Cheesy French Onion Ground Beef Soup in the Crockpot for Fall Dinners

Name: Slow Cooker Cheesy French Onion Ground Beef Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 lb lean ground beef; 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp unsalted butter; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 6 cups beef broth; 1 tsp dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 French baguette, sliced; 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

Bring the classic flavors of French onion soup to your busy weeknight dinner table with this simple slow cooker recipe. Ground beef simmers slowly with sweet caramelized onions and a rich savory broth, then gets finished with toasted bread and a gooey layer of melted Gruyere cheese. It is a hearty, comforting meal that feels like a weekend project with almost no hands-on effort.

Slow Cooker Cheesy French Onion Ground Beef Soup, an easy crockpot dinner recipe

Prep: 20 minCook: 6 hrTotal: 6 hr 20 minServes: 6

Ingredients

2 lb lean ground beef
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups beef broth
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 French baguette, sliced
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

Instructions

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well to coat.
Transfer the onion mixture to your slow cooker. In the same skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until fully cooked, draining any excess fat, then add the beef to the slow cooker.
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the pan, and add it to the slow cooker along with the beef broth, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, until the flavors are fully blended and the soup is piping hot.
Discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top each with baguette slices and a generous mound of shredded Gruyere cheese.
Broil in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and golden brown. Ensure ground beef reaches a safe internal temperature of 165 F before serving.

Tips

Make sure to broil the soup bowls on a sturdy baking sheet for easy transfer in and out of the oven.
Swap the baguette for crusty sourdough or gluten-free bread if preferred.
Store leftover soup without the bread and cheese in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.