Slow-Cooker French Onion Soup with Thyme
Onions truly are a magical ingredient. They bring flavor to every dish they grace, and they add health benefits such as antihistamine and antioxidant actions. Thyme offers an intense woodsy flavor to this warming soup as well as a strong antiviral and antimicrobial action—perfect for when cold symptoms hit.
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Ingredients
- 4 lbs. yellow onions, sliced pole to pole (about 8–10 cups sliced)
- 4 Tbs. butter or olive oil, divided
- 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour (of your choice)
- 1 Tbs. Cognac, optional
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups bone broth (or beef or chicken broth)
- 3 Tbs. fresh thyme
- 4 cups 1-inch crusty bread cubes, or sliced baguette, for serving (gluten-free or grain-free works too)
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese, for serving
Preparation
- Toss onions and 1 Tbs. butter in slow cooker. Set heat to low, and cover with lid. Cook about 10 hours, stirring occasionally. (I do not recommend trying to speed up this process by using high heat because it may lead to uneven caramelization.)
- When onions are cooked, transfer to large stockpot over medium heat. Add flour and 1 Tbs. butter. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to brown the flour.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Add Cognac, if using, and white wine, and cook 3–4 minutes, until alcohol is mostly cooked off. Add bone broth and thyme, and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover pot.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt remaining 2 Tbs. butter, and toss with bread cubes. Place bread on baking sheet, and toast in the oven 15–20 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure even browning. When golden and crispy, remove the bread from oven. Preheat broiler and place rack close to the heating element.
- Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls. Top with bread cubes and cheese. Place bowls under the broiler until cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from The Herbalist’s Healing Kitchen by Devon Young. Used with permission.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 430
- Carbohydrate Content 46 g
- Cholesterol Content 40 mg
- Fat Content 15 g
- Fiber Content 5 g
- Protein Content 24 g
- Saturated Fat Content 9 g
- Sodium Content 480 mg
- Sugar Content 15 g