Crockpot French Onion Soup.
You know… like 9 hours.
But! At least this time you won’t have to cover your entire kitchen in flour, spend four days digging dough out from under your nails, scrub melted burned butter off the bottom of your oven and give the entire recipe you made to someone else because you can’t be trusted around it.
This time you can just throw it in a big pot and forget about it.
And drink beer while you’re at it. Winning!
I can’t believe there was a time in my life that I didn’t think I liked onions. I don’t even know how it is possible for someone who loves food to not like onions because they add a ridiculous amount of delicious flavor in so many different ways to so many different dishes.
And even though I used to think I didn’t care for them?
I still ordered french onion soup anyway. I’m sure you know why. The cheeeeese. And the bread. I distinctly remember sitting at a restaurant a few years ago and the server bringing one of our dining neighbors a piping bowl of soup with golden cheese just literally pouring down the sides.
All I could think was…
sign
me
up
for
that!
For years after, I ordered french onion soup… and only ate the bread and cheese. I’d dig my spoon down in half way, grabbing a bite of toasted bread, a spoonful of broth, and strands upon strands of gruyere or gouda. I’d always finish everything in the bowl, except for the big pile of caramelized onions on the bottom.
I liked that set up. I liked it a lot.
Then, as I’ve detailed before – much like his Diet Mountain Dew habit, my husband developed an addiction to caramelized onions and asked for them on everything. Even weirdo things like pasta and eggs. I seriously think I made them nearly every day for three months. I first tried them on a burger, slathered in cheese and ketchup of course. Then we moved on to steak, and once I even put them in a salad… that sort of tasted good. Just don’t try it hungover.
Caramely onions? I could do this.
After all, if there was any vegetable for me to learn to love, it had to be the one filled with sugar that softened and sweetened easily and almost tasted candy-like at times, right? Right on.
So hopefully by this point I don’t have to do any convincing and we can let this cheese do the talking.
And if you stillll don’t like onions? Make this anyway and just eat the bread and cheese and broth like I did circa 1999. Totally worth it.
Crockpot French Onion Soup
[adapted from Tyler Florence]
makes a giant pot, about 8-10 servings
4 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I used my favorite Fustinis!)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
8 ounces of beer
64 ounces of low-sodium beef stock
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
french bread
gruyere cheese, sliced
Set your crock pot on high, then add onions, garlic, brown sugar, butter, salt and balsamic and mix until combined. Cover and let cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are a bit caramely and brown on the edges. Add in flour, then stir thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in beer, beef stock, thyme, and pepper, then turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.
Before serving, cut french bread or baguette into slices. Fill soup bowls to the top, then cover with slice of bread and a slice of cheese. Set under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Be careful when serving as bowls will be hot!
Note: I used a very low-sodium beef stock, so depending on the stock you use, add additional salt for flavor if desired.
I want to live inside that bowl.
331 Comments on “Crockpot French Onion Soup.”
I used to (and still do!) eat the cheese and bread! Best part duh!
One of my favorite soups EVER! Get in mahhh belly! LOL
Oh, Lord. I need that in my life. Unfortunately, my whole family are still in that stupid “I think I don’t like onions” phase. I have hope for my son, but the rest of them are probably never growing out of it.
I feel for you.
Dude. No matter if I’ve eaten or not, I am perpetually starving whenever I look at your pictures. Anyway, I’ve done FO soup in the crock pot before, but the whole caramelized onions thing really brings this home for me. So doing this. I did caramelized onion paninis a couple of weeks ago and they.were.amazing.
Oh yum, I love French Onion Soup! Can’t wait to make this crock-pot version (I love using my crock-pot on busy days) when we actually start to have fall weather (cuz unfortunately we are still in the 90’s here).
Those soup bowls are so awesome. They totally complete the soup!
I want to live inside that bowl too! Mmmmmmm
YUM. I love french onion soup but it’s such a pain standing over the stove for so long stirring onions…this sounds like an awesome solution, I definitely need to try it!! :)
Holy. Hannah. That looks dangerously good. I’m literally grabbing my sweater to go to the store to pick up some beef stock..I’m dying to have this.
