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finished bowl of French onion soup with broiled bread and cheese
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4.82 from 22 votes

French Onion Soup Recipe (instant pot)

In one hour (not the typical two +), you are sitting down to a delicious instant pot French onion soup of rich broth and sweet caramelized onions, topped with toasted bread and gooey cheese. Serve this classic soup as a starter or main meal.
Prep Time12 minutes
Cook Time48 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer, Soup
Cuisine: French
Servings (change as needed): 6 (or 4 larger or 8 small bowls)
Author: Cheryl Avrich

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds yellow onions (sweet onions are good too)
  • 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted butter adds richness but neutral olive oil can be used instead
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda - quickens caramelization process (not baking powder!)
  • 2 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 garlic cloves

Broth and Seasonings

  • 1/4 cup (59 ml) red wine, Note 1 optional but adds good flavor
  • 8 cups (1.9 liters) good quality beef broth, Note 2
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh thyme)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste depends on saltiness of broth
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf

Topping

  • slices or cubes of baguette or other bread, Note 3 (about 2 slices per person/bowl)
  • 4 ounce grated/shredded Gruyere cheese, Note 4

Instructions

  • SLICE ONIONS: Set Instant Pot to SAUTE function on HIGH or MORE. Peel and slice onions by hand (1/2 inch/1.3cm is fine - no need to slice thinly). Alternatively, use a shortcut and slice onions in food processor with a slicing blade (adjusted to thick slice if possible).
  • SAUTE ONIONS: Add butter, onions and baking soda to the bottom of the pot which will now be hot. Saute to "sweat" the onions and release juices for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. In the last minute, add minced garlic. Select OFF.
  • PRESSURE COOK ONIONS: Select PRESSURE OR MANUAL - HIGH. Place lid on instant pot and turn vent knob to "sealed". Select 14 minutes (it will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure before the time starts to count down). When cooking is complete and IP beeps, use Quick Release method. You will have a lot of liquid with the onions.
  • CARAMELIZE ONIONS: To speed up final caramelization, pour most of liquid (about a cup) onto a cup and set aside to add later. Select SAUTE function on High/More. Caramelize onions, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until golden brown and most of liquid is evaporated. Add wine and cook off for 1 minute. If more body in soup is desired, stir in a tablespoon of flour for 1-2 minutes. I do this.
  • ADD LIQUIDS AND SEASONINGS: Add broth(s), reserved onion liquid and all seasonings (Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf). Cook onion soup for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
  • MAKE CHEESE-TOAST TOPPING and BROIL: While soup is cooking, toast baguette slices or cubes until golden brown. You can toast slices then cut in cubes if preferred. Set oven or toaster oven to Broil. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls. Add slice of bread or bread cubes to cover top of the soup. Top with grated cheese. Place bowls on a pan (in case of dripping). Broil 6 inches from heat for about 3-4 minutes or until cheese is browned. Serve immediately. To bake instead, see Note 5.

Notes

  1. Wine - Red wine or a dry sherry or white wine adds great flavor to the soup, but there may be reasons not to use it. If you want to make a French onion soup recipe without wine, just leave it out and add a little extra broth. 
  2. Broth: You can use all beef broth or a combination of beef and chicken broth. If you can't find good beef broth, use all good quality chicken broth. Find the best quality beef broth or beef bone broth you can. It's best to taste it. Most broths come in a box. I like the undiluted Campbell's beef broth in a can (add your own water).
  3. Bread - use a French baguette, French bread or any crusty bread.
  4. Cheese: Gruyere cheese is traditional. Other good melty cheese options are Beemster, Provolone, Swiss cheese, Parmesan or a combination of these. 
  5. Bake instead of broil: You can also bake the onion soup with bread and cheese at 450F/232C for 6-8 minutes or until cheese is browned. 
  6. Other variations and substitutes
    • Flavors - Try adding a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar or fish sauce to add depth to the soup. 
    • Garnish - French onion soup includes bread and cheese on top. You can bake or broil the soup in a bowl for this last step. Or even make cheese toast separately and top the soup with it before serving. Add some fresh thyme leaves or chives on top just before serving for a pretty finish. 
    • Vegetarian version - use vegetable broth. Mushroom broth is even better. Find the richest broth you can. And omit the Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies.
  7. Make Ahead: Soup can be made up to a week ahead. Keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in microwave or pot. Then add toasted bread and cheese and broil (or bake).
 
Nutrition values are estimates and include the bread and cheese
Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 2042mg | Potassium: 577mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 424IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 283mg | Iron: 2mg