Slow Cooker French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toasts

Fans of French onion soup who love it for its caramelized onions, beefy broth and cheesy toast topping won't be disappointed with this recipe, which offers all those elements plus a hands-on time of only 20 minutes.

Ingredients

  • cooking spray
  • 10 cups vertically sliced onions (from 5 onions)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 6 cups unsalted beef stock
  • ¼ cup dry marsala wine
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 12 ounces whole-wheat baguette (see tip), cut into 16 slices
  • 5 ounces gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups)