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    Home Β» Soup & Chili's

    Vegetarian French Onion Soup (Slow Cooker)

    Published: Oct 20, 2022 by Stephanie 34 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe

    A Vegetarian French Onion Soup recipe made in the slow cooker with caramelized onions in a rich savory broth. This delicious comforting bowl of soup topped with cheesy croutons(optional) is perfect served for a cozy lunch or dinner. Gluten free with vegan option.

    Vegetarian French Onion soup in a white bowl topped with cheesy croutons and a sprig of fresh thyme. A silver spoon in bowl and fresh thyme beside the bowl.

    The Fall months are the perfect time to start thinking about all the cozy soup recipes. This vegetarian french onion soup is always one of our go to's!

    We love this easy french onion soup recipe in the slow cooker since you only need a few ingredients and minimal prep time.

    Some of our other favorite crockpot soup recipes are this cabbage soup or lentil soup.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients needed
    • Substitutions & notes
    • How to make vegetarian french onion soup
    • FAQ'S
    • Storage notes
    • πŸ“– Recipe

    Ingredients needed

    • Onions
    • Vegetable broth
    • Butter
    • Coconut aminos
    • Seasonings
    • Olive oil
    • Balsamic vinegar
    • Tapioca flour
    ingredients in vegetarian french onion soup which are onions, vegetable broth, butter, coconut aminos, seasonings, tapioca flour, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.

    Substitutions & notes

    • Onions- you can use any large onions you have on hand. I recommend a combination of the yellow with a red onion for an optimal flavor profile.
    • Veggie broth- low sodium vegetable broth. Homemade vegetable broth or regular vegetable broth is a good substitute.
    • Butter- unsalted butter. To make it vegan just swap with a dairy free butter here.
    • Coconut aminos- Braggs aminos or any other gluten free soy sauce is a good substitute..
    • Tapioca flour- can swap with non gmo cornstarch. I've tested it with both and either one gives good results.
    • Balsamic vinegar- I don't recommend swapping this or leaving it out.

    How to make vegetarian french onion soup

    full directions are in the recipe card (crockpot, instant pot slow cooker, stovetop methods included) I used the instant pot slow cooker method on this post.

    thinly sliced yellow and red onions added to pot prior to cooking.
    Onions after being caramelized in the pot.
    1. Add thinly sliced onions to the pot with melted butter and olive oil.
    2. Cook onions till caramelized and lightly browned.
    3. Add remaining ingredients and stir.
    4. Slow cook recommended time per directions in recipe card below.
    5. Remove bay leaf prior to serving and top with croutons, shredded cheese and broil till melted and lightly browned(optional).

    Vegetarian french onion soup topped with croutons and cheese prior to melting.

    FAQ'S

    What are the best onions to use for french onion soup?

    Typically yellow onions are used but I like to use a variety to give the flavor profile more depth. So I generally will add in a red onion but you can certainly use whatever onions you have on hand.

    What type of croutons or bread is best for french onion soup?

    I used a gluten free dairy free baguette that was toasted and broken into croutons before topping on soup. You could also just do slices but I find it easier to eat with crouton sized bread.

    What's the best cheese for french onion soup?

    I recommend a good quality cheese that you shred yourself. Some of my favorites are gruyere cheese, swiss cheese, or grand cru cheese.

    Can I make this ahead of time?

    Yes. Just store the cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge and top with croutons and cheese right before serving.

    Storage notes

    This vegetarian french onion soup can be stored without cheesy croutons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    For longer storage it can be frozen in freezer safe containers or bags 3-4 months.

    Vegetarian french onion soup in white bowls topped with melted cheese, and croutons on a silver tray with spoons, croutons and fresh thyme.

    AND IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW…..I’d love to hear if you make this & how you like it. Plus please be sure to include a star rating.

    Vegetarian french onion soup in a white bowl with cheesy crouton topping and a silver spoon. Fresh thyme on top for garnish and beside the bowl.

