vegetarian French Onion Soup

[JI7]

anyone know how to make French Onion Soup that is tasty but still veggie. i know they usually use beef and that adds to the taste.

[Warpy]

1. There are premade vegetarian stocks out there

that are pretty good. You can also use vegetarian bouillion cubes, but be sure to get the unsalted ones. "Better than Bouillion" also makes a vegetarian variety, but it can be hard to find.

Or you can go whole hog and make garbage soup, a simmered pot of carrot and potato peelings, celery tops, onion skins, and other castoffs. It makes a remarkably nice stock and it's worth keeping all the castoffs in a container in the freezer just so you can make stock when the container gets full.

You can also do the dodge of adding a little miso at the end for that salty, meaty taste.

[The empressof all]

2. The trick for Onion soup

You must carmelize the onions well past the golden stage. The browned onions should be a deep mahogony color. It takes slow and patient attending to as they can burn very quickly then you need to start again. Also make sure you slice the onions very thinly. (Best to use a mandolin) as you want lots of surface area to brown for deeper flavor. I deglaze the pot with a cup of good white wine and then you can add a lower salt veggie stock. Better than Bouillion is good but is very salty IMO for a good Onion Soup. Just get a basic veggie stock..The onions will add all the flavor if you get them brown enough.

[wildflower]

3. I add pureed cooked lentils

In addition to the other recommendations on this thread (boullion, wine, & caramelizing the onions). Then with a bit of bread and cheese, I couldn't tell it was vegetarian.

[Tab]

4. Maybe some mushrooms?

Don't leave them in the soup, but use them to add to the "meaty" taste.