Vegetarian french onion soup?

[Rea T]

I'm hosting dh's family Christmas Eve and have been trying to figure out what to serve. I want it to be low-key, but kind of different and funky at the same time. I was thinking of just soup and appetizers. I've got a good recipe for sourdough bread and was thinking of making individual bread bowls. To me, french onion soup is the quintessential bread bowl soup, but BIL is vegetarian and it is usually beef broth based. So, does anyone have a great recipe for a vegetarian version, or another vegetarian soup that would go well with a bread bowl? (Probably stay away from cream based soups because other SIL is not doing dairy.)

And while you're at it, a great vegetarian appetizer would be nice too. I was thinking of making a chicken filled appetizer in a phyllo sheet to dip in guacamole and salsa. Something vegetarian to complement it would be nice.

[Blue Savannah]

ooh! I do!! I have to go start dinner, but I will come back and post the recipe. The onions are carmelized in the crock pot all day, and it is fabulous!!!

[Rea T]

Sounds perfect, I can't wait to see it!

[Blue Savannah]

Thanks for the reminder! It's easy and good! Here it is:

1/4 c olive oil
4 med vidalia or other sweet onions thinly sliced (I use a combo of red/sweet)
5 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I roast the veggies before making the stock, to give it a great richness)
1/3 cup brandy (I use cooking sherry because I usually have it on hand)
salt/fresh ground pepper


spread oil in bottom of a crock pot, add the onions, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or longer, until the onions are very soft and well carmelized.

Add the stock and brandy, season with salt and pepper (at this point, I add in some bay leaves and crushed red pepper, too). Cover and cook on high for 30 - 60 minutes, covered. (Oh, I do this in a pan on the stove. . . my crock pot isn't big enough to hold it all.)

The recipe calls for making cheesy bruschetta - french or italian bread topped with fontina cheese grilled under the broiler. It's a really nice complement.



And I just have to say, you are so sweet to consider your BIL like that. I always appreciate it when someone takes my diet into consideration--not necessary at all, but very much appreciated.

Originally Posted by Blue Savannah

Oh, and I just have to say, you are so sweet to consider your BIL like that. I always appreciate it when someone takes my diet into consideration--not necessary at all, but very much appreciated.

(and that recipe sounds YUMMY!!!)

[Apple-Saucy]

I'm not a fan of French Onion...but I do work at Panera and i have to say a Good Vegetable Soup Rocks the Bread bowl

[Rea T]

OOh thank you I am definitely going to make that one!

And it's no big deal really, I like to cook a variety of things and I try to cook vegetarian for us at least once week although I lean towards the more mundane rice & beans; it's just as much fun for me experimenting to find vegetarian dishes that will appeal to everyone. The first time I met him was K's birthday, and I made an AWESOME veggie lasagna; even my FIL and dh liked it and were surprised that something vegetarian was so good.