After cracking the code on oil-free caramelized onions, we found ourselves craving French Onion Soup!
So we got to work creating a 1-pot, plant-based version that doesn’t skimp on flavor. Spoiler alert? Major success! Let us show you how it’s done!
Origin of French Onion Soup
As the name suggests, French onion soup originated in France. Specifically, it’s believed that King Louis XV created it for a party when he was running low on ingredients (thank goodness for onions). Traditionally, this soup is made with a beef and onion base and topped with cheese and bread. The following is our plant-based take on the concept that doesn’t skimp on flavor or heartiness!
Vegan French Onion Soup
The flavorful base for this soup starts with caramelizing the onions in either oil, vegan butter, or water (if oil-free). This method of cooking onions low and slow maximizes their natural sweetness and creates tender texture. And adding a pinch of salt and pepper while cooking helps infuse them with even more flavor.
Next, we added garlic and mushrooms to deepen the flavors and add an umami component. Optionally, arrowroot starch or cornstarch can be added at this time to help the soup become a thicker consistency (but it’s not necessary).
For earthiness and some herbal notes, we added bay leaves and fresh thyme.
Instead of the traditional beef broth, we used vegetable broth to keep this vegan. It’s equally as good (if not better), but it’s important to choose a rich and flavorful broth, such as our DIY vegetable broth or Pacific Foods for a store-bought option. Coconut aminos and miso paste are the final layers of flavor that add even more umami and take this soup to the next level. Swoon!
The final (optional) step is to top the soup with croutons. Homemade croutons are incredibly easy to make (see recipe notes for instructions) and pair perfectly with this soup. We go for a nice sourdough for maximum flavor and texture.
Want in on a secret? We like saving the best bites for last: A little onion soup and the last few croutons that remain crisp in parts but are slightly soft in others from soaking in the broth. SO satisfying!
We hope you LOVE this vegan French onion soup! It’s:
Savory
Infused with caramelized onions
Comforting
Quick & easy
& So delicious!
It makes a satisfying entrée when topped with homemade croutons. And it’s also perfect as an appetizer or side, especially paired with other French-inspired recipes such as our Vegan Nicoise Salad (30 minutes!) or Vegan Zucchini Gratin.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Asparagus and Pea Soup
- Warming Red Lentil Sweet Potato Soup (Instant Pot!)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
1-Pot French Onion Soup (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil or vegan butter (or sub twice the amount in water, plus more as needed to prevent sticking)
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled + sliced into slightly larger than 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 healthy pinch each salt and black pepper, plus more to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (adds depth of flavor and a bit of texture // okay to omit)
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch (optional // or all purpose flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, lightly chopped (or sub 3/4 tsp dried thyme)
- 4 cups vegetable broth (we prefer Pacific brand or DIY)
- 1 Tbsp coconut aminos (or sub half the amount with tamari as it’s saltier)
- 2 tsp miso paste (if soy-free, use chickpea miso // we like Miso Master brand)
FOR SERVING optional
- Croutons (gluten-free as needed // see notes for instructions)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot, saucepan, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, butter, or water and the sliced onions (they should be ~1/4 inch thick so the soup has nice texture). Stir and cover.
- Cook the onions over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until they start to very slightly brown. Then turn heat to low and cook for a total of ~30-40 minutes, opening the lid and stirring every 5 minutes. The name of the game with caramelizing onions is to cook slow and low. NOTE: If cooking without oil, be sure to cover the pot with lid after stirring — this helps them cook more evenly. And add 1 Tbsp water more at a time as needed to prevent sticking/ burning.
- How long you cook your onions depends on how deeply you want them caramelized. We found 30 minutes to produce a light golden brown color and sweet flavor, and 35-40 minutes to yield a deeper brown color and richer caramelized flavor. Be careful not to burn by keeping heat on low and adding a bit of water or broth as needed to prevent sticking.
- Add a healthy pinch of salt and pepper while sautéing, plus more to taste later as you season the soup.
- When your onions are close to being caramelized, add minced garlic and mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Then add arrowroot starch (optional, for slight thickness) and stir to fully combine (it should absorb fully into the onion mixture). Use a wooden spoon to disperse any clumps.
- Add bay leaf, dried or fresh thyme, vegetable broth, and coconut aminos (reserve the miso for later).
- Cover and simmer soup for about 20 minutes to develop and meld the flavors. Then simmer uncovered for another 5-10 minutes so it thickens slightly (the flavors will intensify even more). Ensure it isn’t boiling — only a gentle simmer. If serving with croutons, prepare at this time (see notes below).
