I don’t know who Henri is, but I would like to kiss this man. Since going vegetarian (ahem, pescetarian), I realized that enjoying the things that I used to like, i.e. French onion soup, usually contains things like beef or chicken stock. I was totally disappointed and was hoping to find another substitute for a soup base. I thought about experimenting with vegetable stock, but, to be honest, the dark, rustic taste of French onion would (I thought) be severely compromised by the addition of a vegetable base.
And, then, I found Henri. Oh, Henri. You have changed my world. Just kidding. I was just super excited to get the same great taste in a soup WITHOUT having to use a meat stock. And, even though the prep/cook time (at least 1 1/2 hours) was a little long, it was a rainy Saturday, and I had nothing else to do. The kitchen smelled amazing, I drank a (few) glass(es) of the dry white wine, and the end product was nothing short of one of the best crocks of French onion soup I have ever had. Here’s to rainy days in the summer……and to Henri.
Henri’s French Onion Soup
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
| 3 | pounds yellow onions, cut into 1/8-inch pieces |
| 3 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 1/2 | teaspoon table salt, plus more as needed |
| 1 | pinch sugar |
| 8 | cups water , plus more as needed |
| 1 | tablespoon all-purpose flour |
| 1 | sprig fresh thyme |
| 1/4 | cup dry white wine |
| 1 | baguette , crusty |
| 8 | ounces Gruyère cheese-I sliced it thick and placed it over the top of the crock…..the cheese melted mostly into the soup and a little off to the sides, but it created a thick, even layer this way. |
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Take the cover off, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned. I cooked mine for a little less than 90 minutes.
- At this point, stir every 5 minutes and add water (a tablespoon at a time to loosen up the dark brown stuff that forms on the bottom of the pan).
- Continue to cook until the onions are an even dark brown color, an additional 30 minutes longer or so.
- Add the flour and stir for two minutes.
- Add 8 cups water and thyme to the onions and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add white wine and simmer 10 minutes longer.
- Add salt to taste.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the upper middle position.
- Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet.
- Bake until the bread is dry, about 10 minutes. Remove bread slices and set aside.
- Heat broiler and place 6 heatproof bowls in a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with about 2 cups soup. Top each with two baguette slices and evenly distribute cheese slices over the bread. Broil until well browned and bubbly, about ten minutes. Cool for five minutes before serving. Barely adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. (I’m on a roll…….)
jacobskitchen - Wow! That looks so amazing! I love me some French onion soup. =)
Simran Stacie - This looks like a good one. We are trying to eat more vegetarian stuff – and this looks like a good recipe!
Carla - That is the best dang French onion soup I have ever seen in my life. Holy mangoes, Batman!
Adrien - I’m French, I love oignon soup, I tried the recipe tonight, and i can tell you : it was great!
Kathryn - That looks delish! You should try my favorite split pea soup with kielbasa– it amazing!
srlacy - Thanks Kathryn!
I love split pea soup and will be on the look-out for a vegetarian friendly one! Thanks for sharing!
Shanon
Vegolicious - Wow, this looks amazing!!
I’d love for you to submit one of your beautiful photos, and a link to your post, to my new vegetarian food photo gallery showcasing beautiful and flavorful vegetarian food.
Alejandrina Barnaba - Thanks, and for anyone that is having trouble chopping onions without the crying, here’s an incredibly easy tip – put them in the fridge for a few hours, then chop them straight away after taking them out! No more tears! I found some more onion soup recipes here if anyone wants to try some more recipes.
Taste of Tuesday « PRISMATIC:wonderland - […] The Curvy Carrot & Henri’s French Onion Soup recipe […]
Have a Hearty Weekend. « Inspiration Files - […] Image via […]
Katie - I made this today and it was SO delicious. My boufriend couldn’t even tell it was vegetarian. Thanks for posting!
