SOUP: Vegetarian French Onion Soup

I know it is strange but, sometimes, on hot summer days, I crave a hot bowl of soup. Last week I was craving French Onion soup with cheese. Due to my kosher diet, I typically cannot eat French Onion soup out at restaurants because they make it with beef broth and I cannot mix meat and milk.

From time to time, I will make French Onion soup at home with beef broth without cheese, but for some reason, last week I NEEDED the cheese! So vegetarian French Onion soup it was. I just substituted vegetable broth for beef broth and it was DELICIOUS! This recipe is very easy and requires only a few simple ingredients. You can skip adding wine if that isn’t your thing. I think it deepens the flavor, but it is by no means necessary. Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

Onions, 4, large, sliced

Vegetable Broth, 48 ounces (1-1/2 containers of Trader Joe’s Vegetable Broth)

Provolone Cheese, 4 slices

Dried Thyme, 1 teaspoon

Dry White Wine, 1/4 cup

Butter, 1/2 cup

French Bread or Semolina Bread, 2 large slices per bowl

Sea Salt, to taste

Fresh Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In a large dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion once the butter has melted fully. Sauté uncovered for 10 minutes, continuously stirring.
2. Reduce the heat to low and continue to allow the onions to cook, until they darken in color.
3. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Then add the vegetable broth, thyme, a little bit of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
4. Raise the heat to medium and allow the soup to cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.
5. Once the soup is done, ladle it into to large, oven safe bowls. Place crusty bread inside the soup and then cover with cheese. I only had sliced provolone so I used that.
6. Turn on your broiler.
7. Place the bowls in the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and golden brown. Serve immediately!