The other day, I had a really strong craving for something super comforting, yet easy to make. I also did not have a lot of food left in my house. So, I created this Vegan French Onion Soup. My god – this one hit the spot!! It was delicious, full of onions, full of flavor, and absolutely comforting and warming. You will not regret making this french onion soup recipe!
What is French onion soup you might be asking? It is a French dish made with caramelized onions and – usually – beef stock. You then top it with bread and melted cheese. It has a sweet onion taste and is utterly delicious, especially during the winter months. The cheese used for french onion soup is traditionally Gruyere.
Of course, this version does not use beef stock and it also does not use Gruyere cheese. This Vegan French Onion Soup uses a delicious mix of cashews and white beans mixed with nutritional yeast, soy sauce, mustard, garlic, and lemon juice in order to provide a creamy cheesey consistency. The stock is flavorful but uses miso paste in order to generate that sweet caramalised onion result. Simply delicious!!
Why is this Vegan French Onion Soup good for you?
Onions
Onions are – in my opinion – a true superfood in their own right and are largely grown around the world. They have a range of health benefits. What is a true advantage is that they are relatively cheap and due to being grown everywhere largely accessible globally. Onions belong to the allium family and are related to shallots, garlic, and leeks (amongst others). Onions are on the clean 15 list and can also easily be bought non-organic. They are high in vitamin C, copper, phosphorous, and manganese. Whereas this in and on itself is already fantastic, the main star in terms of health benefits is onion’s antioxidant profile. Vitamin C and manganese are antioxidants in its own rights, which are supporting our bodies.
In addition, onions have a unique set of phytonutrients that have further antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One of these antioxidants inhibits macrophages, which is a type of white blood cells. Whereas technically, these cells play an important role in clearing out debris, and stimulating an immune response. However, too large of an activity can lead to an inflammatory response. Last but not least, onions are full of an antioxidant called “quercetin”. Amongst others, quercetin may lower blood pressure and in recent animal research has been shown to lower blood sugar levels and exercise blood sugar control. At the moment, it is not clear how this connection takes place though. Nevertheless, the research remains promising.
How can I adjust this Vegan French Onion Soup to my dietary requirements?
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. If you would like to make this recipe nut-free, feel free to swap the cashews for sunflower seeds. Due to the beans and bread used, this recipe is sadly not paleo-friendly.
Similar Recipes on the Blog
There are so many other wonderful and nourishing soup recipes on the blog. Be sure to also check out the following recipes:
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup
- Fall Harvest Pumpkin Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Red Thai Curry Pumpkin Soup
- Lemon Tomato Soup
And that is it for this week. I hope you enjoy this delicious Vegan French Onion Soup as much as we do over at our house. As always, please let me know how you like the recipe, by either commenting below and/or rating the recipe. I love hearing from you!! Happy soup-making.
Vegan French Onion Soup
2
servings15
minutes35
minutes10
minutesSweet, delicious, and absolutely divine for a cold winter evening! This Vegan French Onion Soup ticks all the boxes of comfort. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- For the Vegan French Onion Soup
2 large vegetable onions
2 red onions
3 tbsp olive oil
A generous splash of balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp miso paste
water
1 tsp vegetable stock paste
Pepper to taste
A tiny bit of salt (to draw out additional flavor)
2 slices gluten-free bread slices
- For the Cashew Cheese
125 gr. white beans
3/8 cup (55 gr.) cashews
3/8 cup (90 ml) water
1/4 cup (15 gr.) nutritional yeast
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp tamari
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper to taste
How to
- For the Vegan French Onion Soup
- Peel both the vegetable and red onions and thinly slice. To a large pot, add the olive oil and heat to medium-high heat. Add the onions and fry, be sure to stir constantly. You want that caramelize the onions so continue to stir and render them brown. Once browned, add a generous splash of balsamic vinegar and continue to caramelize further. You want them really brown, soft, and delicious. This process should take about 15 – 20 minutes
- Once this desired consistency is reached, add the miso paste and stir through. Add water so that all the onions are covered. Stir in the vegetable stock. Put a lid on it, turn the heat to medium-low and let simmer for ca. 15 minutes
- Once the soup is done, add pepper and a tiny bit of salt (to draw out additional flavors)
- For the Cashew Cheese
- Add the white beans, cashews, water, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic clove, mustard, tamari, salt, and pepper to a high speed blender and blend until super smooth
- To make the cheese bread you have two options: (1) On a baking tray, add the 2 slices of gluten-free bread (I cut mine in half) and add the cashew cheese on top. Turn the oven to a grill setting on 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) and bake for ca. 10 minutes until the cheese has browned on top. This option allows you to have a crispy bread on the soup. (2) Once the soup is done, add to bowls and lay the bread onto the onion soup. Add the cashew cheese on top and put the bowls into the oven under grill function until the cheese has browned. This option will provide you with a soggy bread option (which is how it is usually served
- Enjoy this soup on a cold autumn or winter day. This recipe is a main for two or a starter for 4.