The Curvy Carrot » French Onion Soup Crostini - […] love French onion soup, and, judging by the popularity of one of my earliest posts on a vegetarian version of the soup, so do […]
Ashley - Wowza! I’m eating this right now and I think I love Henri too! Thank you so much for the amazing recipe! I would love to share this on my blog (with your permission of course)! What a gem of a recipe! Thank you thank you and happy cooking =)))
srlacy - Ashley-thanks!! By all means, feel free to share. Just be sure to include the original source as well :).
I’m so glad you liked it!
Shanon
Foodie Friday – a whole lot of recipes! | Too Askew - […] Chubbies Butterfly snacks Crustless Quiche in a cup Henri’s French Onion Soup Grilled Chicken with White Barbecue Sauce Roasted Red Pepper and Feta […]
The Curvy Carrot » Four Cheese White Pizza (and a Blog Anniversary!) - […] Henri’s French Onion Soup […]
Susan - WOW!! amazing photo…I am going to try your recipe, thanks for such a great recipe
French Onion Soup | dailyicandy.com - […] For Full recipe please visit source : thecurvycarrot.com […]
Laura - I have always made onion soup with a veggie broth base(no mushrooms).. and without the cheese or wine. Having to also keep it gluten free I use a flax or rice round instead of the wheat bread; the soy- dairy free “faux” cheese product adds the melted look if first drizzled with a bit of “EVOO”. I use rice flour for the rue; and a variety of diced onions: sweet, yellow, white, purple and a few green onions!
Tara Martinez - French onion soup has never appealed to me, until I saw this picture!! It looks delish!!
Elle - How do the 8 cups of water not completely water down this soup?
srlacy - Hi Elle-
They don’t. Initially I thought that as well, and I was definitely surprised by the fantastic flavor that remained after adding all that water. This recipe is a keeper!
* Fall Season * « Vive ut Vivas - […] For lunch or dinner, how about a yummy French Onion Soup? […]
Carrie - is everyone using the cheese in the recipe? I thought it was swiss?!?!
Oh, how Pinteresting! at theinbetweenismine.com - […] thecurvycarrot.com via San on […]
everythingallie - […] french onion soup – my weekly craving (recipe from the curvy carrot) […]
Blog lovin’ and recipe sharin’ | Dishin' About Nutrition - […] French Onion Soup from The Curvy Carr […]
Simplicity & Soup « Beatnik Metamorphosis - […] This is the recipe we followed. We both love french onion soup, and with the chilly weather, it was something of a comfort meal. If you feel like giving this recipe a try, I will note a couple addendums to the process this wonderful cook has listed: […]
courtney - Do you really mean to cook onions for 90 minutes? Or 9?
srlacy - Hi Courtney-
Yep. It’s really 90 minutes. It’s a long time to cook onions, but it’s really really worth it, I promise.
Susan McNamara - I couldn’t find a vegetarian gruyère anywhere! I tried whole foods even but nothin:( I’m still making this though:)
For the Love of Rainy Days « loveoflovely - […] – Try this french onion soup recipe! […]
Jen - this is pretty much the exact recipe that my french maman taught me. delish!
Anna @BeanBugCrafts - Your soup recipe looks so yummy! I have featured it here:http://beanbugcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/01/warming-up-with-some-soup.html
Thanks for sharing!
Sue Hall - My cheese fell into the soup and did not get all brown and crusty. It was still good but what can I do differently?
srlacy - Hi Sue-
Try using a wide, thin-slice cheese that you can drape over the edges.
Pinterest Interests + Giveaway Winner | Over The Big Moon - […] Onion Soup by the Curvy Carrot My dream pantry! The photo comes from Canning across […]
Deb Lefebvre - Why the flour? Otherwise this would be Gluten Free. So again, why the flour?
srlacy - The flour helps with the binding. If you want to keep it gluten free, try rice flour or another appropriate alternative.
rachel - Is there any way to make this without using individual bowls in the oven? Or will that not bake the cheese as well?
srlacy - Hi Rachel-
You don’t necessarily need the bowls, but that’s probably the best way to get the cheese browned and slightly crispy on the top. If you just want melted cheese, you could use a normal (non-oven safe) bowl and microwave the soup to get the cheese melted on top.
