Instant Pot French Onion Soup
A quick and easy Instant Pot French onion soup with beef bone broth made in an electric pressure cooker. The BEST French onion soup recipe!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 - 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 very large yellow onions or Spanish onions, halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 2 cloves garlic minced (about 2 teaspoons)
- 2 springs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 4 cups beef bone broth or beef stock
- 4 cups beef stock
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 to 12 slices small baguette cut about 3/4-inch thick
- 4 ounces freshly grated Gruyère cheese or Swiss, white cheddar, fontina, and gouda, while less traditional, are also delicious
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot (or similar electric pressure cooker) to sauté. Add the butter and let melt. Once melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, until onions slightly soften and start to release liquid, about 5 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons water. Cover and seal the Instant Pot, then set to cook on HIGH pressure (manual setting) for 20 minutes. Release pressure to vent immediately.
- Remove the lid, then turn the Instant Pot back to sauté. Cook for 5 minutes until some of the liquid evaporates, then add the wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits that have collected on the bottom of the pot. Let simmer for 10 minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf.
- Add the bone broth and stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the salt and pepper, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- When you’re ready to serve, prepare the crouton topping. Preheat your oven's broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyère. Broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, watching constantly towards the end so that the bread does not burn. Remove promptly. (See notes section for alternate serving method)
- Ladle the soup into bowls, then carefully float the toasted cheese baguettes on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Alternate Serving Method. If you have ovenproof bowls, you can ladle the soup into them first, top with each with a baguette slice and cheese, then arrange the bowls on a baking sheet and place the sheet under the broiler, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.
- TO STORE: Leftover French onion soup may be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, store the soup without cheese or toasted baguettes and prepare topping while reheating.
- TO FREEZE: Instant Pot French onion soup may be stored in the freezer (without the cheese and baguette) for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before serving.
- TO REHEAT: Warm the soup over the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming. Prepare freshly toasted baguettes with cheese while soup reheats.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6), including baguette and cheese toppingCalories: 328kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 19gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgPotassium: 449mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 373IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 256mgIron: 2mg
