Crockpot French Onion Soup
We all know that French Onion Soup is just an excuse to eat the melty crunchy cheesey toasts. And I fully support that thought. I mean is there anything more comforting than soup with toast and melted cheese on top?
Hubby happens to love French Onion Soup. He orders it when we’re out and always enjoys it. I had never had it before meeting him. The first time I tried it, I wasn’t really a fan. But that was because he gave me a bite towards the bottom of the bowl. After he had finished off his cheesey toasted deliciousness.
I decided to make this soup in the crockpot. I researched recipes online and everything I found looked somewhat bland… I took ideas from a variety of recipes, threw in a bunch of garlic, thyme, and of course red wine and came up with this recipe. Hubby claims it’s as good as any he’s had in a restaurant.
One thing to note about this recipe, you cook the onions overnight. So you’ll want to start this the day before you plan to enjoy it.
One Year Ago: White Bean Soup with Andouille and Collard Greens and My Go-To Cream Cheese Frosting
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Bacon Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting
Three Years Ago: Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crockpot French Onion Soup
I caramelize the onions overnight and then cook the soup during the day
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients:
For the Soup
4 Tbsp butter
3 lbs onions, sliced into rings
3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced
fresh thyme
26 oz beef stock
32 oz low-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
For the Toasts
French bread, sliced
Gruyere cheese, sliced
Directions:
For the Soup
Place butter and onions in crockpot. Your crockpot should be full to the top with onions.
Place a double layer of paper towels over crockpot, extending past the edges. Put lid on crockpot. The paper towels will absorb the moisture as opposed to it dripping back into the onions.
Set crockpot on high for one hour. Reduce to low for 8-10 hours. (I let the onions cook overnight.)
Mix flour, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and pepper. Stir flour mixture, garlic, thyme, stock and broth into onions.
Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours (or high 2-3 hours). 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the red wine.
For the Toasts
Heat grill pan over high heat. Grill bread 2 minutes on each side, until crispy.
To Assemble Soup
Set oven to broil setting.
Ladle soup into individual oven-safe serving bowls. Only fill bowls 3/4 full. Add one piece of toast and a slice of cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted (timing will depend on your oven - just keep an eye on it.
Recipe by Beantown Baker
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I’ve tried a bunch of recipes and can never get the rich beefy broth that you find at most steak houses. But yours looks really dark… so maybe it’s what I’ve been looking for. I often think about going all out and roasting bones first to make it. Ha. Love the cheesy toasts on top. Jeff is weird and only likes the cheese and not the bread. So difficult to get the cheese to stay on top without bread!
beantownbaker — January 9th, 2013 @ 8:48 am
Ok that is weird that he likes the cheese and not the toast… This was definitely nice and rich and super easy.
Oh yum, and I’ve been adding a bunch of crockpot recipes to add to my to-do list. This one is perfect…and can I tell you how much I LOVE LOVE the new site? It looks pretty fabulous. I love the colors!!!!!!!!
beantownbaker — January 9th, 2013 @ 12:28 pm
Crockpot recipes are the best. Just set it and forget about it and voila – you have dinner ready!
Thanks – I’m totally loving it too
It was like the best Christmas gift I could have given myself!
Wow our recipes for the crockpot look so similar and I can attest it is delicious!
I love French Onion Soup! My husband made a big pot of it when I was pregnant and had some cravings, but we agreed it just didn’t have that same restaurant flavor. Can’t wait to try this!
beantownbaker — January 9th, 2013 @ 9:10 pm
That was sweet of him to make it for you!
Is your design new? Maybe I haven’t been to your actual site in a while–Reader makes me lazy, heh.
Anyways, I need to make this! One of my gripes about french onion soup is that it is annoying to prepare but I do like it a lot–I’ll have to try the crock pot version
beantownbaker — January 10th, 2013 @ 1:43 pm
It IS new! As of late last year. It was my own little gift to myself. Reader makes me lazy too 😉
This is the only French onion soup I’ve ever made. I’m glad I started with a crockpot version because I’m definitely going to be making it again!
What a great idea to make this in the crockpot! I’ve been trying to find more good recipes to make in mine… and this one looks too good to pass up!
We’re also huge French Onion soup fans and this looks so easy in the crockpot. i need to get one! And now I might have to go eat some cheesy toast,…
beantownbaker — January 12th, 2013 @ 4:20 pm
I can’t believe you don’t have a crockpot! I use mine all.the.time.
We are living in a construction site and all I have is a crockpot (or two) to cook with. It’s amazing what you can do with a crockpot! This recipe was a pleasant surprise to find after cooking meat meals for weeks now. I’m starting the onions tonight. I’ll post back on the results
beantownbaker — February 24th, 2013 @ 10:35 am
That has to be tough! Let me know what you think of the soup.
Just licked the bowl clean…
Great recipe! I wasn’t certain how much Thyme to put in so I chopped up about a tablespoon full. I also added a tablespoon of soy sauce when I added the wine which seemed to give it a little bolder flavor. It was perfect! My husband agreed 
thank you!
beantownbaker — February 26th, 2013 @ 7:57 am
So glad you guys like it!
I’ve been craving onion soup. My girlfriend and I always trying to outdo each other in the kitchen . She made an awesome jumbya in the crock pot the other day. Tonite I’m trying the French onion. Can’t wait till dinner tomorrow . I’ll let you know how she liked it.
beantownbaker — March 3rd, 2013 @ 11:10 am
That sounds like a fun healthy competition! Let me know how it goes.
I have made the Crock Pot French Onion Soup twice and tonight I started my third. My father-in-law, a French Onion Soup lover and connoisseur has tried my FOS and says this recipe rivals any restaurant any where! I consider this high praise from a man who has tasted FOS in restaurants all over the world. Thank you for this wonderful tasting and easy recipe soup.
I will definitely be trying more of the crock pot recipes. Thanks so much for sharing your delicious recipes with us.
beantownbaker — September 2nd, 2013 @ 9:38 am
So glad you guys enjoy this soup. As I mentioned, I am NOT a French Onion Soup connoisseur, so I’m glad to hear that someone who is enjoys this recipe!
Epic fail. Onions were burnt followed the recipe exactly. Used the paper towel and woke up with a huge mess of onion juice all over my stove ( crockpot sits on stove f Let’s hope the stove still works….
beantownbaker — September 25th, 2013 @ 4:17 pm
Bummer. Sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you
This recipe is AMAZING!!!!! I made it 2 years ago I when I found this recipe after searching for what seemed to be the perfect one! Then I lost this recipe and just came across it again and so happy I did! The onions are caramelizing over night now and I can’t wait to dig in tomorrow. It’s by far the best French onion soup recipe EVER! Thank you for sharing!
I too ended up with burnt onions leaving them cook overnight on low. Not sure if it’s because of using the paper towel trick or that 8-10 hrs is too long. I’d recommend not cooking them overnight.