52 Weeks: Week 8 « the lungs of our city - […] Here’s the recipe and associated gorgeous photos: Henri’s French Onion Soup […]
sarah - What kind of wine did you use? I have seen a lot of recipes and they always say something like dry white, but i am relatively new to drinking and cooking with wine so what type should i look for?
srlacy - Hi Sarah-
I can’t remember exactly what I used, but most likely it was either a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. You can use either one.
Bobbi - May I use your picture on Pinterest?
Thank you!
srlacy - Hi Bobbi-
Sure, as long as there is a proper link back to the website. That way people can find the recipe! 🙂
Recipe Sites | Pearltrees - […] The Curvy Carrot » Henri’s French Onion Soup pinch sugar 8 1 […]
Marie - Thank you for this recipe. Just made it tonight, improvised with croutons since I did not have crusty bread and provolone cheese. It was still incredible. Thank you!
Sally’s Pins – Sally Spins - […] Vegetarian Onion Soup: Yum! Yum! Onion soup was one of my favorites growing up. I am dying to try this vegetarian version. Just look at that dripping cheese. […]
Brittney - Can you freeze this soup?
srlacy - I’m sure you can, although I have not tried it.
Stacy - This looks wonderful! I’m actually making it for dinner tonight but only have a block of sharp cheddar and a block of parmesan on hand. Would either of these work or should I run to the store to get the gruyere? I don’t want to spend all that time caramelizing the onions and then ruin it with the cheese! Thanks for your help!
srlacy - Hi Stacy-
Sounds great, but I don’t want to steer you wrong with the cheese. This recipe IS a lot of work, so running for either Swiss or Gruyere would be worth it. I don’t think the Parmesan would broil properly for you. 🙂
Ariel - Looks and sounds delicious!! I am vegetarian and recently learned of different rennets (binding agent in chesses). Gruyere is almost always made with animal rennet, which is a complex of enzymes collected from the lining of the stomach of veal (baby cow). I cut certain cheese out of my diet because of this, and always check the labels on cheese. Just a note: Microbial and vegetable rennets are vegetarian approved! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe. Can’t wait to try it!
Leah - what do you mean when you say cut onion into 1/8 inch pieces? Like a rough chop or keep the onion whole sliced into slices that are 1/8 inch thick?
srlacy - Hi Leah-
Nice to meet you. You can do it either way, but the instructions mean to slice them into 1/8-inch thick slices.
Leah - Nice to meet you too! I am in the process of chopping/slicing so thanks for the quick reply! I chopped the first pound and sliced the last two. 🙂 This looks awesome and thanks for sharing!
Alyze - Finally made this last night after months of having it bookmarked and it was delicious!!!! You are so right, this recipe is a keeper! I am a vegetarian but my husband is not. French onion soup is one of his favorites and he was so skeptical a vegetarian version would have the right flavor, but he loved it so much he said after eating it he one with beef broth would just seem way too salty in comparison. Thanks for sharing!!
Bowls of oozing deliciousness | The Daily Ramblings Blog - […] & Recipe Source: here Share this:TwitterFacebookPinterestEmailPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. By […]
Penelope Baker - I haven’t made onion soup in ages but your recipe looks so wonderful I plan to serve it at a dinner party next week. I think I’ll follow it with my easy chicken rustica and a simple desert. That should knock ’em dead!
So thanks for sharing this. And pls take a peek at my site. I like to share too. 🙂
Jewel - Looks beautiful. I do sometimes make French onion soup, and this recipe is similar to what I would normally use, so I’ll try it this way next time.
Surkhab - Wow ! looks yummy Bookmarked:-)
Make Easy French Onion Soup | Dollar Store Mom - Frugal Fun - Crafts for Kids - […] like a little tasty glimpse into some classic french food in your own home! So I found you this simple recipe from The Curvy Carrot for a french favorite: onion soup! I know spring time is not the most soup-inspiring season, but […]
Fransız Usulü Soğan Çorbası Tarifi - […] Photo Share […]
VEGETARIAN June 2012 Menu | OAMC from Once A Month Mom - […] Rice. And I haven’t forgotten those beautiful sweet and red onions, highlighted in: French Onion Soup, Onion Rosti and these super awesome, super easy Freezer Bean Burritos. And, just to keep us all […]
Mike - Looks pretty good, but you should be using beef stock instead of the eight cups of water, and I would recommend sherry over generic white wine.
