Vegetarian French Onion Soup with Cheesy Baguette Crouton (A Creative Twist)

Low Fat

A 560-calorie Lunch recipe from MunchInIt. Serves 2. Prep 10 min, cook 15 min.

Ingredients

• 4 large (approx. 600g) yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 litre vegetable broth
• 100ml dry white wine (optional, substitute with more broth)
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 slices (approx. 80g total) crusty baguette
• 60g Gruyère cheese, shredded
• 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated
• 100g cooked chicken breast, shredded (prepared separately and used as an optional topping for individual preference, not mixed into the vegetarian soup base)

Instructions

1. Prep: Thinly slice onions. Shred Gruyère and Parmesan. Cook and shred chicken breast if using as an optional topping. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).
2. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized and golden brown.
3. Pour in the white wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until reduced slightly.
4. Add vegetable broth, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it gently cook for 10 minutes to allow flavours to meld.
5. While the soup simmers, place baguette slices on a baking tray. Toast in the preheated oven for 3-5 minutes until lightly golden. Remove from oven and top each slice generously with shredded Gruyère and grated Parmesan.
6. Return the cheesy baguettes to the oven or grill for 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
7. Remove bay leaf from the soup. Ladle the hot soup into two heatproof bowls. Carefully place one cheesy crouton on top of each bowl. If desired, serve shredded chicken on the side as an optional topping for those who wish to add it separately to their individual portion.