This is one of my favorite soups.. I will have to try making it in the crockpot.. Thanks for the recipe..

Oh I'm glad my mom doesn't get on the internet, if she saw this she'd ask for me to make it... it's her favorite!!

You're a genius!

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Sounds fabulous! I wonder if you could put mushrooms in it?

YUMMY!!! I just discovered your blog today (from a link from @ http://oldredbarnco.blogspot.com/ - I have 3 crockpots and use them all the time :) I've been sick this week but I still managed to use one crock for beans, and one to heat up leftover shredded pork :) I'm going to try your French Onion soup recipe - it looks delicious! I still have to do some poking around to see what other recipe goodness you've posted :)

I made this today! It was fabulous! I didn't have any wine/sherry so I used water instead. My onions must have been really big, because I think I should have added more broth. Topped with Swiss cheese since we didn't have Gruyere.

I LOVE your blog. I just came across it today through another blog - can't wait to start trying some of these!!

I always make my French onion soup in the crockpot too. My recipe loofs pretty similar to yours--I adapted it from one on allrecipes.com . I'm looking forward to following your adventures this year now that I've found your blog.

I made this yesterday. I used a little less salt and butter and it came out fine. I also didn't put the stoneware under the broiler (wasn't sure it would fit). I just broiled my toasted bread with cheese in our toaster oven.
Delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

Girl Fisher, I'm so glad that you enjoyed it! That's good to know that the sherry is optional and can be swapped with water.

Kelly, those are great adjustments!

--steph

This recipe was awesome! I made it for sunday supper today, and my family (and even my mother in law!) absolutely loved it. I doubled the recipe but not the butter, and it was fine. I also used 2 different kinds of beef broth, but I couldnt tell.

Thanks for sharing all these great recipes. You're really inspiring me to use my crock pot more often and for more than just beef stew and pork roast.

Colie, that's great! I'm so glad that your family enjoyed it--we really did too.

-steph

Here goes nothing! I had to pick something up at Target last night and I didn't want to make a 2nd trip to the grocery store, but I did want French Onion Soup. I had a bag of frozen onions in the freezer, and a bottle of dry Pinot in the fridge. At Target I got a loaf of sliced Italian bread, a package of Swiss Cheese, and 2 cans of Broth.

I didn't add the salt because (for the first time in my LIFE) I didn't buy low sodium beef broth!! I also added a dash of Wosterchire Sauce, someone told me awhile ago that he always adds a dash or two to beef based soups. I hope it comes out good!!

This was unbelievable. I couldn't believe how easy it was to make (although the butter wouldn't melt in my crockpot quick enough so I just dumped everything in). I literally dumped a bag of onions, 1/2 a stick of butter, 3 cans of beef broth, 1/2 a cup of wine and a couple dashes of Worchestershire Sauce on the crock and left it on low for arbout 6-8 hours. I kept it on warm until my fiance got home from class, and then I ladeled it into big bowls, toasted some bread, and then melted the cheese on top. It was ridiculously easy, and it was honestly one of the best French Onion soups I've ever had (tooting my own horn, and yours!). This will definitely stay in my repitoire, and I'll always use frozen onions! Didn't have to chop or anything! I did let them dethaw in the fridge overnight though. Thanks for this recipe!!!

Barrie, thank you for letting me know how it worked for you! I love the idea of using a bag of frozen onions, I never would have thought to do that, what a great idea!
I HATE chopping onions.

xox
steph

Steph,

I never would have used frozen onions except that I really wanted this soup and I was at Target and they didn't have fresh onions. I didn't want to make a stop at another store so I figured I might as well try it with the frozen. Plus this meal cost me like maybe $8 for 4 bowls. We sell French Onion Soup at my work for $4.50 a cup!

I've never had French Onion Soup before, so I figure a crockpot variation is a good place to start! I'd like to try this recipe in the next day or two.

However, I HATE putting bread in anything wet. Old throwback reaction to my mother making me eat dried beef gravy over bread. If you were to omit the bread from this recipe, would the taste or anything essential suffer because of it, in your opinion?

Noel, this soup is AMAZING. the bread doesn't add anything to the flavor. I'd lay a slice of cheese on the top of each bowl before serving, it will melt in and be delicious.
xox
steph

Excellent, will do! And on a more personal note, you're a friggin' inspiration, I LOVE the way you write, and I've already purchased the ingredients to make three of your recipes (with others bookmarked and saved for future use!) I'm dying to see how you handle Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner (not meaning to assume anything of your religion, of course).