- To incorporate the miso, add it separately to a small dish and top with ~1/4 cup of the warm broth. Use a spoon or whisk to fully combine, ensuring there are little to no clumps. Then add back to the pot and turn off heat (this ensures you don’t cook the miso, which would dampen its nutritional benefits). Stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust flavors as needed, adding more salt or pepper to taste, coconut aminos for depth of flavor, or miso for umami flavor.
- Serve hot topped with toasted croutons (optional) and additional herbs and black pepper. Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Store croutons separately (loosely covered) at room temperature up to 1-2 days.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with avocado oil and without optional ingredients or croutons.
The Vegan Goddess says
I love onion soup and should make this sometime!
How about dotting on one of your vegan “cheeses” to melt on top? Would that work?
Ooo, that sounds amazing! Maybe our vegan mozzarella so it gets melty? We’d love to hear if you try it!
Kay says
I was craving onion soup, oddly, since I had never made it before. I was glad to find a vegan recipe without cheese (dairy or non dairy) which I always found overwhelming in traditional French onion soup. I used fresh lemon thyme from my garden and subbed soy sauce; otherwise followed the recipe. It came out delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kay! Thanks so much for the lovely review. xo
Annmarie says
Thank you for this recipe. It was easy enough to make but I just wish it had flavor a bit more similar to actual French onion soup.
Thanks for the feedback, Annmarie. Sorry to hear it wasn’t what you were hoping for!
Kate says
This soup was very easy/hands off and produced the most flavorful umami broth, especially when served a few days later as leftovers. Loved this and definitely would make it again! My grocery store was out of bay leaves so I excluded that and I added some balsamic vinegar to the onions at the end of their caramelization.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kate!
Anna says
I made this tonight with my daughter who’s learning to cook. We are GF and vegan and this soup was incredible. It reminded me of the soup my dad made for me as a kid on cold winter days. I swapped portobello for shitake and tamari for white miso (was out of ingredients). It was fantastic!
Aw, love that! Thank you for sharing, Anna! xo
Cheryl says
Is there a way to convert this recipe using an instant pot? Or is the caramelization process prohibitive for using an instant pot? Thanks in advance- so enjoy your recipes always!!
Hi Cheryl, we haven’t tried this in an instant pot and you would need to use the sauté function to caramelize the onions. We think it would probably take just as much time/effort as on the stovetop. Hope this helps!
S. says
Made this for dinner today – I found the original recipe to be a bit bland and lacking depth, which could be due to my brand of coconut aminos or miso, or more likely, the fact that my store bought vegetable broth was only enough for 4 cups and I needed 8 to double the recipe (and I also prefer to make my own, but was short on time). I was able to modify the recipe a bit by substituting carrots and celery for the mushrooms (my mom doesn’t like mushrooms), adding a LOT more fresh thyme and freshly cracked black pepper, soy sauce, and more herbs like rosemary. Overall a hit, though – served it with the croutons and toasted slices of a French baguette, which was lovely. Just a tip – make sure you have a big enough pan to caramelize the onions! If they’re too close to one another, they’ll steam and develop a lot of moisture, which impedes the caramelization process (I made this mistake). Also, adding dried herbs earlier on and fresh ones later helps the flavor!
Thank you for sharing your experience!
SANDRA says
Just made and will make again and again, it was that good. Love your recipes as they are simple but taste complex. Thank you again Sandra
Yay! So glad you enjoyed, Sandra. Thanks so much for the great review!
Kate says
I made this last night and it was wonderful! Made the croutons from some homemade rye bread, which was a great switch if you enjoy rye. Used low-sodium Tamari (a healthy tsp.), and skipped the arrowroot. I did up the mushrooms a bit because I love mushrooms.
Definitely going on the “make again” list — it even made my carnivorous husband go for seconds. Thank you!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Kate! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Megan says
Is the miso in this recipe the white miso? Could red miso work too? Thank you
Hi Megan, we used chickpea miso which is more similar to white miso than red. If using red miso, we’d suggest using low sodium broth and/or less coconut aminos. Hope that helps!
Megan DeShields says
It did, thank you. I went with the white miso and it was a hit! Thanks again
Wonderful! Thank you for the update!
andreas says
What gives it the red color? It looks like tomato broth.
Hi Andreas, we used vegetable broth with tomato paste as an ingredient. Hope that helps!
A Wallace says
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Two questions:
1. Can you specify a weight for the sliced onions?
My medium onions vary quite a bit in size.
2. Have you ever substituted tofu cubes, crispy or otherwise, for the croutons?
In the interest of being low-carb, gluten-free and higher in protein.
