Dairy Free French Onion Soup
Few soups feel as deeply satisfying as a bowl of French onion, with its rich, slow-cooked broth and golden, cheese-blanketed croutons — and this version delivers every bit of that comfort without a drop of dairy. The magic starts with nearly an hour of patient caramelizing, coaxing three pounds of yellow onions into a jammy, deeply golden base that gives the broth its signature sweetness and body. A splash of dry white wine deglazes all those caramelized bits from the pot, and Worcestershire sauce adds a savory depth that makes the beef broth sing. The classic finishing touch — broiled baguette slices bubbling with melted cheese — is fully intact here, thanks to shredded dairy free cheese that gets beautifully golden under the broiler. Store-bought versions of this soup almost always rely on butter and traditional cheese, so making it at home with these swaps means you stay in complete control of what goes in the bowl. Serves 4, and best enjoyed the moment it comes out from under the broiler while everything is still molten and steaming.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the soup
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 lb yellow onions (about 5 medium), halved and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried thyme)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ cup dry white wine or dry sherry
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 6 cups beef broth
For the croutons
- 1 baguette, cut into 8 slices (about ½ inch thick)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ cups dairy free cheese, shredded
Instructions
- 1
Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onions, salt, and pepper, and stir to coat. Cook, stirring every 5 minutes, until the onions have softened and released their liquid, about 15 minutes.
- 2
Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking the onions, stirring every 5–8 minutes and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until they are deep golden-brown and jammy throughout, 45–55 minutes total. If the onions begin to stick or scorch, add a splash of water (1–2 tbsp) and scrape the bottom clean. Stir in the sugar during the last 10 minutes to encourage even browning.
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