Savory broth, sweet onion, and gooey cheese make this Healthy French Onion Soup a meal that never fails to please. Ready in less than an hour and full of nutritional ingredients, this soup is sure to satisfy!

One of the things I have learned from starting this blog is that every recipe can be broken down to a simple, easy, and straight-forward approach.

But, for some reason, sometimes, I forget this and, instead, think certain recipes would be hard to make. Recipes like homemade roast beef and healthy lobster bisque fell into that category.

French onion soup was also one of those recipes.

Little did I know just how easy this soup is to make. Oh my gosh - it's like so simple! Duh!

In fact, it's so simple you could even make it for a weeknight dinner and have yourself a tasty, flavorful soup to warm yourself up on a cold night after work.

I've always loved french onion soup for its depth of flavor and combination of textures. Plus, it's covered in crusty bread and bubbly cheese. So there's that.

I hate when restaurants make this soup too sweet or too bland, however, so I tend to shy away from ordering it when we eat out.

But now, I can make it just how I like it any night of the week. Woohoo!

It takes less than an hour to make and comes out of the oven super impressive every time.

This makes me happy.

Go ahead. Make yourself a delicious hot bowl of this french onion soup. Conquer the cold. Savor the cheesy goodness.

Enjoy.

Oh - and let me know in the comments if there are any special comfort foods you've always been interested in learning how to make, but didn't know where to start.

Close up view of yellow onions, ready to be sliced and used in Healthy French Onion Soup.

WHAT IS FRENCH ONION SOUP?

French onion soup has ancient origins, but it a recipe that has been heartily enjoyed at meals and gatherings for years. It’s no wonder because the cheesy goodness of this flavorful soup is too good to resist!

Some of the ingredients that make up are this yummy dish are:

Beef and chicken broths
Yellow onions
French baguette (I like to use whole grain)
Cheese, such as provolone, Gruyere, Swiss, and mozzarella

Close up side view of 4 onions on a cutting board, 3 of them peeled for French Onion Soup.

Overhead view of onions being sliced on a cutting board, in preparation for French Onion Soup.

HOW TO MAKE FRENCH ONION SOUP HEALTHY

The cheese and bubbly goodness may lead you to think that French onion soup isn’t healthy. It can absolutely be good for you, and this is how to make sure:

Use low sodium broth (you can even make your own to freeze and keep on hand)
When buying your baguette, choose whole grain (or make your own homemade hoagie rolls)
For a low carb recipe, steam large pieces of cauliflower to replace the bread
Don’t overdo the cheese - enjoy it, but use just what you need to make it tasty
Provolone has fewer calories than the Gruyere, but the quantities we are using are a reasonable amount

Sliced onions in a ceramic pot, ready to be used in Healthy French Onion Soup.

Caramelized onions in a heavy ceramic pot, ready to be included in the Healthy French Onion Soup recipe.

HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT HEALTHY FRENCH ONION SOUP

To store healthy French onion soup, place the soup (minus the bread and cheese) in an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To reheat, warm up the broth, and add the baguette and cheese. Broil until the cheese looks deliciously browned.

To freeze, store the soup in a container that is airtight for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Warm up the soup to prepare, add the cheese and bread, broil, and enjoy!

Side by side images of the assembly of French Onion Soup, with the soup in the bowl and the baguette and cheese being added.

THE BEST ONIONS FOR HEALTHY FRENCH ONION SOUP

Personally, I like yellow onions for French onion soup. They get sweeter the longer they cook, so they are the perfect choice for this recipe.

Vidalia and Walla Walla onions are sweet as well. Other alternatives are red or white onions.

Closeup overhead view of a bowl of Healthy French Onion Soup topped with cheese and ready to bake.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY FRENCH ONION SOUP VEGAN OR VEGETARIAN

Healthy French onion soup can easily be made into a vegetarian-friendly recipe by substituting the chicken and beef broths with low sodium vegetable broth. To go a step further and make the recipe vegan, follow these substitutions:

Replace the butter with vegan butter, which is made from ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, or aquafaba (brine from canned chickpeas)
Beef and chicken broth can be replaced with vegetable broth
Cheese can be replaced with vegan cheese or nutritional yeast

Overhead view of French Onion Soup, covered in baguette and cheese, with slices of baguette surrounding the soup bowl.

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY FRENCH ONION SOUP GLUTEN-FREE

To make this yummy soup gluten-free, replace the whole wheat baguette with gluten-free bread. You can also use cauliflower as a substitute for the bread. If you are buying the beef and chicken broth, make sure to purchase a gluten-free brand.

Closeup overhead view of French Onion Soup, baked and ready to eat.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH HEALTHY FRENCH ONION SOUP

Healthy French onion soup is savory and scrumptious enough to be served as a meal. You can also use it as a starter for homemade roast beef or oven roasted chicken. And, it’s super tasty alongside balsamic vinaigrette salad or spinach salad with warm bacon dressing.

French Onion Soup in 4 bowls, with browned baguette and cheese, fresh out of the oven.

MORE HEALTHY SOUP RECIPES

Soup is the best for lunch or dinner any day of the week! If you are a soup lover like me, you’ll enjoy these recipes:

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

Comments

3.34 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

Healthy French Onion Soup | The Perfect Comfort Meal