French Onion With a Vegetarian Twist

The salty notes of beef broth are a foundational element of French onion soup, but even foundations can use a shake-up as evidenced by the French Onion Ravioli at Restaurant Olivia in Denver. In a deft swap, co-owner and executive chef Ty Leon plucks the beef out of the recipe, and instead conjures the same umami-rich notes via a dark vegetarian broth. “The unexpected twist of using vegetable scraps for the stock without losing the depth of flavor traditionally found in veal-based stocks is a unique touch,” Leon says.

The other two key elements, Gruyère and caramelized onions, are stuffed into housemade ravioli and served atop the flavorful broth and finished with crispy Parmesan. “The dish takes the essence of French onion soup, a beloved comfort food, and transforms it into an easy-to-eat, satisfying pasta,” the chef adds.

This roundup features entries and insights from the 2025 edition of Best of Flavor. Check out all 100 reader-submitted menu inspirations here.