I'm officially pimping this blog on my personal journals, and wondering. . . what will become of you and your delightful recipes when this has ended?!

I am sending you big hugs for this recipe! I love French Onion Soup, but I've been intimidated by the recipes I've seen. I made this last night and it was FANTASTIC and Holy Cow sooo easy!

Love your blog and thanks again for this amazing recipe!

Stephanie, you are a crockpot goddess! I made this for dinner last night and I don't think I even got to fully savor and enjoy it because I practically inhaled it. ROFL You are SO right that it tastes like it came out of a restaurant, A+! I think this is my new and only recipe for French Onion Soup. Oh and for sure, doubling or tripling the recipe is a must because when the crockpot is empty you will be wishing there was more left. Thanks again! XOXO

This sounds delicious! I can't wait to make it. I'm so glad I found your blog, I'm culling some great recipes from it.

One question: My crock pot is a very old--like, 1970s old--model, and the stoneware doesn't come out (boy, is washing it fun). Do you think I could broil the bread and cheese and then transfer to the soup?

Hi Agent Poptart, yup! that would work just fine. A toaster oven would be the best bet, but bread on a cookie sheet in the oven would work well, too.
xox
steph

This soup is really great!!!

I'm a bit of a crock-pot novice, and just to help others out there like me who aren't as, um, seasoned (sorry for the pun!), USE A 3.5 QUART CROCK-POT FOR THIS! I used my large 6.5 qt. because that's all I have, and it burnt up pretty badly. I added an extra 1/8 cup sherry and cup of beef broth, and it worked wonderfully in the end. =)

Thanks for your GREAT website!

Oh my gosh. This was seriously amazing. I already emailed the recipe to several people to tell them to try it out. I didn't have any bread to use, so I just threw in some croutons about 10 minutes before serving and they worked great. Thanks for this amazing blog!

I found this soup to be a bit bland without several tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, a definite add in. Thanks for posting this recipe. With a little tweeking, it was good! I appreciate all of your efforts in posting recipes for the crockpot Keep up the good work!

This is a fantastic recipe. Only thing i did differently is that for ease, I started the onions off on the stove and then flung everything in my slow cooker. I just did the onion soup and it is delicious. Deep, mellow and tasty. I will make this lots in future!

I used this recipe as a basis (since I always end up doing something differently, whether intentionally or not, haha) and I have made this soup multiple times because it is SO GOOD. as one of the previous commenters said, i also saute the onions in butter a bit before throwing them in the crockpot. I used a dry white wine as well. Even my mother, who is praised for her cooking, said mine was better. That alone is worth it!!! :]

I have this cooking right now, and it smells DIVINE.

Another substitution for the sherry is apple cider vinegar mixed with water. It will help give that sweet, bright flavor the sherry adds. I used a little over 1/8 cup vinegar and the rest water to make up the 1/4 c of sherry. I tasted the broth, and that bit of acid is gonna make all the difference. I can't wait for hubby to get home and smell what's cooking; this is one of his favorite soups and it is SO DARN EASY.

I have a TON of onions from my Farm Share and wanted to make some French Onion soup for a cool Autumn evening. The Cooking Light recipe wants me to simmer the soup for 2 hours, which would mean we would be eating at 10 PM since both me and my husband work until at least 7. So I thought, I wonder if Stephanie has a French Onion soup recipe... Sure enough! This will be simmering away while we're at work tomorrow.

My boyfriend made this soup for us the other day and it was absolutely fantastic! French Onion is my favorite soup and frankly, this is as close as I've had to actual "French" onion soup! I went to Paris three years ago and had the best French onion EVER, this was a very very close second!! And so easy to make!

This is also one of my favorite soups. I actually put a bottle of beer in mine, too. It makes it just a tad richer. Can't wait to try this recipe. I think I will need to triple it though, for my family!

Verdict: Yummers. Changes: Used sweet vermouth; deleted sugar (didn't know how sweet sherry is). No added salt & it was plenty salty. After toasting bread, put grated cheese on top, then broiled until melty brown, then plonked into bowls of soup. Thanks!