Hi, 1 medium onion is about 110 grams. We haven’t tried substituting tofu, but think crispy tofu would be nice!
Maggie says
Perfect soup for two! Simple to make and tasty! Thanks again for another great recipe!
Yay! We love to hear this. Thanks for the great review, Maggie!
Cass says
Delightful! Quick and easy to make and was a delicious lunch with a side of focaccia bread. If I was a little hungrier, I might add a spoonful of cashew cream to bump up the richness. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yumm! Thanks for the lovely review, Cass. We’re so glad you enjoyed! xo
evs says
Read through the whole recipe and comments and made this in the Instant Pot! Well, I sauteed the onions in two frying pans first (to speed up the process) and then deglazed the pan with some red wine (great suggestion!) and worcestershire sauce. Added some shallots to reduce the amount of garlic for someone who’s sensitive. Popped that into the Instant Pot for 5min manual high pressure and happened to let it naturally release. Stirred in the miso and voila! Great soup!
I tripled the recipe to serve 6 people but when it got to adding the cups of broth* I hit the 10C mark of my IP and thought it looked a little much so stopped there instead of the full 12C from straight up tripling the recipe. I think it was a good call because the concentration of flavour was just right – and much easier to add water than to take it out. Everyone had a bowl and there’s enough leftover for at least 3-4 more similar sized servings. So my only small feedback on the recipe is that it would be great to quantify what a serving size or “bowl”-sized serving is (as some of us may have different sized bowls, . Mine ended up being around 3 full ladles/1.5C/12oz.
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Barbara says
Can you make this in an instant pot? Can’t wait to try this, looks so good.
Hi Barbara, we would think so, yes! The cook time would be fairly minimal. Perhaps 5 minutes once all ingredients are added and onions are caramelized? Let us know if you try!
Dorian says
Absolutely amazing!!! We made it exactly to recipe. It took a lot longer for the onions to caramelize, but everything else was perfect! I never thought I’d get to enjoy this soup again as a vegetarian! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! I haven’t found any I don’t care for. You’re my go to for everything now!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Dorian! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Gwen says
Oh my goodness this soup is so good! French Onion Soup is one of the things I was missing as a vegetarian and didn’t think I could eat due to the beef broth. I would never know this was vegan. It was super flavorful and I immediately sent it to all of my friends. I used plain white mushrooms because that is what I had. Loving all of your recipes!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Gwen. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Jess says
Mine ended up really runny!
I doubled the recipe but after the last simmer noticed how watery it still was and added more cornstarch. It is still very brothy :(
Hi Jess, this is meant to be a more brothy soup. The starch should only thicken it slightly. Did yours look similar to the photos?
Courtney says
This was excellent! I omitted the mushrooms and added a generous splash of red wine just after the onions finished caramelizing, which I think added delicious depth to the soup (in a way mimicking the richness of a beef broth). Looking forward to making this again!
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Courtney! xo
Patricia Eilers says
I made the recipe according to the directions, using fresh thyme and opting out of the cornstarch/arrowroot since I like my onion soup to be more of a broth. It took longer than 40 minutes to caramelize the onions but I may have had my heat lower than necessary.
This is another Minimalist Baker winner! (Wishing I had doubled the recipe for leftovers….)
Thanks for sharing Patricia!!
Adrienne says
It’s unbelievable how this easy recipe yielded such delicious results! We absolutely loved this, and it will be our go-to French onion soup recipe.
Only modifications were: it took the onions over an hour to carmelize, even after turning it up from low; and we added 3 tsp. of miso paste at the end because we love salt & umami. We garnished it with black pepper and a little garlic salt, and served it with a homemade cob bread.
Thanks for making our usual Monday night dinner a bit more special!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing Adrienne!!
Sarah says
I am a huge lover of onion soup. I was wary of using miso, but could not believe how delicious this was! Better than a traditional beef stock. I gave a big pot with homemade sourdough bread to my brother for his birthday and he said it was the best soup he’s ever had.
Yay! We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Sarah. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Gwen says
This is a really delicious soup! We ate it for supper on a cold (-25C) Canadian evening! I used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos and dried thyme instead of fresh. I doubled the recipe more or less to have extras for lunch. Thanks for making French Onion soup so easy!
Brr! We’re so glad it warmed you up =) Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gwen! xo
Henna says
This is delicious! I’ve never made a french onion soup before, and I was blown away by how simple it was!
I didn’t have mushrooms or miso paste, and I’m allergic to garlic, so I made the recipe without those, and it was so tasty! I will definitely make this again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Henna!