Stevie - Do you mean 9 minutes?
4. Take the cover off, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned. I cooked mine for a little less than 90 minutes.
srlacy - Hi Mike-
I am meat-free, but you could certainly use those substitutions in your own version.
srlacy - Hi Stevie-
Nope. The recipe is correct as written. 90 minutes.
DAY 165 | Simple In The Suburbs - […] French Onion Soup, toasted bread with swiss cheese, […]
Henri’s French Onion Soup | The Illusion of Gourmet - […] The Recipe is Here ——-> Henri’s French Onion Soup […]
Haley - Just made this for dinner, turned out great! I didn’t use thyme, but it still turned out delicious.
Henri’s French Onion Soup | The Neel Group - […] recipe is a bit of a long process, a vegetarian French onion is few and far between. According to this blogger, who originally posted the recipe, it will take a grand total of two hours (give or take a half […]
Lickin my lips- My Comfort Foods | High Maintenance Blonde - […] thecurvycarrot.com via Lisa on Pinterest Share this:FacebookStumbleUpon This entry was posted in lickin my lips and […]
Mandy@AtHomeArkansas - I am so ready for fall and this soup confirms that I should enhance my cooking skills. Or just bribe a certain someone to make it for me…
friday favorites : fall soups, bar carts, glam lamps, mellow yellow kitchens | - […] From art director Mandy Keener: “I am so ready for fall and this soup confirms that I should enhance my cooking skills. Or just bribe a certain someone to make it for me…” {“Henri’s French Onion Soup” from The Curvy Carrot} […]
Ashley Elmore - I wish I could figure out how to convert this in order to only serve 2 🙁
Sara - This recipe sounds wonderful and I plan to make it tonight. I’m not a vegetarian but I really appreciate Ariel’s comment about gruyere cheeses and animal rennet. I do NOT eat veal, and sure enough, the VERY expensive cheese I bought has animal rennet in it. Live and learn!
BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL - Page 219 - ALIPAC - […] […]
Miada - What can you substitute for the wine if you are not into cooking with the alcohol? Any suggestions without changing the flavor too much?
srlacy - Hi Miada-
Here is a great source for substituting all sorts of alcohol. For the soup, I would use vegetable broth (my own preference).
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol6.htm
Amy - This sounds delicious! One question- when it says “At this point, stir every 5 minutes and add water (a tablespoon at a time to loosen up the dark brown stuff that forms on the bottom of the pan)” do you mean DURING the 90 minutes??? So every 5 minutes for 1.5 hours? I guess no multitasking…
srlacy - Hi Amy-
I know-it’s a lot. But my onions browned really quickly and at the risk of burning them and losing them completely, the stirring had to happen every so often to avoid this.
31 Amazing Fall Recipes - […] 4. French Onion Soup […]
Sandra - AMAZING!!! This french onion soup is DELISH!! OMG soooooo good!! Thank you for sharing!
Keeping Wedding Guests Warm in Cool Weather | Heart Love Weddings - […] The Curvy Carrot | Fresh Tart […]
5 Favorite Fall Comfort Foods | Capers Catering - […] I think I will make the above delicious French Onion Soup. […]
Amanda - I’m feeling a bit dim, but where does the flavor come from in this? Just the onions and thyme? I’ve tried other veggie versions with mushroom or vegetable stock and am worried that w/8 cups of water and not much flavoring going on, this will be really bland. Or… not bland… just only oniony, I guess. Am I missing something or is it just some crazy cooking magics?
srlacy - Hey Amanda-
I had the same thought myself, but, trust me, there’s plenty of flavor here. I think it comes from really caramelizing the onions-it’s this earthy, but sweet flavor.
chelsea - I’m cooking this right now! I don’t eat much meat (absolutely no beef/pork) and my husband loves FOS. Smells fabulous so far!