Delish as usual Steph! You really are the crock pot queen!
Of course I wave to weigh in with ideas, one being that you can put your cheese on the bread slices individually, then broil them, then place them individually on top of everyone's soup.
My kids demanded that I make it "Like Mimi's" so I asked them what to do. They said you have to carmelize your onions, and you can do this in the crock pot too! put your onions, butter, and thyme in first, and cook on high two hours or so, and then add your liquid and continue cooking.
Steph, I think your blog is the Holy Grail of slow cooking. Having so much fun catching up! You rock!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

This was amazing. I made a couple of changes but not major. I had some meat bones that I roasted and added to the crockpot as the soup cooked.

I didn't have sherry so I used 1/8 C basalmic vinegar and 1/8 C water.

The soup was fabulous when I got hom. I tried one bowl with toast & gruyere and one with just the cheese. I would drink this stuff with a straw if I could.

This recipe is amazing! I used 4 large onions. I omitted the salt & wine & used some beer. I also added fresh rosemary & pressed garlic to the butter & some Worcestershire in the broth. I served cheese toast on the side because I hate soggy bread.

Warning: if you do it my way you need twice as much garlic toast as normal.

Stephanie, You have inspired me. I got 2 extra crock pots from goodwill to add to the 3 I already had & use them often. I don't have a snazzy one with a timer so, I went to Walmart & bout a $5 lamp timer to plug it into. Works great!

I tried this and it was wonderful. However I think I may have done it wrong. Do you add cans of water to the concentrated beef broth?

If not that is why my soup was so very, very rich. If so, then that explains why I got such a small amount.

Hi Ruby,

oh no! I used regular ol' beef broth, and you may have used concentrated. I'm so sorry!
yes, in the future you'll need to either use regular beef broth or use the concentrated to make up 30 ounces.

oxxo steph

I just made this tonight and it was SUPER DUPER YUMMY! I've got your cookbook and I love it! It's one of my favorite Christmas presents from this past Christmas!

Holy MOLY! I've tried French Onion soup TWO times at home and failed miserably each time (they just tasted "off"). I stumbled upon your site yesterday and you have given me new inspiration to pull out the crock pot and try new things (I retired it b/c I was sick of all my crock pot meals tasting like boiled meats... blech) THIS WAS DELICIOUS!!! I gotta work on the thickness of the bread / amount of toastiness of it... but the soup itself was YUM YUM YUM. Just as good as any restaurant. I was in the middle of eating it and texted my sister how great it was and told her I would send her the recipe!! thank you!!

This recipe is a keeper. Halfway through his second bowl, my son asked if I could make it again for breakfast! I didn't have the wine, so I put in a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Great!

This is the first French Onion soup recipe that is better than my normal recipe! I love French onion soup and make it as often as possible - and now that my 3yr old loves it too I think we will be making it even more often :)

I made this for dinner on Friday. Oh my! It was amazingly simple and delicious! I already have sent my mom the recipe and I think my husband and I will be making this again sometime in the near future :D

Definitely going to give this a try. I really like provolone cheese on French Onion soup, and just make garlic bread to dip in the soup as I eat...not very fond of soggy bread myself, but French Onion soup is my fave! Looks like an excellent start off for a crock pot FOS!

I loved this soup and substituted apple cider vinegar with 1t sugar for the sherry since I don't drink alcohol. Really hit the spot on cold late winter days! Thanks for the fab recipes. If readers would like to know about ingredient substitutions, I recommend www.gourmetsleuth.com.

Love your blog! I have this cooking in the crock pot now. I put it in this morning, and it smells amazing. I can't wait to eat it!

Made this yesterday using three large onions, 64 oz beef broth, dash worcestershire, Marsala wine left over from Chicken Marsala, 3/4 c sugar, 3 tsp butter. Too much sugar, I think I would cut down to 1/3 c no matter how much broth, and put in more worcestershire. I also used salt and pepper, and had to add pepper to my bowl. So would increase s&p. Also we used garlic and onion foccacia bread, that worked very well. And cheddar mixture becausethat is what I had (also had mozza which would have worked well.)

French Onion Soup is one of my all time favorite soups and yours looks amazing!

Just made this and it's fabulous! We are kosher so we don't mix dairy with meat so I used margarine and just served with plain croutons. I also didn't have beef broth so I threw in 2 beef short ribs and used water. Delicious!

Do you think this would taste good using vegetable broth instead of beef broth or would it be lacking in flavor?

hi there! If you're going to do veggie broth and you aren't vegan -- add in some Worcestershire sauce and maybe a touch of butter for a touch more flavor oomph. :-) I hope this helps a bit!!