Vegan French Onion Soup

A lovely, simple dish best eaten on a chilly, rainy day… or just if you need a bit of comfort food!

Traditionally, this dish would be served with toasted baguette and cheese on top. I’ve chosen to keep the baguette, but eliminated the cheese for obvious reasons. If there’s a vegan cheese you love and that melts nicely, try it out!

This dish has minimal ingredients, but is absolutely lovely. It does take a while to cook, simply because the onions have to caramelize so much, but it’s well worth the wait!

Prep time: ~1.5 hours
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

5-6 white or yellow onions, thinly sliced.
4 tsp oil.
salt.
pepper.
1 glass white wine (if you don’t want to use alcohol, a splash of vinegar and some vegetable stock will do the job!)
1 tbsp flour.
4 cups/1 liter vegetable stock.
1 small bunch thyme (dried is fine).
1 small bunch rosemary (dried is fine).
2-3 bay leaves.
splash of cognac (optional).
1 slice baguette per person.
1 clove garlic.

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a large pot on medium-low heat, add in the oil. Once the onions are hot, add them in, stir well, and season with salt and pepper. Let the onions caramelize for 20-30 minutes, stirring every so often, until they’re a lovely, rich, deep colour.

Pour in the wine and stir well to deglaze the pan, loosening up any bits of onion that are stuck to the bottom. Next, add in the flour, and cook for just a minute or two. This helps the soup be thicker and rich.

Add in the vegetable stock and herbs. Let the soup simmer for another 20 or so minutes, stirring occasionally, until it’s reduced down nicely. Pour in a little bit of cognac, it really helps take the soup to the next level!

Preheat the oven on the broiler setting. Rub your baguette pieces with a little bit of oil and garlic, then place them on a baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes, just until they’re toasted. Serve up bowls of the soup, and place the bread on top. If you want to use a vegan cheese, grate it on top of the bread, then place the bowls in the oven just until the cheese begins to melt and bubble.

Serve piping hot, and enjoy!

Sweet Potato, Coconut, & Lime Soup

A soup I’ve had (and made) many a time at my work! It’s super creamy, a little bit sweet, and has a nice tang from the limes. Very easy to make, too! Served with a little sprig of coriander (if you like coriander, that is), it’s lovely and fresh.

Serves: 6-8
Prep time: ~45 minutes
Gluten-free

Ingredients:

1 large onion, peeled and diced.
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced.
1 tbsp ginger, peeled and diced.
1 tbsp coconut oil.
salt.
pepper.
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped.
2 carrots, peeled and chopped.
2 cans coconut milk.
4 cups vegetable stock.
zest and juice of 2 limes (add more if you want it super limey!).
1 small bunch coriander (also called cilantro), finely chopped,plus more for garnish (optional).

Cooking Instructions:

In a large pot over medium heat, add the coconut oil, and once it’s hot, the onion, garlic, and ginger. Place the lid on and fry, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until everything becomes soft and fragrant.

Next, add in the sweet potatoes and the carrots, and cook them for a few minutes with the lid on, just until they start to soften a little bit. Season well with salt and pepper, then add in the coconut milk and the vegetable stock. Bring the whole thing up to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes.

Once the vegetables are soft enough that you can break them up with a fork, puree the soup until smooth. Add in the lime juice, zest, and coriander, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a leaf or two just before serving, and enjoy!

Pea and Tarragon Soup

A lovely, refreshing soup that’s just as good served cold as it is hot. Don’t be scared off by the coconut milk – it doesn’t add much coconut flavour, just a lovely creaminess!

Prep time: ~45 minutes
Serves 6-8.
Gluten-free

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced.
3 cloves garlic, crushed/minced.
2 tbsp olive oil.
3 stalks celery, diced.
500 g frozen peas (let defrost before adding to the soup).
Zest and juice of 1 lemon (save a bit of the zest for garnish).
2 cans coconut milk.
4 cups vegetable stock/water.
1 large bunch tarragon, finely chopped (save a few leaves for garnish).
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a large pot over medium heat with the olive oil in the bottom. Once the oil is nice and hot, add in the onion and garlic.

Fry them off until soft and fragrant, then add the celery. Cook until the celery has softened and the onions and garlic have begun to caramelize slightly.

