Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Instant Pot French Onion Soup with delicious caramelized onions, beef broth, and melty gruyere cheese croutons is the ultimate comfort food recipe.

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Making French Onion Soup is normally super time consuming. You’re required to babysit the stove while your onions caramelize, and then you need to let it all simmer for a bit to let those flavors develop. 

Today I’m here to change that. And while this French Onion Soup is not made in an “instant”, the Instant Pot definitely makes the procedure simpler, since most of the process is hands off. The Instant Pot does most of the work for you with this quick French Onion Soup. 

Ingredients

• Onions: Vidalia onions will result in the sweetest french onion soup. However, yellow onions will also work.
• Butter & Garlic
• Flour: This is used to thicken the soup.
• Stock: I like to use a low sodium beef broth in this recipe, so that you can control the salt level.
• Dry White Wine: I prefer a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris in my French Onion Soup. You can also use dry vermouth. Red wine also works though! Pinot Noir or Merlot will add delicious flavor.
• Dry Sherry or Cognac: Add even more flavor to your soup by adding in a splash of dry sherry or cognac. This is optional.
• Fresh Thyme: Thyme adds an earthy note to this soup.
• Bay Leaf: Adds an extra depth of flavor to your broth. This is optional though.
• Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire Sauce adds loads of flavor to this soup.
• Cheese: I use a combination of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. You can also swap in Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, or mozzarella.
• Bread: For the crostini made to top this French Onion Soup. A baguette or Italian bread will work here.

How to make it

• Caramelize Onions. Saute onions until softened. Then add garlic and a little broth. Seal the pot and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. The onions will be deliciously caramelized and concentrated. 
• Add Flour to Thicken. Once the onions have caramelized, add in some flour and let it saute for a couple minutes so that its raw flavor disappears. This will help create a silky texture and thicken the soup a bit. 
• Add Wine to Season. Add in a splash of white wine for additional flavor. See tips below if you would prefer your French onion soup with no wine. 
• Simmer. Add chicken stock (or try using this parmesan broth) and extra seasonings. Seal pot and cook for 0 minutes. This will allow the soup to come to a good simmer, but not overcook. Once the timer goes off, allow the pressure to release naturally then remove the lid. 
• Make Cheese Bread Toppers. While the soup is simmering, prepare the gruyere croutons. Broil baguette slices that are topped with gruyere cheese until bubbly, about 3-5 minutes. 

What wine to use

• I prefer a dry white wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Gris in my French Onion Soup. You can also use dry vermouth. Red wine also works though! Pinot Noir or Merlot will add delicious flavor. You can also use sherry or cognac. 

Making it without wine

• If you’d like to make French Onion Soup without wine, you can definitely skip that step. You may want to add a splash of balsamic vinegar to brighten up the flavor a bit at the end. 

How to serve it

• Serve French Onion Soup in individual bowls topped with the gruyere croutons. 

How to make ahead & store

• To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results, store the soup without cheese or toasted baguettes and prepare the 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.

What to serve with it

• Serve it as a starter with a steak, pork or chicken dinner. 
• Arugula Salad
• Celery & Fennel Salad
• More → 35+ options for what to serve with French Onion Soup

Wine pairings

• White Wine – Pinot Gris, Viognier, Gewürztraminer
• Red Wine – Beaujolais, Gamay, Pinot Noir 

More Instant Pot soup recipes

• Instant Pot Minestrone Soup 
• Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili 
• Instant Pot Lasagna Soup Recipe
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Instant Pot Bean Soup with Pesto 
• Instant Pot Weight Loss Soup 
• Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup 

Did you try this french onion soup in the instant pot?

If you loved this pressure cooker onion soup, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a ⭐️star review⭐️! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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Psst… Love this French Onion Soup? You’ve got to try my French Onion Chicken and French Onion Soup Dumplings too!

Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Instant Pot French Onion soup with delicious caramelized onions, beef broth, and melty Gruyere cheese croutons is the ultimate comfort food soup recipe.

4.98 from 35 votes

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Serves 6 people

Created by Platings and Pairings

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Time for Pressure to Build: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Equipment

• Pressure cooker

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
• ▢ 2 pounds onions (halved, then thinly sliced)
• ▢ 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons flour
• ▢ 3/4 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
• ▢ 4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 ounces)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons dry sherry or cognac (optional)
• ▢ 6 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices of baguette
• ▢ ½ pound Gruyère cheese (grated)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (grated (optional))

Instructions

• Set Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add butter and melt. Add onions and a pinch of salt and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Hit CANCEL.
• Add 1/4 cup stock to the onions, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Place lid on pot and set to seal.  Press MANUAL high pressure and cook for 18 minutes. When time is up, quick release the pressure and remove lid. Hit CANCEL.
• Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and add flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add wine and cook for 5 minutes, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
• Add remaining broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf and salt and pepper. Place lid on pot and set to seal.  Press MANUAL high pressure and cook for 0 (zero) minutes (not a typo). Quick release the pressure before removing lid. Stir in sherry (if using). Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.
• Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and parmesan and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and place Gruyere toasts on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 939mg | Potassium: 606mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 627IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2024 to add new information. The instapot french onion soup recipe remains the same. Enjoy!