Out here in the country, the slow cooker is as much a part of the kitchen as the kitchen table itself. These 4-ingredient French onion pork chops are the kind of supper my husband asks for week after week because they come out fall-apart tender, swimming in a rich brown onion gravy that tastes like it took all day at the stove, even though the slow cooker does the work. The flavor leans on good old-fashioned pantry staples—dry onion soup mix and canned soup—very much in the spirit of the simple casserole cooking that’s been on Midwestern church potluck tables since the 1960s. With just a few minutes of prep in the morning, you’ll have a hearty, savory dinner bubbling away by afternoon, filling the house with that cozy onion-and-meat aroma that makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when it’s time to eat.
These pork chops are begging for something to soak up that glossy onion gravy, so I like to spoon them over creamy mashed potatoes or wide egg noodles. Buttered rice or even simple boiled potatoes work nicely if that’s what you have. Add a green vegetable—steamed green beans, buttered peas, or a tossed salad—to balance the richness. A slice of soft dinner roll or crusty bread is handy for mopping up every last bit of sauce, and if you enjoy a little something sweet afterward, a simple fruit salad or applesauce keeps the meal feeling homey and complete.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient French Onion Pork ChopsServings: 4
Ingredients
4 boneless pork chops (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds total, 3/4- to 1-inch thick)
2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed French onion soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
Directions
Lay the sliced onion in an even layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. This makes a bed that keeps the pork moist and builds a flavorful base for the gravy.
In a small bowl, whisk together the condensed French onion soup and the dry onion soup mix until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Arrange the pork chops in a single layer over the sliced onions in the slow cooker. It’s fine if they overlap slightly, but try to keep them mostly flat so they cook evenly and stay tender.
Pour the soup mixture evenly over the pork chops, making sure each chop is coated and the onions are mostly submerged in the liquid. Use a spoon to nudge the onions down into the sauce if needed.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or until the pork chops are very tender and easily cut with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay trapped inside.
Once cooked, taste the onion gravy and add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper if you feel it needs it, keeping in mind that the soup and mix are already seasoned.
To serve, gently lift the pork chops from the slow cooker with a wide spatula so they don’t break apart, then spoon the rich onion gravy and plenty of the soft onions over the top. Serve hot over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice to catch all the sauce.
Variations & Tips
For thicker gravy, after the pork is done, remove the chops and keep them warm. Whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, stir it into the hot onion sauce in the slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for about 15 minutes until slightly thickened, then return the pork to the sauce. If you prefer bone-in pork chops, use them in the same way; they often come out even more flavorful and tender, though you may want to add 30 minutes to the cooking time. To deepen the flavor without adding ingredients, you can quickly brown the pork chops in a lightly oiled skillet for 2 to 3 minutes per side before adding them to the slow cooker—this step is optional but gives a bit of that old-fashioned skillet taste. For a milder onion flavor, use only half the packet of dry onion soup mix; for a stronger one, add an extra half onion, sliced. If you need to stretch the meal for more people, add a few quartered potatoes or thick carrot slices right on top of the onions at the bottom of the slow cooker and cook as directed; the vegetables will soak up the savory gravy as they tenderize. Leftovers reheat well in a covered dish in the oven or on the stovetop over low heat, and the flavors often taste even more developed the next day.