OK, I feel stupid now — how is that it never once occurred to me to slow-cook onions? Definitely doing this for dinner ASAP aka tomorrow (have to run to the store tonight!).
This is a favorite soup of mine. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us. I can’t wait to make this when it is not 90 degrees during the day here (in California)!! I also enjoy sharing your recipes with my friends here in the office. We love your witty humor! (and pics!)
I too, as I have aged (yes, okay I am almost 50!), have grown to enjoy raw onion. The Maui, and a sweet red (hard to find any more), Vidallia, etc.. Not a lot, and not all the time, but a little here and there. On hamburgers, chili dogs, even salad.
My mom used to eat a green onion sandwich with mayo!
I love crock pot recipes and my husband is a huge fan of French onion soup. So, I definitely think I’ll be using this recipe soon. Looks awesome.
Okay see you totally did what I had thought was possibile with the crock but somewhere along the way when I was considering this I had hoped to find a way to have it all done at once. Clearly I’m insane for even thinking that’s a possibility lol. I still need to make this sometime over the winter. It’s a long winter coming – plenty of time. :)
I KNOW. I wish it could all be done at once, but I think the onions really do need to caramelize. I figure that you can slice the onions the night before, wake up, throw them in the crock pot, get ready, then right before leaving dump the rest of the stuff in. That was my only explanation… lol.
Ok, that looks delicious & easy! Your pics are amazing! I have never eaten this soup because of the beef broth. Beef & me are sadly not getting along anymore. Any thoughts on using veggie or chicken broth?
I was wondering the same thing! Good question! i’m a vegetarian and only use veggie broth. Would this work? What kind of additional spices would be needed??
hmmm I am sure that it will work – I saw a few recipes that used chicken stock, but I can’t say for sure what other spices or seasonings to use if you try chicken/veggie stock because I’ve never tried it. I’m also not really familiar with vegetable stock at all. I think it’s probably based on personal preference and you guys could add whatever seasonings you would like after tasting??
Hi – I haven’t used vegetable stock for FO soup, either, but I do make my own veg stock all the time & keep it in the freezer. Then I can use it for cooking rice – to add a bit of vitamins & flavor; or for soups. Carrots & potato peels lend a darker color, and mushroom stems lend an earthy taste. After that, maybe some liquid smoke for FO soup..? Maybe that would amp up the flavor. Also maybe a shot of brandy.
I am all about crockpot recipes this time of year… This one looks fantastic. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Ummm, that last cheese photo??? Looks slightly delicious. Would you believe I’ve never had a bowl of french onion soup??
I’ve been dying to find time to make French onion soup…you have just inspired me to reorganize my priorities!
My husband adores french onion soup. PLus it gives me an excuse to use those little individual crocks that I never get out ;)
I love french onion soup! These pictures have got me drooling over here!
wow, this is gorgeous. i always thought mushrooms were part of French Onion Soup. You did a really fabulous job with the pics.
oh, and btw Jessica, you made my top 5 favorite bloggers!!! i did a post on it a couple weeks ago mentioning your blog and why i loved it. :-)
do you blog fulltime? you are really good at it!
Oh yes. I love onions, in all ways, and especially drowning in broth, cheese, and bread. I have issues with people who don’t like onions. Especially when those people love olives. What kind of crazy are those taste buds?
I need to do this pronto.
my family now loves your blog as much as I have for a while now…. can’t wait to make this for everyone! We’re BIG French Onion Soup fans… ever tried Trader Joe’s individual servings of it? perfect for a quick lunch!
I haven’t, but my mom bought one and just said she tried one last week and loved it!
I need a whole lotta this in my life. Yum!
I am a french onion soup fanatic. I tried it for the same reasons, the bread and cheese but soon learned to love the whole crock. So obsessed was I, that I would order it anytime it was on a menu in order to find out what restaurant had the best french onion soup. Yup, onions, cheese, and bread totally my thing.
