Layered Gooey Provolone cheese, thick french bread, and deeply caramelized onions make this homemade Crock Pot French Onion Soup just as good as at a restaurant!
French Onion Soup is often one of our guilty pleasures at restaurants. The gooey cheese and the deep gentle flavors are so satisfying and filling! Making Crock Pot French Onion Soup at home lets you have the same flavors in the comfort of your own home with pantry staples.
So many recipes call for high end ingredients and a crazy amount of preparation time. French Onion Soup doesn’t really have to be that fancy. Using the slow cooker to caramelize the onions takes almost all of the work out of this wonderful soup!
The Secret to French Onion Soup Made Easy
This soup was such a pleasant surprise. The slow cooker does the work. The only thing that I need to mention is that this recipe requires time.
I started cooking the onions in the Crock Pot just before I went to bed. I put everything in, stirred it up, covered it, set the temperature to low and left it.
In the morning when I got up for work I stirred it. When the onions were all caramelized and browned and delicious smelling, I added the broth, left it for a few hours and we had it for dinner.
There is very little work to this recipe, just time, but this is one of the best bowls of French Onion Soup that I have ever had!
How to Caramelize the Onions in the Crock Pot for French Onion Soup
Peel the onions and then cut into thin wedges. Melt the butter and then combine the onion wedges, melted butter, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and salt in the bowl of a 6 quart or larger slow cooker.
Stir until everything is well combined then cover and allow onion mixture to cook for 12 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and caramelized and your kitchen smells amazing.
Bringing the French Onion Soup Together
Once the onions have caramelized, add 6 cups of beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir well.
Allow the flavors to develop for another 4-5 hours on low or if it works better for you time-wise, change to high heat and cook 2-3 hours. The flavors will really come together in this time.
Adding The Finishing Touches for French Onion Soup
Preheat the broiler of the oven to 500 degrees F. Move a cooking rack to the top third of the oven. Remove the bay leaves from the soup and then divide the soup evenly between six ovenproof bowls.
Place a slice of french bread on top of the soup in each bowl and cover with a slice of Provolone cheese. You may need to trim the bread to fit into the bowl. Add extra cheese if you want!
Place the bowls onto a baking sheet and put them under the broiler in the oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
Once the cheese has become browned and bubbly, remove the soup from the oven and serve immediately. Remember the bowls are hot! Enjoy!
Other Comfort Food Recipes You Might Like
New England Clam Chowder – Ready in about 30 minutes, This New England clam chowder is thick and hearty with potatoes, bacon and chopped clams in every bite.
Simple Weeknight Meatloaf – Hearty and satisfying comfort food made with simple spices.
Crockpot Sweet and Sour Ribs – Pork ribs in a sticky sweet and sour sauce – fall off the bone delicious!
Simple Crustless Quiche – Simple Crustless Quiche makes a meal out of whatever meat and veggies you have on hand using an easy to follow formula.
Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew – beef, tender potatoes, and all of your favorite vegetables slow simmered in a delicious beef gravy.
Crock Pot French Onion Soup
Equipment
- 1 slow cooker / crockpot
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 4 medium onions sliced into thin wedges
- 4 tbsp butter melted
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tsp salt
Soup
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Final Touches
- 6 slices french bread cut to fit bowls
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
Instructions
- In the bowl of a 6 quart or larger Crock Pot set on low heat, combine the onion wedges, melted butter, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir until everything is well combined.
- Cover and allow onion mixture to cook for 12 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are browned and caramelized and your kitchen smells amazing.
- Add 6 cups of beef broth, 2 bay leaves, dried thyme leaves, salt and pepper. Stir well. Allow to cook for another 4-5 hours on low or, if it works better for you time-wise, change to high heat and cook 2-3 hours.
- Preheat oven broiler to 500 degrees F. Move an oven rack to the top third of the oven.
- Remove the bay leaves and divide the soup evenly between six ovenproof bowls. Place a slice of french bread on top of the soup in each bowl and cover with a slice of Provolone cheese.
- Place the bowls onto a baking sheet and put them into the oven for 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted and slightly browned.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition *
* The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Penny says
So good just like at the restaurant and easy too Thanks