Lise - This sounds delicious! I’ve tried a few French onion soup recipes, but none have been as good as promised so far. I am not vegetarian, but I do try to reduce my meat consumption so I appreciate the meat free recipe. Definitely trying this one next!
Vanessa - I believe I was the first one to add this particular soup to Pinterest and I thought you’d like to know that my pin has over 2500 repins! And still going strong! The photo really sells this awesome soup. Yay!
Meal Plan: Fall Week 5 | Rainbow Delicious - […] French Onion Soup from The Curvy Carrot […]
Emily : RainbowDelicious.com - Even though this dish does take a long time to cook I thought it was totally worth it! My family and I loved it although we used swiss instead of gruyere. I included this recipe in my latest weekly meal plan at rainbowdelicious.com so I can recommend it to others. Thank you!
srlacy - Thanks Vanessa! You are awesome-much appreciated 🙂
24 Mouth Watering Fall Dinner Recipes - Five in Ohio - […] French Onion Soup (Not […]
Vegetarian Winter Warmer RecipesCalm Your Beans - […] thecurvycarrot.com via Candace on […]
CArol - Make the bagettes better if you brush them with olive oil and then take a clove of oil and rub each side of the bagette. YUM
5 Best Fall Food Recipes « youmustlovefood - […] French Onion Soup […]
Lisa Padley - OMG! THANK YOU!
Since I, too, became a pescatarian I’ve really missed this soup. Cannnot wait to give it a try!
Henri’s French Onion Soup - […] How about try this Henri’s French Onion Soup… You can find recipe from here http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2010/08/07/henris-french-onion-soup/ […]
ambrosia - This soup looks amazing!! I haven’t made French onion soup in a few years, but will use this recipe the next time that I do!
Elaine - I made this about a week ago and it was beyond delicious. I am craving it and will be making it again real soon! I used the food processor to slice the onions to save time and agony and the soup came out great!
Liz - Soups have always been my favorite go to meal. This looks super yummy. I think I will have to give it a try. 🙂
– French Onion Soup - […] French Onion Soup (adapted from Henri’s French Onion Soup) […]
Roxanne - My onion cooking time only took 20 minutes?! Did I do something wrong? I stirred the entire time, til light brown. Then I started adding a tablespoon of water at a time and stiring every five until dark brown. They didn’t burn and it tastes delicious, but I’d like to know where I strayed from your directions. Was I supposed to be adding a tablespoon of water the entire 90 minutes? I think I may have inadvertently created a shortcut!
Thanks so much for the generous recipe! Can’t wait to dip some yummy bread in it!
Kaylin - Oh how I wish I had cheese in the fridge. We are in the middle of one of our famous Canadian snow storms and no sense going out if one doesn’t have too.
Looks wonderful. I would experiment with a full bodied red wine for a different flavor.
Thanks for sharing this one.
Storm - This is the one! Finally, a completely satisfying vegetarian version! My only changes: reduced the broth by half and added a ton of pepper to combat the super-sweet onions I used.
Classic French Onion Soup » Table for Two - […] Source: From Cook’s Illustrated via The Curvy Carrot […]
Amy - I’m a vegetarian turned pescetarian, and my friend made me a vegetarian French onion soup a couple of years ago and I have not been able to find a recipe since. I can’t wait to try this one. Thank you!
Recipe: Henri’s French Onion Soup | Newzaholic.com - […] http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2010/08/07/henris-french-onion-soup/ […]
melinda - Cheese IS vegetarian, it’s just not vegan.
