French Onion White Beans

Crusty bread not necessary, but HIGHLY encouraged.

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French onion anything is true comfort food, but it’s hardly substantial or quick enough for a weeknight. That’s where these French onion white beans win big. Canned cannellini beans join short-cut caramelized onions for a weeknight dinner that's as classy as a Paris bistro and as comforting as your fuzziest pair of pajama pants.

Caramelized onions can take close to an hour to cook down to that perfect brown and jammy state, so they’re typically anything but weeknight-friendly. But adding a pinch of baking soda to the onions changes their pH, making them more basic. This means they will soften and brown faster, leading to faster caramelization. When using the baking soda trick, there is potential for the baking soda to completely break down the onions, leaving you with almost an onion jam instead of true caramelized onions. To prevent this, I recommend adding just a pinch of baking soda (as in 1/16 of a teaspoon!) and cutting your onions slightly thicker than you might think for caramelized onions. About ¼” should be fine.

French onion soup broth is typically made with beef stock for additional richness, but thanks to my substack, Mostly Vegetarian, I’ve been on a quest to eliminate unnecessary animal-based ingredients from my cooking, and in this case? I knew there were other ways beyond beef stock to get that umami into the base of these beans. Vegemite proved to be the perfect solution. Made from leftover brewer’s yeast extract, this intense salty, savory condiment from Australia might be controversial if served on toast, but provides the perfect punch of umami to boost these French onion white beans.

These beans are a perfect make-ahead dish because the flavor will only deepen as they sit. If you are planning to make them in advance, I recommend making them only through step 5. Season with black pepper, but leave the thyme sprigs in, then cool and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat the beans in a pan over low heat (add a splash of water to prevent the beans from drying out) or in the microwave. Once the beans are rewarmed, top with the cheese and serve!

Enjoy!

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French Onion White Beans

(Serves 4)

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions (1 ½ lb.), peeled and sliced into ¼” half-moons

1/16 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (I used Diamond Crystal)

2-3 fresh thyme sprigs, plus thyme leaves for topping

1/3 cup dry white wine

½ teaspoon vegemite

¾ cup water, divided

2 (14.5-oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 oz. gruyere cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup), for topping

Toasted bread, for serving

Equipment: large pan, flexible rubber spatula or wooden spoon, box grater (for cheese)

Instructions

1. In a large pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt and stir gently to combine.

2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and deeply golden, 25-35 minutes. (When the onions start to brown and stick to the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water to prevent them from burning.)

3. Add the thyme and wine, stirring to loosen any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the wine has almost evaporated, about 30 seconds.

4. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the vegemite. Stir in about ¼ cup of the water until the vegemite is dissolved, then pour in the rest of the water. Stir in the beans and remaining ½ teaspoon salt.

5. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until slightly reduced, 1-2 minutes. (There won’t be nearly as much liquid as typical French onion soup, but it shouldn’t be dry.) Remove thyme and stir in vinegar and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and season with salt if needed.

6. Top with shredded gruyere; cover and let sit until cheese is melted, about 1 minute. Top with thyme leaves and black pepper and serve with toast.

Originally posted March 1, 2026.