

    Stir occasionally and continue to cook them until they are a deeper color...almost the color of a light caramel sauce. This takes about an hour. 

  2. Add garlic and raise the heat a bit and sauté for about a minute. 

  3. Add the wine, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and reduce the wine by about half. 

  4. Add the flour and stir in well. Continue cooking at a low simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until most of the wine is cooked off. 

  5. Stir in the tamari and miso paste. Mix well. 

  6. Add the broth and bring to a slow boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for at least 30 minutes...but I like to let it cook on very low for hours to deepen the flavors. 

  7. While soup cooks, make the cheese. 

Melty Mozzarella

  1. In your high-speed blender, add all the cheese ingredients. 

  2.  If you don't have a high-speed blender like a Vitamix, you will want to soak your cashews overnight or soak in boiling water for about 20 minutes. Drain the soaked cashews before adding to the blender. 

  3. Start at a low speed and increase to high. Blend until very smooth. 

  4. Pour into a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Stir constantly. It will start getting lump...keep stirring. It will get thick and become stretchy. Cook for another minute or two, constantly stirring. Remove from heat. 

  5. If not using right away, place in an air-tight container (I like glass) and let it cool down before putting the lid on it. Store in the refrigerator. I find it lasts a week or so, if you take the top off every day or so and wipe out any moisture that has accumulated. 

Assembly

  1. Spread cheese onto your bread, toast in a toaster oven or broiler until cheese gets golden. 

  2. Ladle soup into small bowls, top with crusty cheese bread and serve immediately. 

Recipe Notes

  • I have used corn starch in place of tapioca. It works, but tapioca is best.
  • You can re-heat this to get it soft and gooey for dipping. Heat it on low and stir constantly so it doesn't stick to the pan and burn.
  • This spreads nicely on toast or crackers, so add herbs and spices to it before cooking if you want a tasty spread.