Mimi’s Cafe.
We just had homemade French onion soup. It makes the house smell like Thanksgiving! We used wine instead of beer, which is totally backwards for us!
I looove french onion soup! I also love using my crock pot, so I will probably be making this soon. Only cutting the recipe in half because we won’t be able to eat all of that….
More crock pot recipes Jessica!
This is my favorite soup in the entire world. I love you for posting this! I’ve always wanted to make it at home!
ahhh i haven’t had french onion soup since i became a vegetarian.
I love French onion soup and make it often, but not in slow-cooker. Oh- and I use wine instead of beer, but the beer sounds very interesting. I am going to try your recipe! I’m so glad you have crossed over to the “onion loving” side! :-)
My husband LOVES french onion soup. Every restaurant we go to, he has to try out their soup. He still thinks that his homemade version is the best. :-)
I love making French onion soup in the crockpot, but I’ve never added beer before! You just blew my mind!
So.
For two weeks I have been planning on making French Onion Soup. But I hadn’t been able to decide on a recipe. Obviously, you have made things simple for me. And I can stop obsessing now.
You liiiiive in my brain, I have decided.
Probably the best looking French onion soup pictures ever. I will be making this!
OH EM GEE…
not only does this look absolutely DELISH…but I love your bowls.
Would you mind telling me where you got them?? I”M IN LOVE!
Sur La Table, and I just got an email this morning that they are in sale! You can get them in stores on online.
This must smell so good when it’s cooking. Looks sooo delicious.
Nothing better than a great onion soup. Fabulous recipe.
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The first few times I had french onion soup were at really cheap restaurants, and it was just plain awful. I thought I just didn’t like it, which I thought was just whack since I love onions, and cheese…and well, bread too. I finally got a wild hair to make some one time, and I’ve been in love ever since! Cheesy, oniony goodness…Have a great weekend!
Um yum. And your food photog & stylin’ is lookin’ pretty good there girl. You been practicing or somethin’? ;)
Oh, man. Onion soup is one of my favorite meals, and you totally killed this (in a GOOD way)! My mouth is watering from those pictures.
This looks awesome! Now I need to go out and get me some little oven safe pots/bowls so I can make this!
Oh, how cruel, show fotos of french onion soup, and not offer any. LOL. But, thanks a million for the recipe. Its a bit different, but sounds just to good to not to try. So, French Onion Soup is on the menu tonite, even thou it’s abt 100 deg F outside… Hmmmmm, onion soup. YES!
I am putting this on my menu for next week. It looks so delicious.
Wow! This soup looks great. We just posted one too… but your pictures blow ours out of the water! Lol! Spectacular job :)
Yum! I had a similar experience – nix on the onions until a roommate made this: http://how2heroes.com/videos/sides/sweet-onion-pudding, which is all heavy cream and onions! And I haven’t looked back.
The soup looks delish – but I’ve GOT to know, where did you get those amazing little soup bowls/plates? I think I’m in love!
Warning: Be careful with the brown sugar if you are using onions that run on the sweet side, i.e. Walla Wallas or Maui’s. I made French Onion soup once that was so sweet I couldn’t eat it. If you do use a sweeter onion, you won’t need ANY brown sugar!
I totally agree, but I also think it may be necessary to have some sugar in there to help the onions caramelize in the crock pot. I never use sugar when caramelizing on the stove, but the crock won’t get quite as hot and without the sugar it may take a little longer.
Say Whaaaat?! You didn’t like onions? hmmm, I probly didn’t care for them either in my younger, less worldly days. I adore French Onion Soup but have yet to make it myself! the shame….
and there’s beer in this recipe? You just became one of my favorite people! ;)
This. makes. my. eyeballs. so. happy.
I can honestly taste it. In my head and in my heart and in my stomach, I can taste it.
I might need to nap.
Yum!!! I LOVE french onion soup!! Also, cute spoon you are showing off :) Where is it from?