Vegan French Onion Soup

This weekend I retooled one of my most popular recipes, Vegan French Onion Soup. I loved this sort of soup as a kid because it was often was of of the only meat-free options for me at restaurants . . . only to find out as an adult that it -- and many other soups -- most often contains beef broth.

So, as I played around with making my own mix in the past, I used a quick roux to thicken the broth and give it a nutty, fuller flavor. This new version is gluten-free because I swapped out the flour for almond meal. And it tastes even better than my last batch!

FRENCH ONION SOUP*
Improved on the original -- vegan, gluten-free.

What you'll need . . .

• 2 pound bag yellow onions**, sliced thinly
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup almond meal

*A reader pointed out that for this to TRULY be French Onion, it would need the bread and cheese. Feel free to use your favorite bread or gluten-free bread and broil the top with cheese or vegan substitute.

** I actually used assorted onions from our CSA share. Toss in what you've got!

Method . . .

1. Place the onions, celery and garlic in a large stock pot with the olive oil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium to high heat, until translucent.
2. Then add in the maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Cook another 15 minutes, until golden and caramelized. 
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and stir occasionally for another 30 minutes.
4. During those last 10 minutes of waiting, heat the olive oil into a shallow pan on medium-low and wait for the it to get to a hot, but not too hot (shouldn't be smoking -- read more in our last Thai Jambalaya recipe).
5. Add the almond meal to the 1/4 cup oil and stir continuously for 10 minutes -- until deep brown and smells nutty. You may add more or less almond meal depending. You want a paste like in the photo below.
6. Add roux to the soup and let cook for another 5 minutes.
7. Serve with crusty homemade bread and/or nutritional yeast.

Enjoy!

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