Co-op Recipe, Lunch & Dinner

Almost Classic French Onion Soup

6-8 servings

Thank you to our friends at La Riojana in Argentina for this amazing recipe!

A ‘shroom-laden spin on the classic. You don’t even need to use beef broth; this soup can be entirely vegetarian. Good melty vegan cheese is also an option. Use your favorite mushrooms, or a combo to get maximum umami and textural differences in each spoonful. If you like a richer, fruitier-style broth, go with the Malbec-Bonarda blend. Otherwise, Cab Sav or Malbec are great options for a drier style with some depth of flavor.

In the month of October, we celebrate co-ops. Why? Because they are awesome! We feature recipes from co-ops around the country in our special Co-op Recipe Guide.

Ingredients

  • 8 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 large yellow onions, sliced in ¼” half rounds
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb your favorite mushrooms, sliced 
  • ½ tsp dry thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 8 cups broth – veggie, mushroom or beef
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 bottle La Riojana red wine, your choice
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 16 slices baguette (day old is good)
  • 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese
  • 3 Tbsp chopped parsley

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, heat 4 Tbsp olive oil and onions. Cook until soft and caramelized, about 45 minutes. Watch and stir. Add a bit of water or some of the red wine and scrape the pan if onions start to burn.
  2. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, Worcestershire and thyme and cook another 10 minutes, until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove fresh thyme sprigs.
  3. Add mushrooms to Dutch oven. Pour in stock and bay leaf. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Let simmer 30 minutes. Add wine. Cook on low heat another 20-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Adjust with additional broth or wine as needed.
  4. While soup cooks, brush baguette slices with 2 Tbsp olive oil and toast until golden.
  5. Preheat broiler. Remove bay leaf. On a sheet tray, pour soup into oven-safe bowls, leaving at least one inch from the top. Top with baguette slices, then with cheese. Broil until cheese is browned and gooey. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
  6. This soup freezes well. Do not freeze baguettes or cheese.