English Onion Soup with Cheesy Croutons

If you’re looking for a comforting and delicious soup recipe, try this English onion soup – a vegetarian version of the classic with a few twists.

Usually, a French Onion Soup contains onions, beef stock, wine and very little else. This is my version, and so it includes ingredients that a typical French Onion Soup usually wouldn’t – like bay leaves, and thyme. I also used vegetable stock rather than beef stock (and brandy rather than white wine) – not only does this make it vegetarian, it also makes it lighter and fresher. I really enjoy this version, and I hope you will too.

Don’t get me wrong, I adore the original version, but I think it tastes better when the onions are cooked for a long, long time – and I don’t have time for that tonight. I’ve used cheddar on the croutons to make these English; however any hard cheese such as gouda would work equally well. With French Onion Soup, you also tend to put the croutons in the soup, but I prefer them nice and crispy so I leave them on the side. This also means you can make it in advance and transport it (e.g. for lunch at work) without too much hassle.

This will take about 40 minutes, and will serve 4. The leftovers get better with time, so make great lunches!

If you love soup, why not try these 25+ of the Best Easy Soup Recipes out!

Ingredients, Substitutions and Variations

• Butter – my English onion soup (as is the case with French onion soup) tastes its absolute best when cooked in butter. However, if you wanted a vegan version of this soup, you could switch for olive oil and use a vegan cheese on the croutons.
• Onions – use white, brown or yellow onions. As big as possible!
• Bay leaves and thyme leaves – use fresh if you can get them.
• Plain flour – to thicken the soup. You could also use cornflour.
• Brandy – if you like, you can stick to the original with white wine but I think this brings a lovely sweetness – particularly as we aren’t cooking the onions for as long.
• Vegetable stock – or 750ml water and a good vegetable stock cube.
• French baguette – for the croutons. You could use any crusty bread.
• Comte – or any other hard cheese.

Top Tips

1. Cooking the onions The onions need cooking low and slow – don’t rush them. We’re not caramelising them to the point of a French onion soup, but they still need time to soften and develop flavour.
2. Watch the croutons They burn quickly! You want to catch them when they are just golden brown with beautiful melty cheese.
3. Get ahead – you can make this soup in advance and store in the fridge for up to a week, or the freezer for up to three months. Reheat thoroughly before serving. Make the croutons when you are about to eat.

More delicious soup recipes:

• Celery Soup
• Simple Watercress Soup
• Roasted Squash Soup
• Curried Lentil Soup
• Cauliflower Cheese Soup
• Chilled Beetroot Soup
• Thai Noodle Soup
• Leek and Chorizo Soup
• Carrot and Ginger Soup
• Parsnip and Chestnut Soup
• Leek and Ricotta Soup
• Red Leicester and Broccoli Soup

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English Onion Soup with Cheesy Croutons

Harriet Young

February 12, 2025

This English onion soup is a delightful vegetarian twist on the classic French onion soup, with brandy and vegetable stock.

5

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Soup

Cuisine British

Servings 4 People

Calories 333 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 10 grams butter
• 3 large onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 10 grams plain flour
• 50 ml brandy
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 4 large slices French baguette
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 40 grams cheddar cheese grated

Instructions

 

• Finely slice the onions and add to a large saucepan with the butter, bay leaves, thyme and a pinch of salt. Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring every few minutes to make sure it doesn’t stick, for about 20-25 minutes until golden.
• Add the flour, mix well, then add the brandy and bubble down. Add the stock and bring to a simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Taste, and add more seasoning if necessary.
• For the croutons, put the grill on high, the drizzle the olive oil onto a baking tray, then rub the bread in the oil to ensure an even coating. Put under the grill for 3-4 minutes until beginning to turn toast, then pile on the grated cheese. Put back under the grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 9gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 1216mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 588IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 3mg

Keyword onion soup

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