Shannon Milling says
It was amazing!! Made this for my guests and they were obsessed. I think they ended up having 3 bowls each! :P
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Shannon. Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Kacie says
Any suggestions for miso paste substitutes? My grocery store has been out for a while.
Hi Kacie, we’d suggest a little extra coconut aminos.
Yolanda says
Incredibly flavorful. The shiitake mushrooms really took this to another level and is worth including. For the vegetable broth, I used Better Than Bouillon.
I love so many of your recipes, and this is certainly going to be a keeper. Thank you so much for developing all these AMAZING recipes. Cheers!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Yolanda! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Keekee Senkier says
The most amazing vegan French Onion Soup! Out of convenience, we used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos! As an addition we put violife mozzarella shreds and bread on top and baked it all together in the pot for 5-7 minutes. The shiitakes develop an amazing flavor and meat-like texture!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Keekee. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Jill Patton says
do you think this is freezable??
Yes- without the croutons.
Joanne says
I’ve been longing for a vegetarian onion soup and then your recipe arrived! Dream come true. Another foolproof (because you test so thoroughly) recipe from you. It was easy to make and delicious, with such a wonderful depth of flavor. Thank you.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Joanne. Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Daina says
This was my first time making French Onion soup and I’m so glad I tried this recipe. I subbed one red onion, chicken broth and mushroom powder as that is all I had on hand. It was delicious! I also made gluten free croutons to go on top. Yum!!
Lovely! Thanks so much for sharing, Daina! xo
robyn says
My husband LOVES french onion soup. I made this especially for him tonight. It was outstanding! I cooked it in my Le Creuset dutch oven. I didn’t find the onions got very brown – they were a light brown and definitely tasted sweet – I did let them sit about 6 minutes before stirring them about each time. I cooked them about 45 minutes. I loved the addition of mushrooms. The flavor of the soup was spot on – rich and savory sweet. I did top ours with the traditional Gruyere cheese because we aren’t vegan and along with the ancient wheat sourdough that I travelled 30 minutes to buy to make the croutons. The bread was not a day old but the croutons were a huge success regardless. Truly heaven in a bowl – a party for our tastebuds!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Robyn!!
Stacey says
Made this today and it was delicious! Great flavor! I didn’t add the mushrooms (because I didn’t have any) and i forgot to add the tamari and just salted to taste. I need to make croutons next time but I was too lazy and this is great on it’s own or with some crusty bread. Thanks!
Amazing! Thanks, Stacey!!
janan says
This was really delicious! I caramelized the onions for about 1.5 hours, on a very low fire, used vegan butter (one of the eaters does not do dairy) and a little bit of water. I didn’t salt too much because the aminos (I used Braggs) and the miso at the end definitely add a good bit of salty flavor. I also used about 1/2 beef stock and 1/2 water for the broth. It was super rich and tasty – especially with the sourdough croutons. Thank you for another great recipe!
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Janan!
Kate says
Do you know if this recipe could be adapted to be made in an instant pot? I appreciate any advice! :)
I would think so, yes! The cook time would be fairly minimal. Perhaps 5 minutes once all ingredients are added and onions are caramelized? Let us know if you try!
M Hughes says
Looks delicious. What Dutch oven are you using in this video? Size?
I believe a 6 quart.
Maria says
I’m not a big mushroom fan, any other vegetables that you would recommend with this recipe?
Carrot could be nice, as would celery!
Liz says
I made this tonight a few hours after I got the recipe in my email. SO GOOD. Thank you!! Love me some carmelized onions ❤️
Amazing! Thanks, Liz!
Sarah says
So delicious! I doubled my mushrooms, garlic, and thyme to use up extra ingredients sitting around. This soup is amazing and so perfect for the colder weather. Tastes like it took longer to make than it did. Love!!
Yes, yes! Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
Erin says
Hi! I just made this recipe for dinner. It was so easy and is so very delicious! I can’t wait to make the croutons. :)
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Erin! Next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Terre says
OMG!
I have been waiting for a French onion soup recipe from Minimalist Baker! Dana really gets flavor (her suggestions for adding this or that for more heat or sweetness or umami are so helpful to me), and her research into different foods and preparation methods is always fun and interesting.
Thank you so much, Dana! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thanks, Terre! So kind! Let us know how it goes!
Laura says
Can’t wait to make this!! I’ve been dying for a good vegan french onion soup recipe, but was never brave enough to try some random recipe on the internet. I totally trust you though and am so happy you made one!
Yessss! Hope you love it, Laura!!
Sarah says
This recipe sounds wonderful! Could you sub Bragg Liquid Aminos for the coconut aminos, or would tamari taste better here?
Tamari would probably taste best, but braggs should also work!