French Onion and White Bean Soup with Cheesy Toasts

Get ready for soup season with this french onion bean soup with cheesy toast!

This is a cozy and comforting soup recipe which takes less than an hour to make.

Plus, we’re packing this soup full of creamy white beans and topping it with cheesy toast to make it supremely fulfilling!

This is a twist on the classic french onion soup! You get a nice boost of protein from the addition of creamy white beans just like in my quick white beans recipe. I love having a big bowl of this soup with cheesy bread. Think of this as a super fancy white bean soup!

It truly is a great recipe for soup weather so if you have a couple of onions and are a french onion fan, this is the soup for you!

Why you’ll love this cozy soup

• This french onion soup recipe is full of flavor thanks to caramelized onions and toasted bread topped with melted cheese!

• This is a fun spin on french onion soup! Now, you might think french onion soup is fancy restaurant food, but I promise you that you can make it in the comfort of your own kitchen.

• You’ll need to set aside some time to make the caramelized onions, but it is so worth it.

• This is the perfect soup recipe to make once when it’s a chilly day outside; it is just a big bowl of comfort waiting to be enjoyed!

• You don’t need classic french onion soup bowls for this recipe! You can simply use favourite soup bowl.

Ingredients Needed to make this french onion bean soup

Onions: you can use white or yellow onions to make french onion bean soup.

Butter: the sliced onions need butter to get started caramelizing in the pot; alternatively you can substitute with 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Sugar: adding just a bit of sugar is going to bring out the sweetness of the onions and help when caramelizing to create a real depth of flavor.

Balsamic vinegar: while you will see some recipes use red or white wine to deglaze the pan, I like to use balsamic vinegar.

Broth: I’ve used beef broth but you can use chicken or vegetable broth if you prefer. If you’re not using beef broth I suggest you add in 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari which will help boost the flavour and make it similar to beef broth.

Gruyere: I love topping the bread with Gruyere cheese but you can use an old white cheddar in a pinch.White Beans: feel free to use any white beans you like! I like using butter beans but you could also use cannellini beans or navy beans.

Cracked Pepper Boursin: if you can’t find cracked pepper boursin cheese then I recommend using plain Boursin cheese or black pepper goat cheese.

Slices of bread: you’ll need one thick slice of bread per soup bowl to create a lid of crusty cheesy goodness on top of each soup.

How to make this simple soup

Step 1: Start by caramelizing the onions. Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the slices onions, ½ teaspoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and turn to a moderately low heat. Cook the onions for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes so they don’t burn – this is the most important thing. They should be a nice golden brown color once they’ve fully caramelized.

Step 2: Turn the heat to medium and stir in the minced garlic, pepper, ½ teaspoon of salt and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Add in the balsamic vinegar and water, cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Step 3: Add the broth, beans, fresh thyme sprigs and stir everything together. Increase to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from the heat.

Step 4: To make the toast, turn the heat on the oven to a low broil. Add 2-3 slices of thick bread to a sheetpan and toast for 1-2 minutes under a low broil. Remove from the oven and spread 1 tablespoon of cracked pepper Boursin cheese on each slice of bread, then top with ¼ cup of shredded Gruyere cheese on each slice. Broil on low until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Step 5: Serve the bowls of french onion bean soup with the cheesy bread and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• It is so tempting to turn up the heat to try to quickly caramelize the onions but that will only burn them! Caramelize them low and slow and make sure to keep stirring every 3-4 minutes.

• If it looks like the onions are starting to burn because the pan is too hot, turn the heat down but continue cooking.

• As mention above, you can definitely use vegetable stock or chicken stock in this recipe. I do recommend adding a tablespoon of soy sauce or tamari though to help boost the flavor and make it taste similar to beef broth.

• If you’re vegetarian all you need to do is swap out the beef stock for vegetable stock!

• I recommend slicing your onions thinly that way you don’t have big chunks of onions in your soup when you’re eating it.

Common questions

Why aren’t my onions caramelizing?
Caramelizing onions takes a lot longer than you think, so be patient! Keep the heat on medium-low and stir every 3-4 minutes so the onions don’t burn.

Can I use red onions for this soup?
Red onions do not caramelize like white or yellow onions and don’t produce the same buttery, caramel flavour. Highly recommend yellow onions for this classic dish.

Do I have to add the cheesy bread?
The classic French onion soup has a piece of toasted cheesy bread on top, and let’s be honest that is kind of the best part! You can leave it out if you prefer but I promise it is so worth it!

What type of onions should I use?
Yellow onions are what’s traditionally used in French onion soup and that’s what I use for this recipe.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?
This recipe hasn’t been tested in a slow cooker. Due to the caramelization process, I recommend following the recipe as noted below.

How to store this french onion soup

Make sure to enjoy the toast when it’s made! Keep the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

More cozy soup recipes to make from the blog

Butternut squash and apple soup

Healthyish Broccoli Cheddar Soup

The Best Creamy Potato Soup