Slow Cooker Caramelized Onions Make THE BEST French Onion Soup

Wow. I had no idea how many people love French Onion Soup until I posted this photo on my Instagram and my Meemaw Eats Facebook pages! (If you don’t follow me on those sites…you should, since I post many photos and stories on those sites that I don’t share here on my blog.)

So, by VERY popular demand, here is my recipe. (I call it mine…but I found the original recipe years ago in the Iowa City Press Citizen newspaper, and it has become a family favorite.)

First, you start the soup recipe by caramelizing a large amount of onions in your slow cooker.  It’s the easiest thing you’ll ever do. And those onions are the star of the show in the soup recipe.  Here’s how to make them…and you can make them ahead of time since they keep well in the frig for up to three days or you can freeze them for up to a month until you need them for soup, burgers, etc. 

(The hardest part is remembering to start cooking the onions early in the day if you want French Onion soup for dinner that night.)

SLOW COOKER CARAMELIZED ONIONS
Cooking Spray
AT LEAST 6 or 8 (or more) LARGE  ONIONS, sliced (Will yield about 3 cups of cooked onions)
2 T. Olive Oil

METHOD:
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.  Throw in the sliced onions and drizzle with the olive oil.  

Mix all together, cover, and cook on HIGH for 8-10 hours.  Stir several times during cooking time.

 (I make more than the six onions so I’ll have caramelized onions for other uses since they keep well in the refrigerator or freezer.)  

The onions will eventually become dark brown and delicious.

You can also cook those onions several days in advance and store them in a covered container in your refrigerator until you’re ready to make soup. (That’s what I did this time.) And remember…you can make extra onions and use them to top burgers or for many other uses too.

Easy Peasey!

Then it’s on to the actual soup recipe, and that step is as easy as creating those caramelized onions. And since I am in love with Gruyere cheese, that’s what I used to top my soup. But you can use regular Swiss cheese if you prefer.

Another Meemaw Tip: DO NOT USE COOKING SHERRY in this recipe. In fact, don’t EVER use cooking sherry in ANY recipe. Cooking sherry contains preservatives to prolong the shelf life and it’s not made for drinking. ALWAYS use sherry that is good enough to drink! It really does make a difference. And in a pinch you can substitute red wine for the sherry. (I have used Cabernet.) But a good, drinkable sherry is by far the best choice for this soup!

Print

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

• 2 (14 1/2 oz) Cans Beef Broth
• 1 (14 1/2 oz) Can Chicken Broth
• 1/4 Cup Dry Sherry (NOT cooking sherry)
• 1 Tblsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. Finely Minced Garlic
• 1/4 tsp Dried Thyme
• 2 to 3 Cups Caramelized Onions (Or More If Desired)
• 2 Cups Croutons (Or Garlic Toast If Desired)
• 4 Slices Gruyere or Swiss Cheese (Thick or Thin)
• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. Prepare the caramelized onions as directed in a slow cooker first. When onions are ready, bring to a boil the beef broth, chicken broth, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, thyme and the caramelized onions. Allow to simmer for several minutes to cook the garlic and to marry the flavors. Divide the hot soup mixture into four oven proof crocks or cups that you have placed on a sturdy cookie sheet. (A flimsy cookie sheet may warp and spill during broiling process.)  Add the croutons to each crock and top with the slices of cheese. Sprinkle each crock with Parmesan cheese. Preheat the broiler on HIgh and place the oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element. Place under the broiler for approximately ONE minute, or until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown. WATCH CAREFULLY. Remove the cookie sheet with potholders and serve immediately.