Frugal Foodie Mama: Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

This rich and flavorful Slow Cooker French Onion Soup simmers away all day in your slow cooker...

Okay, I know what you all are thinking- Soup?? A slow cooker soup?? But it is JULY, lady!

Yes, I am aware that we are all smack dab in the middle of the summer heat here. I get that soup isn't normally a go-to dinner idea for the month of July. And yes, I will totally be curling up with a bowl of this rich and delicious Slow Cooker French Onion Soup when the temperatures start to drop and the snow starts to fall (far away from now in like December-ish or something). But who says that soup just has to be a fall/winter thing anyways? I have always been one to rebel a little against the conventional, so today I am sharing a slow cooker soup recipe with you all. ;)

I break out my slow cooker a lot during the summer months. Why? Because I hate turning on my stove or oven when it is hot outside! Even with the air conditioning going, my kitchen still heats up to an almost Hades-like temperature. So, I get out my slow cooker & make roasts, and pulled pork, and chicken for cubing and shredding for recipes, and taco meat, and yes, even soups.

Strangely, french onion soup happens to be one of my husband's favorite soups. I say strangely because he pretty much hates onions on anything. But french onion soup? He loves. Granted, he only eats the broth, croutons, and cheese and leaves a huge mess of onions in the bottom of his bowl... ;)

This Slow Cooker French Onion Soup requires a little extra prep in the beginning, but the little bit of sauteing and caramelizing this recipe requires is well worth it for the rich, amazing flavor it gives this classic soup...

Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cook Time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients (6 servings)

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced and separated into rings
2 large red onions, sliced and separated into rings
1 tbsp sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red wine (I used a Pinot Noir.)
8 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (two 32oz cartons)
1 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried thyme)
2 bay leaves
Shredded mozzarella cheese (for topping)

For the bread croutons

6-8 slices of regular white bread
olive oil
shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

In large pot or dutch oven, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-high heart. Add in the onions and stir until they become slightly translucent- about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the onions with the sugar and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring the onions constantly until they soften and begin to brown and caramelize- about 10-15 minutes more. Add in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute more.

Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the caramelized bits up from the bottom of the pot.

Pour the onion mixture into your slow cooker. Add in the beef broth, salt & pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook on High for 4-6 hours.

About 15 minutes before you are ready to serve the soup, prepare the bread croutons. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Using a biscuit cutter, cut a circle from each slice of bread. Place the bread circles on a silicone mat or parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush each circle with a little olive oil and then sprinkle each one with a little shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the mozzarella is slightly golden brown.

To serve the soup- Fish out the bay leaves and sprigs of thyme from the slow cooker. Ladle the soup into a bowl, top with a bread crouton, and then a little more shredded mozzarella cheese.

Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe for {Crock Pot} French Onion Soup from Real Housemoms.

I ended up making the croutons from white sandwich bread when I realized I had forgotten to pick up a loaf of French bread at the store for serving with this soup. So, I improvised with some sandwich bread slices, a biscuit cutter, a little olive oil and some cheese. But you could totally make your bread croutons using traditional French bread cut into rounds instead. :)

Which school of soup thought do you belong to? Soup all year-round? Or is soup just for the fall & winter months for you?

And don't forget about the HUGE Beat the Kitchen Heat Slow Cooker Giveaway on the blog! We are giving away TEN Hamilton Beach slow cooker prize packages with one grand prize winner! Don't miss this one, folks! The giveaway ends Tuesday, July 14th!