French Onion Soup without Wine - My Gorgeous Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What can I use instead of wine in my French onion soup? ›

: Yes, I can make french onion soup without alcohol. The traditional recipe calls for a dry white wine, but you can easily replace it with vegetable or chicken broth to make a tasty, non-alcoholic version.

A few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf elevate the soup even more, but I take it a step further, adding a splash of fish sauce for complexity and depth—don't worry, it won't taste fishy—and a hit of cider vinegar to balance some of that oniony sweetness.

You can substitute sweet vermouth with sherry (not sherry cooking wine) or brandy. Lillet Blanc is similar to dry white wine but more aromatic. Your favorite dry white wine is fine.

Cook and stir onions, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in hot butter until onions are soft and brown, about 30 minutes. Pour in red wine and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until you can no longer smell alcohol cooking off, about 15 minutes.

Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Stock

Due to its similar function in cooking, stock is an excellent non-alcoholic substitute for wine. Since beef broth has a deeper color and flavor, it works best as a replacement for red wine. On the other hand, chicken and vegetable broths are better replacements for white wine.

A good substitute for a cup of white wine is a cup of broth or vegetable stock, with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice for acidity. The general rule is to add one tablespoon of vinegar for every cup of broth used. For recipes requiring ¼ cup of white wine or less, it's generally safe to omit the wine altogether.

The caramelized onions for this soup cook more quickly due to a pinch of baking soda but still have that deep, slow-cooked flavor. Topping the soup with hot, cheesy toasts prepared while the soup simmers, eliminates the need to bake the soup in specialty French onion soup bowls.

Onion soup, at its very essence, is nothing more than onions and water boiled together. Period, done, finished, everything added from that point on is pure opinion. Caramelizing the onions brings out sugars, and makes a more luxurious silky and sweet soup, adding flour gently thickens and provides body.

Herbs and sources add flavor, aroma, and intensity to the soup broth. You can pick fresh or dried herbs like basil for tomato-based soups or fresh parsley for clear broths. You may also add more spices like turmeric, ground ginger, ground paprika, or nutmeg for a touch of spice and color to your soup broth.

Balsamic vinegar would make a decent non-alcoholic substitution. For dry vermouth, dry white wine, even non-alcoholic white wine, could substitute adequately. Even water with lemon squeeze could do ok in a pinch.

What is a non-alcoholic substitute for vermouth? ›

For a white use your favorite non-alcoholic white wine. For a Rosso, use a rosé. It doesn't matter if it's sparkling or not - the bubbles will be less present when you dilute with the other ingredients. This way, you'll always have vermouth on hand when you need it!

One of the key flavors present in a good bowl of French Onion Soup is thanks to dry Fino or Manzanilla Sherry and/or a dollop of Sherry vinegar. Why not spend a couple of hours slowly cooking down a pile of onions, simmering them in stock, finally topping with cheese?

What is the Difference Between Onion Soup and French Onion Soup? French onion soup is always made with beef stock. Other onion soups can be made with chicken, vegetable, or beef stock. Additionally, French onion soup typically contains wine or sherry, which isn't typical or necessary in other onion soups.

Myriad forms of booze can be incorporated into your favorite French onion soup recipe — from white wine, to sherry, to stouts — but brandy, with its full-bodied, slightly sweet flavor, truly takes the dish's flavors to the next level.

If you want to thicken your French onion soup, you can add a bit of flour. Combine a couple of tablespoons of flour with a teaspoon of salt and whisk in about a quarter cup of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thickened.

Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth can be a flavorful replacement for white wine. You can even swap it in equal amounts (go for low-sodium broth so your dish doesn't end up too salty). Just keep in mind that broth won't add any acidity, so you might want to add a touch of white vinegar to achieve a similar tang.

White grape juice: Use white grape juice as a substitute when you want to add sweetness, or deglaze the pan. For a punchier substitute, try mixing a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per cup of grape juice. Chicken or vegetable stock: Substitute stock for white wine when you want to add depth of flavor to a dish.

Chicken or vegetable broth is a great white wine substitute, as it adds both liquid and flavor. If using a store-bought broth, opt for low-sodium or no sodium so that you don't throw off the salt content of the dish.

Lemon juice makes an excellent substitute for dishes that require white wine. It could be a creamy pasta dish or perhaps any seafood delicacy, you can always swap it with lemon juice to get similar results.