French Onion Soup | Well Cooked - […] Recipe Link […]
French Onion Soup!!! | Dreamy Blog - […] Good taste, budget-friendly, easy-to-prepare and healthy, this dish has all of these advantages! These are reasonable enough to prepare this dish for your family! I’m quite definite that your family will love this delish dish! Don’t be surprised if they would want the same dish for their next meal!Credits to the source […]
35 Meatless Meals | Six Sisters' Stuff - […] Bean Soup Potato and Cheese Pierogi Spinach and Mozzarella Egg Bake French Onion Soup Our cookbook is now available for purchase! You can check it […]
Henri's French Onion Soup | - […] Henri’s French Onion Soup […]
kclancy - im so excited to be making this recipe but im worried because my onions are already fairly browned and its only be 45 minutes of cooking…should i continue to the 90 minutes? also my pan is pretty browned and hopefully not burnt…is this normal?? thanks!
srlacy - Hi Kelly-
I am getting this comment pretty late, but I hoped it worked for you. As long as the onions were not burning, they should be fine… you want the base to be really caramelized.
The Food Complex | Henri’s French Onion Soup - […] Adapted from http://www.thecurvycarrot.com […]
15 Recipes from French Cuisine - […] Recipe and Photos credit to thecurvycarrot.com […]
Who Needs Meat? 5 Filling Fall Vegetarian Recipes » Eco-Chick - […] is almost always off-limits to vegetarians, since it relies on beef for much of its flavor. In this meat-free adaptation from The Curvy Carrot, onions browned in butter take center stage as they should, accented with thyme, dry white wine and […]
51 Savory Soup Recipes | Days of a Domestic Dad - […] French Onion Soup – The Curvy Carrot […]
Minestrone soup – Charlotte's Kitchen Diary - […] the French Onion Soup recipe from The Curvy Carrot …See all stories on this […]
Val L. - Pre-tested it for Thanksgiving this year and it tasted great. Took closer to 4 hours for it to reduce down for me. I actually would recommend making it a day in advance to let the flavor really permeate. Thanks so much for the recipe.
Suzanne - Love this recipe. I did reduce the amount of water to 6 cups, though, and like the last poster, give it a day for the flavors to permeate. Delicious!!
Tree Classics’ Favorite Recipes: Delicious Winter Soups | Tree Classics Blog - Artificial Tree Inspiration and Know How - […] your taste buds with this delectable French onion soup from The Curvy Carrot. This version of the French country dish substitutes meat stock for vegetable stock, making it a […]
10 Warm Soups for Chilly Nights | Baking Beauty - […] I was pleasantly surprised to find that this French Onion Soup Recipe was […]
Melissa - I just made this recipe. I’m not sure why but it doesn’t taste right. I’m super disappointed 🙁
Joy - My gosh, you can really go to town with this. The stock recipe is fantastic. Then you have me all sorts of ideas. I started with your base recipe and added:
Oregano and
Brown sugar
Minced crimini mushrooms
To The water I added
Veggie buillion
A dash of vegan Worcestershire sauce
A tiny splash of maple syrup
A tsp of nutritional yeast
Finished with English muffin crouton soaked in EVOO
and shredded Gruyere. I can die happy now.
12 - Warm & Tasty Fall Soup Recipes - The Crafted Sparrow - […] Disneyland Loaded Baked Potato Soup Olive Gardens Zuppa Toscana Soup Hunters Minestrone French Onion Soup Creamy Slow Cooker Tortellini […]
Tuesday Top 10 - Soup recipes - The Crafted Sparrow - […] It’s so yummy, and is awesome with a baguette on the side to dip. Hunters Minestrone #3 French Onion Soup #4 Who doesn’t love tomato soup?! If you don’t there may be something wrong with […]
Adam @ CorrChilled - Love it! And I don’t usually say that about onion soup
French Onion Soup | Mint & Pistache - […] Recommended Recipe: The Curvy Carrot […]
Franse uiensoep - soepen.be - […] 6 personen Bron: thecurvycarrot.com […]
Kimi - I haven’t tried this onion soup. But it looks so delicious. 😀
Comfort Food Recipe Roundup - Pink Heels Pink Truck - […] Loaded Baked Potato Soup || Center Cut Cook Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe || It All Started with Paint henri’s french onion soup || The Curvy Carrot Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup || Mostly Homemade Mom One Pot Enchilada […]
Simply Yummy, Tummy and Heart Warming….French Onion Soup! | The French Inspired Room - […] http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2010/08/07/henris-french-onion-soup/ […]