VEGETARIAN FRENCH ONION SOUP
Make your own vegetarian French Onion Soup (beef and chicken broth option alternates included) with baked bread and melted cheese. Using a variety of onions and shallots, you will get the perfect caramelized onion for the best soup recipe that is actually easier than you think. You can make this with or without wine, but we highly recommend a red wine. Instapot and crockpot won't get you that deep caramel flavor, so put in the time on this soup recipe.
Equipment
- Cuisinart 6-Color Knife Set with Blade Guards
- Wooden Bamboo Cooking Utensils Set
- Le Creuset Enamel On Steel Stockpot, 20 qt.
- Cast Iron Skillet, Pre-Seasoned-10.25 Inch
- 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender
- Porcelain Bowls with Handles- Set of 6
- Spice World, ORGANIC GARLIC
- Red Boat Fish Sauce, 17 fl oz
- Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons 90g unsalted butter (you could use olive oil, but the taste won't be the same)
- 4 large shallots 24 small red onions and 8 yellow onions (if you only use one type of onion, plan on 3lbs of yellow onion for this recipe)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup dry red wine you can also use a dry sherry but NOT sherry vinegar, or even red wine AND sherry
- 64 oz vegetable stock for non-vegetarian, you can use chicken stock or beef stock
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon 5ml Asian fish sauce (optional)
- 2 teaspoon 5ml cider vinegar
- 8 bowl-size slices French Baguette toasted until crisp
- 2 cups of grated smoked Gruyère cheese or regular gruyere cheese
- Fresh chives for garnish
Instructions
- Slice your onions, shallots and pearl onions into 1/8 inch slices (long and thin).
- Using two large cast iron pans, melt your butter over medium-high heat.
- Add onions, one half to each pan for optimal caramelized onions.
- Stir the onions often, until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very fragrant and a rich golden-brown color (but not super dark and black!). This will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.
- Add wine (divide into two pans) and bring to a simmer, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Transfer to a large stock pot.
- Add vegetable stock, thyme, garlic and bay leaf; raise heat to medium-high; and bring to a simmer.
- Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add fish sauce and cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
- Discard bay leaves. Allow to simmer another 10- 20 minutes.
- Preheat broiler and adjust oven rack to top position.
- Place your bread slices on a baking sheet and pop in the broiler. Allow to toast for a minute to two until slightly golden brown.
- Assemble your French Onion Soup by ladling a small amount of broth into the bottom of 6 soup crocks, then top with half the toasts.
- Sprinkle some grated cheese on top of toasts, then spoon more soup and on top, almost to the top.
- Pop remaining toasts into bowls at an angle, so it is partially submerged.
- Top with more cheese.
- Place all soup crocks onto a rimmed backing sheet.
- Broil until cheese is melted and a nice golden brown.
- Serve and enjoy.