Next, add in all of the peas, the lemon juice and zest, the coconut milk, and vegetable stock.

Bring the whole thing up to a boil, then toss in the tarragon. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Puree the soup, strain if desired, and serve with a little extra lemon zest and tarragon as a garnish.

Sage and Squash Soup

Butternut squash and sage: a classic combination. And one of my very favourites. If I learn how to make vegan pasta, you can bet I’ll be coming up with the best sage-and-butternut ravioli ever!

Gluten-free
Serves 4-6
Prep time: ~60 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash.
3 tbsp olive oil.
3 shallots, peeled and finely diced.
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/minced.
pinch of ground nutmeg.
1 small handful fresh sage, leaves removed from the stalks and chopped.
4 cups vegetable stock.
salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Slice the butternut squash lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds and pulp. Rinse as much pulp off of the seeds as you can, then set them aside. We’ll roast those off later when the soup is almost ready!

Line a large baking tray or dish with foil, and place your squash on it. Rub the squash generously with olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for 30-45 minutes, until the squash is tender and cooked all the way through.

Take it out of the oven, then turn the oven down to 275 F.

When the squash is ready, start heating a large pot on medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil in the bottom. When the oil is hot, add in the shallot and the garlic. Cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to caramelize slightly.

Scoop all of your squash into the pot, along with the nutmeg and sage. Mix well to combine, then add in the vegetable stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, and allow to bubble for about 15 minutes.

While the soup bubbles, make some roasted squash seeds: take the seeds you rinsed off earlier and pat them dry. Line a baking tray with some parchment paper. Toss the seeds with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper, and any spices you desire.

Pop them in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until they’re nice and toasty and begin to pop a little bit.

Once the soup’s been simmering for 15 minutes, season well with salt and pepper, and puree with an immersion blender. Serve with some of the roasted seeds and a sage leaf on top as a garnish!

Mulligatawny

An English soup, based off of an old Indian recipe. The name comes from the Tamil words “Milaku”, meaning pepper, and “Tannir”, meaning water.

This soup often has rice in it, but I personally prefer to use red lentils – they add a nice colour to the soup, and they’re chock full of nutrients!

You can puree this soup if desired, but I personally prefer to leave it as is.

Prep time: ~60 minutes
Gluten-free
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mild vegetable oil.
1 onion, sliced into thin strips.
1 carrot, thinly sliced.
1 zucchini, diced.
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/minced.
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and finely diced (or grated).
2 small apples, peeled if desired, cubed.
1 can tomatoes.
2 tsp curry powder.
2 tsp ground cumin.
1 tsp ground coriander.
1 tsp smoked paprika.
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon.
1/2 tsp nutmeg.
1 tsp crushed red peppers (or to taste).
1/2 cup red lentils (uncooked).
4 cups vegetable stock (you may want more).
1 can coconut milk.
Salt and pepper, to taste.
1 small handful fresh coriander, to garnish.

Cooking Instructions:

Place a large pot on medium heat, and add in the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, garlic, zucchini, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until the onions become soft and translucent. Next, add the ginger and the apples. Stir well, and cook for a few more minutes.

Dump in the tomatoes, along with all of your spices. Stir well, making sure the spices have been mixed throughout evenly. Now add in the lentils and your vegetable stock.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. When the lentils are cooked and the vegetables are soft, stir in the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper, then serve piping hot, with a sprig of fresh coriander on top.

Parsnip, Pea, and Potato Soup

I love parsnips. Roasted, mashed, in soup, in gnocchi (yes, you can do that), you name it! Even the word “parsnip” is super cute.

However, using just parsnips in a soup would be a little too much, so here we have a very alliterative alternative: the pinnacle of perfection, parsnip, pea and potato potage. Okay, I’ll stop.

Serves 4-6
Gluten-free
Prep time: ~60 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large leek, sliced into thin half moons.
3 cloves garlic, crushed/minced.
1-2 tbsp olive oil.
4 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and roughly chunked up.
4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled if desired, and roughly chunked up.
1 1/2 cups frozen peas (could also use split peas, if you rehydrate them).
4 cups vegetable stock.
1 small handful fresh thyme/1 tsp dried thyme.
salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C). Place your parsnips on a baking sheet and toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pop them in the oven to roast for about 3o minutes.

