Vegan French Onion and Mushroom Soup

Slofoodgroup Team November 11, 2020

French Onion Soup with Porcini Mushrooms and Vegan Cheese

A french classic, the onion soup! Usually based on onions and concentrated meat stock, we thought of kicking it up a notch by making it vegan. Once considered a poor man’s meal, this dish has slowly won people’s hearts and became a decadent delicacy. Rich in taste and hearty, it makes a great autumn dinner. It can also be served as an indulgent appetizer to any dinner.

We made this soup even heartier by throwing in two kinds of mushrooms—porcini and champignons, but any mushrooms would be great! We love the idea of the morel and porcini combination, and both can be found in their dehydrated form in our mushroom store. A bonus of using the dehydrated version is that you can utilize the reconstituting liquid in the vegetable broth.

A Classic French Comfort Food—Onion Soup, with a Vegan Makeover

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound porcini mushrooms, cubed
• 2 large red onions, julienned
• 2 large yellow onions, julienned
• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed
• 1 cup dry red wine, preferably Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 pound brown champignons mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cloves
• ¼ tsp cinnamon 
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• Few sprigs thyme
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 4 slices vegan cheese

1. Add the olive oil to the pan and cook the onions on low until soft and caramelized, for about 15-20 minutes; add the garlic and flour in and cook for another minute;
2. Deglaze the pot with the wine and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the alcohol has evaporated;
3. Add the mushrooms, the stock and the rest of the ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer; cover and allow to cook on medium low for 20 more minutes;
4. Preheat oven to 220 C/428 F, fan on;
5. Once the soup is done, transfer to an oven safe serving dish with a slice of bread and cheese on top; bake at 220 C/428 F, fan on for 10 minutes or until golden and crispy;