    Until next time- xoxo

    Stephanie

    πŸ“– Recipe

    Print Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    4.84 from 6 votes

    Vegetarian French Onion Soup (Slow Cooker)

    Vegetarian French Onion Soup is the perfect comfort dinner and is great alone or paired with a salad.
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 45 minutes
    Cook Time 5 hours
    Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 159kcal
    Author Stephanie

    Ingredients

    • 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
    • 1 large red onion thinly sliced
    • 4 tbsp. butter unsalted divided
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • ΒΌ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tbsp. tapioca flour or cornstarch
    • Β½ tsp. thyme
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 3 tbsp. Coconut Aminos
    • 4 cups Vegetable Broth
    • 1 cup water
    • cheese of choice
    • croutons or crusty bread for topping

    Instructions

    Instructions for caramelizing onions:

    • Melt 2 tbsp. butter with olive oil over medium heat in pan on stove top or instant pot if using.
    • Place onions in pan and cook 10 minutes, then sprinkle with salt.
    • Cook additional 20 minutes until caramelized and drizzle with balsamic vinegar last couple minutes of cooking.

    Crockpot instructions:

    • Place caramelized onions in crockpot, along with remaining ingredients  reserving cheese and croutons for topping.
    • Cook on high 5 hours.
    • Remove bay leaf before spoon into bowls.
    • Spoon in oven safe serving bowls and top with croutons and cheese.
    • Melt until bubbly and golden brown.

    Stovetop instructions:

    • Follow instructions above for caramelizing onions.
    • Add remaining ingredients and cook on low on stovetop 45-55 minutes.
    • Remove bay leaf prior to serving and adding cheesy croutons.

    Instant Pot instructions using slow cooker function:

    • Set the instant pot on the sautΓ© function and melt the 2 tbsp. of butter with olive oil.
    • Add thinly sliced onions and stir every few minutes for about 10 minutes before adding salt.
    • Continue to sautΓ© onions stirring frequently as needed about 15-20 more minutes till they start to brown and caramelize.
    • Drizzle with balsamic vinegar the last minute of cooking.
    • Turn off Instant Pot, add remaining ingredients and stir.
    • Cover with lid. I recommend using a tempered glass lid that you can get for the instant pot. You can however use the lid that came with the instant pot and set to vent for slow cooking.
    • Set Instant Pot to slow cooker function. Adjust to high setting using the + button until you see the more button is on.
    • Then set timer for 6 hours and 30 minutes.
    • Remove bay leaf, serve immediately or add croutons and cheesy topping and melt under broiler.

    Notes

    Mix the tapioca flour or cornstarch with water prior to adding to soup.
    Nutrition information is based off soup alone and doesn't include cheesy crouton topping.
    *Disclaimer

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 4.9g | Fat: 10.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.3g | Sodium: 523mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 5.2g | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @applesforcjblog or tag #applesforcj

    Updated post from October 2016

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dana Stinson-Marone

      June 05, 2022 at 8:52 pm

      How many calories?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        June 06, 2022 at 11:58 am

        Approximately 163 calories per serving! This does not include calories for cheese or crouton topping, since that can vary based on your preferences.

        Reply
    2. Kayla Clark

      January 13, 2021 at 10:27 am

      This recipe is a game changer for me! I love French Onion soup, but it's almost always made with beef broth at restaurants, so I haven't been able to get it since becoming a vegetarian. This soup is so easy, and so good!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 13, 2021 at 11:16 am

        Thanks Kayla! Glad you're enjoying it! 😘

        Reply
    3. Elizabeth

      October 20, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      This soup was wonderful! But it's definitely not enough for 6 servings and DEFINITELY not enough for 8. It filled our crockpot about halfway, and we got four bowls out of it. It was scrumptious though.

      Reply
    4. Aimee Snell

      September 28, 2020 at 10:04 am

      Did you put the bowls in the oven to melt the cheese? If so, what temperature and about how long?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        September 28, 2020 at 10:22 am

        Yes! Just make sure you are using oven safe bowls. Approximately 400 degrees depending on your oven. It should take about 5-8 minutes to get melty but it really depends on how brown you like it. I recommend using a Swiss cheese on this! Hope this helps.

        Reply
    5. Claudia Stephens

      February 27, 2020 at 6:23 pm

      Hi there, would you happen to know the equivalent cook time for cooking in a pot in stovetop as I don’t have a crockpot? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        February 28, 2020 at 9:21 am

        Hi Claudia, I haven't actually made this recipe on the stovetop, but I would estimate about 45-60 minutes on low would work. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    6. Melanie C.