While the parsnips are cooking, heat a large pot on medium heat with some olive oil in the bottom. When the oil is hot, add in your leeks and cook them, stirring often, until they begin to soften.

Next, toss in the garlic, and reduce the heat slightly. Keep stirring them until they begin to caramelize nicely.

Next, add in your potatoes and stir well. Place a lid on the pot, and continue to cook them, stirring occasionally, until the parsnips are done.

Once the parsnips are done in the oven, add them to the pot, along with the vegetable stock and the thyme. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly, until the soup is just simmering.

Simmer until the potatoes begin to tenderize, then add in the peas. Stir well. Let the soup come back up to a simmer, and then simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Puree the soup if desired. I think it’s nicer as a puree, but do whatever you prefer!

Black Bean Stew

Very loosely inspired by an incredible Brazilian dish called Feijoada. This is a very filling, hearty stew full of protein!

This recipe also contains a bonus recipe for pico de gallo! You can use it on tacos, in burritos, or even just serve it up with some tortilla chips. Super yummy and fresh.

Serves 4-6
Gluten-free
Prep time: ~60 minutes

Ingredients:

For the stew:

1-2 tbsp olive oil.
3 bell peppers (use whatever colours you like best), chopped into approx. 2 cm chunks.
1 tsp paprika.
2 red onions, roughly diced.
4 cloves garlic, crushed/minced.
2 cans black beans (not drained and rinsed, for once!)
4 cups vegetable stock.
1 small bunch coriander leaves (also called cilantro), finely chopped.
2 tsp ground cumin.
1 tsp ground coriander.
salt and pepper, to taste

For the pico de gallo:

1 small red onion, finely diced.
2 large, ripe tomatoes, finely diced.
1-2 serrano peppers (if you can’t find them, use jalapenos instead), finely chopped.
1 bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped.
1 lime, zested and juiced (zest is optional, but I like it!)
salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

For the stew:

Preheat your oven to 400 F (200 C). Toss your peppers with a generous amount of olive oil, some salt and pepper, and the paprika. Pop them in the oven for about 30 minutes, until they’re nice and soft.

While the peppers are in the oven, it’s time to start on the rest of the stew. Heat a large pan on medium-low heat with about 1 tbsp of olive oil in the bottom. When the oil is hot, toss in your onions and garlic, along with a good pinch of salt.

Cover with the lid and cook them, stirring often, until the onions are soft and nicely caramelized. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Add in the beans, vegetable stock, coriander, and cumin. Stir well to combine.

When the peppers are done, take them out of the oven and plop them straight into the stew. Stir them in, then toss in your coriander leaves. Allow the stew to simmer for about 20 minutes, until all the flavours are nicely mingled. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve piping hot!

You can also serve this stew on top of rice, if desired.

For the pico de gallo:

The amount of peppers you use will really depend on your spice tolerance. Start off with a little bit, then add more if it’s not spicy enough for you.

Toss the onion, tomatoes, and peppers into a large bowl and mix well. Add in the lime juice, lime zest, salt, pepper, and coriander leaves. Mix well until everything is nicely coated in lime juice. Taste, and adjust seasoning as desired.

You can serve this immediately, but I like to pop it in the fridge for a while to let the flavours mingle better. It gets a bit spicier if you leave it for a little while, so keep that in mind when you make it!

For this dish, I’d serve it immediately. Just place a nice little spoonful on top of the stew when you’re about to take it to the table!

Tomato, Kale, White Bean Soup

A slightly spicy soup with tons of amazing flavour. Inspired by a soup I had at work!

Prep time: ~45 minutes
Serves 4-6
Gluten-free

Ingredients:

1 large onion, peeled and roughly diced.
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/finely minced.
1-2 tsbp olive oil.
2 tsp chili flakes (add as much or as little as you like, really).
1 bunch kale, washed, stripped from the stem, and cut/torn into bite-sized pieces.
1 can whole tomatoes, roughly chopped, with the juice reserved.
2 tsp tomato paste
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed.
2 carrots, peeled if desired, sliced into thin half-moons.
2 stalks celery, finely sliced.
6 cups vegetable stock.
1 small handful fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme).
salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a large pot on medium heat with the olive oil in it. When it’s nice and hot, toss in the onion. Cook until it begins to soften slightly, then add in the garlic.

