Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup

Rating: 3.83 stars
6 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 1
  • 4 star values: 4
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0

In this genius slow-cooker soup recipe, two types of onions are caramelized for hours before adding a sherry-spiked broth. For a bistro-worthy presentation, ladle the soup into ovenproof crocks, top with the bread and cheese and broil.

EatingWell Test Kitchen
Source: EatingWell Magazine, Soup Cookbook

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Recipe Summary test

total:
8 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
8

Nutrition Profile:

Nutrition Info
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Ingredients

Soup
Cheese Toasts

Directions

  • To prepare soup: Scatter butter in a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker (see Tip). Add oil, thyme, garlic and bay leaf, then onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on High for 8 hours.

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  • Bring broth and sherry to a boil in a saucepan. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaf from the slow cooker. Pour in the broth and cook on High, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

  • To prepare cheese toasts: Meanwhile, position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler to high. Top each baguette slice with 2 tablespoons cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the soup among 8 bowls. Top each with a cheese toast.

Tips

Tips: Take the tears out of onion prep: Refrigerate whole, unpeeled onions for about 30 minutes before slicing or chopping. The cold “chills out” the sulfur compounds that can irritate your eyes and make you cry.

For easy cleanup, try a slow-cooker liner. These heat-resistant, disposable liners fit neatly inside the insert and help prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of your slow cooker.

To make ahead: Refrigerate soup (Steps 1-2) for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Make cheese toasts before serving.

Equipment: 6- to 7-quart slow cooker

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 cup soup & 1 cheese toast
Per Serving:
271 calories; protein 11.5g; carbohydrates 31g; dietary fiber 5.4g; sugars 9.4g; fat 12g; saturated fat 5.1g; cholesterol 22.5mg; vitamin a iu 222.1IU; vitamin c 15.6mg; folate 40.4mcg; calcium 193.5mg; iron 0.8mg; magnesium 28mg; potassium 428.5mg; sodium 528.5mg; thiamin 0.1mg.
Exchanges:

4 vegetable, 1 1/2 fat, 1/2 high-fat protein, 1/2 starch

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Reviews (5)

Read More Reviews
6 Ratings
  • 5 star values: 1
  • 4 star values: 4
  • 3 star values: 0
  • 2 star values: 1
  • 1 star values: 0
Reviews:
Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest
Nancy M.
Rating: 5 stars
11/29/2020
I ABSOLUTELY ADORED this recipe!! IMHO (in my humble opinion) this recipe is the BEST I've tried!! It's so easy the onions are gorgeously caramelized and the broth is wonderful!! I've made the recipe two more times just for the caramelized onions...I've found so many ways to use them! I highly recommend to definitely use the fresh thyme the smashed garlic and the sherry! I think the sherry ads a bit of brightness or even an umami flavor?! Oh I did not use the red onions I just used a combination of yellow and sweet and definitely the Gruyere! Read More
EatingWell User
Rating: 2 stars
11/02/2016
Bland and not enough broth. Read More
EatingWell User
Rating: 4 stars
03/09/2016
Great recipe & easy to make! I made this for lunch so I cooked the onions overnight. I've read on other sites that people cooked the onions in their garage. Your house will definitely smell like onions. I also added 8 cups beef broth 4 was definitely not enough and 1/2 cup sherry. I also added 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar. I brought it to work to share and everyone loved it. Definitely a keeper!! Pros: so easy in the slow cooker great tasting Cons: not enough broth Read More
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TheEebs
Rating: 4 stars
12/05/2019
I thought the broth amount was fine. When I started the onions in the slow cooker I also cut 3/4" slices of French bread and laid them out to dry. By the time the soup was ready later in the day they had the "day old" crustiness which was perfect for soaking up the soup without becoming mushy. I also grated my gouda and swiss fresh from blocks of cheese which was suuuuuper tasty. I thought it was a very good recipe. It still misses that last bit of "zing" that would make it equal to a restaurant but it was better than I hoped for from home made. Read More
I love Lemons
Rating: 4 stars
01/25/2018
Really good! I would suggest adding at least two more cups of broth than the recipe suggested. Read More
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