      December 04, 2019 at 6:28 pm

      I made this on 12/3/19 with a few minor modifications - doubled the salt and added the same amount of pepper, deglazed the onions with sherry, and added some vegan Worcestershire sauce. It was excellent and such deep flavor! Will be making again soon.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        December 04, 2019 at 6:37 pm

        Thanks for stopping by to let me know Melanie! So glad to hear you Enjoyed it! 😘

        Reply
    7. Kelly

      September 22, 2019 at 4:10 pm

      I love this soup thank you so much for the recipe! Just opened this up to make for the 2nd winter in a row. Random question... ingredients list 4 Tbsp of butter but only 2Tbsp for cooking the onions in on the stovetop. When do you use the other 2? I don't think I ever realized I wasn't including them in the crockpot as part of the remaining ingredients or anywhere else when I made this previously! Just wanted to double check! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        September 22, 2019 at 6:53 pm

        Hi Kelly, I'm sooo glad to hear you're enjoying the soup. The extra 2 tbsp. of butter are to be added to the crockpot with the remaining other ingredients. Sorry that wasn't clear in the recipe card. But it sounds like it's turned out good for you without it. πŸ‘

        Reply
      • Kim

        September 27, 2019 at 3:44 pm

        Can you freeze this prior to adding the croutons?

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          September 27, 2019 at 3:50 pm

          I haven't personally tried freezing it. But it should be fine to freeze before adding any cheese or croutons!

    8. Taylor

      January 23, 2019 at 2:20 pm

      Hi! Would this be okay to let sit cooking for a few additional hours? Trying to plan dinner for after work. Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 23, 2019 at 2:38 pm

        Hi Taylor, I can't really verify how well it will do if you cook it several more hours on High in the slow cooker since I haven't tried it. You could try cooking it on the Low setting in the slow cooker since that gives you several more hours cooking time. It just depends on how much longer you'll need to let it sit. Hope this helps and let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    9. Morgan

      November 27, 2018 at 4:40 am

      Can I double the recipe in the crockpot and use the same amount of cook time? I made the original recipe and it was fantastic! Came to about half way up my crockpot but I underestimated the amount of servings. Thanks πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        November 27, 2018 at 2:09 pm

        Hi Morgan, Yes you can double the recipe and it should not change how long you cook it in the crockpot. So glad that you Enjoyed it πŸ˜€

        Reply
    10. Danielle

      October 25, 2018 at 12:21 am

      I tried it and it was easy and great! I used dried thyme so I think I would reduce the amount next time but only because that’s my preference. Definitely will make it again!!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        October 25, 2018 at 1:24 pm

        Thanks Danielle and glad to hear you enjoyed it πŸ˜€

        Reply
    11. swathi

      October 27, 2016 at 9:20 pm

      Looks delicious love this french onion soup.

      Reply
    12. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      October 27, 2016 at 7:57 pm

      This vegetarian version looks so much better than the traditional one!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 27, 2016 at 9:10 pm

        Thanks Amy!

        Reply
    13. Mindy

      October 26, 2016 at 7:21 pm

      Okay, let me just say that your French onion soup looks way better than what I am used to seeing!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 26, 2016 at 7:25 pm

        Thanks Mindy! Hope you try it soon πŸ™‚

        Reply
    14. jacquee | i sugar coat it!

      October 25, 2016 at 10:21 pm

      Big fan of French onion soup! Could use a bowl to warm me up today.

      Reply
    15. Platter Talk

      October 25, 2016 at 9:58 pm

      I love french onion soup. Your pictures are making my mouth water.

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 25, 2016 at 10:15 pm

        Yeah. Then I've done my job. Hope you get to try this πŸ™‚

        Reply
    16. Marsha | Marsha's Baking Addiction

      October 25, 2016 at 8:51 pm

      That cheese! This soup is just mouthwatering!

      Reply
    17. Beth @ Binky's Culinary Carnival

      October 25, 2016 at 8:47 pm

      I'm crazy about French Onion! Love that this is a slow cooker version! I'll give it a try!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 25, 2016 at 9:15 pm

        Thanks Beth!

        Reply
    18. Kristine

      October 25, 2016 at 8:14 pm

      I LOVE French onion soup and this recipe looks delicious! Thank you for the recipe, I cannot wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 25, 2016 at 8:23 pm

        You're welcome Kristine. Hope you enjoy πŸ™‚

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Stephanie! The Recipe developer and writer behind APPLES FOR CJ. Welcome to my Happy Place! Here you'll find a collection of my Best Gluten Free & Vegetarian recipes, along with some healthy lifestyle tips. Hope you'll stay awhile!

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