When the onion is soft and translucent, and the garlic is fragrant, add the carrots and celery. Reduce the heat slightly and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to caramelize. Next, add the kale, and cook until it starts to wilt slightly.

Dump in the tomatoes, their juice, the beans, and the tomato paste. Stir well, until everything is combined. Allow to cook for a minute or two, then add the chili flakes and the thyme. Stir well, allowing everything to combine for a minute, then add the vegetable stock.

Bring the whole pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently until all of the vegetables are tender. Season well with salt and pepper, and serve piping hot!

Thai Curry Soup

A Thai-inspired soup. Not at all authentic, but still tasty! Slightly spicy, full of vegetables, and served with noodles. You could easily serve this soup with rice instead of noodles, if that’s what you’d prefer.

Prep time: ~45 minutes
Serves 4-6
Gluten-free

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp sesame oil.
1 red onion, thinly sliced.
2 cloves garlic, crushed/minced.
1 large carrot, peeled if desired, sliced into thin, long ovals.
1 large Chinese eggplant (sometimes called Japanese eggplant), sliced into long ovals.
1 large zucchini, sliced into thin, long ovals.
1-2 Thai chilis, thinly sliced.
2 large handfuls bean sprouts.
1 bunch coriander, stalks and leaves separated, stalks finely sliced.
3 green onions, finely sliced.
2 tsp soy sauce (make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce if cooking for someone who can’t have gluten!)
1 tbsp curry powder.
1 can coconut milk.
4 cups vegetable stock/water.
1 handful per person rice/sweet potato noodles.

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a large pot on medium heat with the oil in the bottom. When hot, toss in the onion. Stir often until it begins to soften, then add the garlic.

Once the onion is soft and translucent and the garlic is fragrant, add the carrot, coriander stalks, and Thai chilis. Reduce the heat slightly and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrot begins to soften, then add the zucchini. When the zucchini starts to soften, add the eggplant.

Once all the vegetables are softened, add the soy sauce, coconut milk, and curry powder. Stir well, until the curry powder is fully mixed with everything else, then add the vegetable stock/water. I recommend using the stock/water to rinse the coconut milk can out, so you get everything you can out of it.

Bring the soup up to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently until all the flavours are acquainted. Taste, and season accordingly, adding more soy sauce if needed.

While the soup simmers, cook your rice/sweet potato noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and set aside.

To serve, place the noodles at the bottom of a bowl, then layer some bean sprouts on top. pour in the soup, then garnish with a generous sprinkling of green onions and coriander leaves.

Potato Leek Soup

One of my favorite soups ever. Super flavorful, it’s chock full of nutrients, and really easy to make!

Prep time: ~30 minutes
Serves 4-6
Gluten-free

Ingredients:

2 large leeks, sliced into thin half-moons.
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed/finely minced.
1-2 tbsp olive oil.
5 large potatoes, peeled if desired, cut into bite-sized chunks.
4 large carrots, peeled if desired, sliced into half moons.
2 stalks celery, sliced thinly.
1 large handful herbs (dill, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, whatever you like!).
6 cups vegetable stock.
salt and pepper, to taste.

Cooking Instructions:

Heat a large pot on medium heat with the olive oil in it. When it’s nice and hot, toss in the leek. Cook until it begins to soften slightly, then add in the garlic.

When the leek is starting to become slightly translucent and the garlic is fragrant, toss in the carrots and celery. Reduce the heat slightly, then cook the vegetables until the leek and garlic caramelize nicely, stirring often.

Tumble in the potatoes, then continue cooking, again, stirring frequently. When the carrots begin to soften slightly, add the herbs, stir well, then add the vegetable stock.

Bring the soup to a boil, the reduce the heat, allowing the pot to simmer gently until all the vegetables are cooked through and tender. Puree the soup using an immersion blender or normal blender (careful not to splash yourself! I’ve done that so many times), then serve piping hot.