There are so many soups to choose from, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to pick just one. My mind was spinning with the possibilities, but ultimately my families likes, and time decided for me. That’s OK by me, they happen to have picked one of my favorite soups, French Onion Soup. French Onion Soup is a very simple soup, yet it is full of flavor and doesn't leave you feeling too full.
This recipe combines two things that I love, my slow cooker, and onions.
I love onions because they are full of delicious flavor. I love how many varieties there are, and how different they taste. I love the smell of caramelized onions. I love that they are inexpensive and available pretty much anywhere you go. I also love my slow cooker. I use my slow cooker at least once per week.
Since I work from home, it has saved dinner many times. I can sometimes be stuck on a phone call for hours at a time. Having my food in a slow cooker keeps it from burning. If I know I am going to have a long day, I just pop my food in the slow cooker in the morning, and dinner is ready when the rest of us are. I can’t complain about the cleanup either, so easy with the slow cooker!
This soup is very easy to make, another plus. One of the things that I like to do is use a variety of onions. I usually have on hand a few different types, and I combine what I have on hand. You will need quite a bit of onions, around 3 pounds. This may seem like a lot, but they cook down quite a bit. Another thing you can do is add your own stock. I like to make my own stock, because I use ingredients that would otherwise be wasted, and I control exactly what goes in, so I don’t have to worry about sodium or preservatives. If you make your own stock you can freeze any extra for later use.
French Onions Soup Recipe for the slow cooker
3 lbs of onions sliced - I am using her a mix of purple, yellow, and vidalia
3 Tbsp butter
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Put all ingredients into the slow cooker and place on low for about 8 hours
After the onions are caramelized add,
8 cups of beef stock
½ cup sherry (optional)
1 Bay leaf
3 thyme sprigs
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Leave that on high for at least 30 minutes
To serve
Toast sliced baguettes with cheese, gruyere is traditional, but you can use any cheese you like that melts well, I chose to use mozzarella
Serve soup and place a toasted bread with cheese on top.
TIPS
I love onions, I don’t love onion smell on my fingers. Use a pair of disposable gloves when slicing your onions to protect your lovely fingers.
French onion soup can easily be made on the stovetop. The key is the caramelizing of the onions. You want to make sure you cook them slowly until they turn a deep golden brown color. After they are caramelized, the steps are the same.
French onion soup tastes better the following day. If you have too much left over, you can store it in freezer bags, and save for later use.
If you did not make your own stock, you can use a good quality broth.
While the sherry is optional, I think it adds a really nice flavor, I do not use cooking sherry.