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    Home » Real Food » Instant Pot » Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    By Kristen Chidsey | 16 Comments | Published September 25, 2019 | Updated April 22, 2021 *This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    If you love French Onion Soup at steak house restaurants, you must make this French Onion Soup recipe.

    Instant Pot French Onion soup comes together with minimal effort to result in a soup that is rich, hearty, and will rival any restaurant's version.

    Bowl of Instant Pot French Onion Soup with spoon pulling out cheese pull.

    Restaurant Quality at Home

    There is nothing better than this Instant Pot French Onion Soup. It is full of earthy, nutty flavors, and perfectly caramelized onions.

    And while French Onion Soup is quite simple to make, it is quite time-consuming to make. Unless of course, you use your Instant Pot. With the help of the Instant Pot, restaurant-quality French Onion Soup is possible at home--with very little hands-on time compared to the classic stove-top recipe.

    While the onions break down and release all their sweet flavor into the stock, the soup develops its classic flavor that you know and love with only 20 minutes of pressurized cook time! Topped with crusty bread and a thick layer of gooey cheese, Instant Pot French Onion Soup delivers on flavor and satisfies your craving!

    Notes on Ingredients Needed

    • Onions: I really recommend Vidalia onions if you can find them. They are naturally sweet and lend the best flavor to this soup. However, yellow onions or another variety of sweet onions will work as well.
    • Shallots: Shallots add a mild garlic flavor while enhancing the onion flavor.
    • Stock: Beef broth pairs absolutely beautifully with the flavor of the onions and is classically used in French Onion Soup.
    • Red Wine: A bit of dry wine really adds dimension to this Instant Pot French Onion Soup. I recommend using a dry red wine that is suitable for drinking, such as Cabernet, Merlot, dry Sherry, or Marsala wine, for this recipe.
    • Fresh Thyme: Fresh Thyme adds just the right earthy, floral note that is classic in this soup.
    • Worcestershire Sauce: Use low sodium to control the sodium content, but the Worcestershire Sauce adds a great umami flavor.
    • Brown Sugar: Brown sugar helps to bring out the caramel notes in this soup, adding to the flavor.
    • Cheese: Cheese is essential for French Onion Soup. You want to select a cheese that is sharp and will cut through the rich broth and one that melts well. I use a combination of Gruyere and Parmesan, but Swiss cheese, provolone cheese, and even mozzarella cheese work.
    • Bread: For the crostini made to top this French Onion Soup, I recommend using a baguette or Italian bread.

    How to Make French Onion Soup in the Instant Pot

    • Turn Instant Pot to saute and allow to heat.
    • Once the Instant Pot has heated, add in the olive oil, onions, and shallots and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
    Onions sauted in inner pot of instant pot.
    • Add in the butter and fresh thyme leaves and saute for another minute or two. At this point, the onions should be very soft.
    Caramelized Onions in Instant Pot.
    • Add in the red wine and allow the wine to bubble and saute for 1-2 minutes while stirring with a wooden spatula, and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
    • Turn the Instant Pot OFF from the Saute function.
    • Add in the beef stock, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and brown sugar, and give a good stir to incorporate everything.
    Instant Pot with completed French Onion Soup.
    • Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally. This takes about 15 minutes.
    • Remove the bay leaves and serve with the cheese crostini.
    Bowl of french onion soup topped with fresh thyme.

    Cheese Topper

    French Onion Soup is NOT French Onion Soup without topping the soup with bread and cheese.

    You have two options for preparing the cheese crostini.

    • Toast sliced bread under the broiler. Top with shredded cheese and return to the broiler to melt the cheese. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a slice of the cheese-topped bread. If you want softer bread, don't toast the bread before adding the cheese.
    • Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top with a slice of bread, cover the bread with shredded cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted.

    There are advantages and disadvantages to both options.

    By placing the bread and cheese directly in the soup bowls and broiling until melted, the bread soaks up the soup and is easier to break through when eating. This method is the way most restaurants prepare French Onion Soup. Just be sure to use oven-safe bowls and be CAREFUL when handling--the bowls will be EXTREMELY hot. I do not recommend this method when serving children.

    I personally find it easier to prepare the crostini separately. You don't have to worry about having oven-safe bowls or that your bowls will be too hot--which is crucial when serving small children.

    Crostini on Sheet Pan for Instant Pot French Onion Soup.

    Serving Suggestions

    This Instant Pot French Onion Soup makes a delicious appetizer to serve with entrees such as New York Strip Roast, Ribeye Steak, or Chicken Marsala. But this soup can also stand as a meal on its own, especially when paired with a side salad, like Copycat Panera Greek Salad.

    Storage Tips

    • To Store: French Onion Soup can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best results, store the soup prior to topping it with bread and cheese. 
    • To Freeze: Without the cheese and bread, French Onion Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer the cooled soup to a freezer-safe container, leaving 1-2 inches of room for expansion, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. 
    • To Reheat: Warm the soup in heat-safe bowls in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or for multiple servings, warm the soup in a saucepan over medium-high heat until warmed through. Broil the bread and cheese as directed. Then top the soup with the crostini immediately prior to serving.

    Recipe Modifications

    • Vegetarian Option: Replace the beef broth with good quality store-bought or homemade vegetable broth.
    • Alcohol-Free. If you don't care to cook with alcohol, replace the red wine with additional beef broth.
    • Gluten-Free: Be sure your Worcestershire Sauce and beef broth are gluten-free.

    More Instant Pot Soup Recipes

    • Instant Pot Potato Soup
    • Instant Pot Lasagna Soup
    • Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
    • Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
    • Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
    • Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

    If you enjoyed this recipe for Instant Pot French Onion Soup, I would love for you to leave a comment and rating below. 

    Bowl of French Onion Soup with spoon pulling out cheesy topper

    Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    A rich, earthy French Onion Soup made right in the Instant Pot. This Instant Pot French Onion Soup is full of incredible flavor and rivals any restaurant.
    4.74 from 23 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: French
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Pressure Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 316kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 cups thinly sliced Vidalia Onions
    • 2 shallots thinly sliced
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • ½ tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
    • ½ cup dry red wine
    • 4 cups beef stock
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 2 bay leaves
    • ½ teaspoon pepper
    • salt to taste
    • 8 slices Italian or French Bread cut into 1 inch slices
    • ½ cup Gruyere Cheese shredded
    • ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese grated
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    For Instant Pot French Onion Soup

    • Turn Instant Pot to saute and allow to heat. Be sure it on normal heat. Use +/- buttons to adjust.
    • Once the Instant Pot has heated, add in the olive oil, onions, and shallots.
    • Allow the onions to break down and begin to caramelize, stirring occasionally. This takes about 10 minutes.
    • Add in the butter and fresh thyme leaves and saute for another minute or two.
    • Add in the red wine, if using, and allow to saute for 1-2 minutes, while stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot. After two minutes, turn the Instant Pot OFF.
    • Add in the beef stock, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and brown sugar. NOTE: If you are not using red wine, be sure to scrape up the bottom of the inner pot after adding the beef stock.
    • Place lid on the pressure cooker and be sure vent knob is sealed. Set cook time for 20 minutes on high pressure by hitting the manual or pressure cook button and using the +/- buttons to adjust the cooking time.
    • Once cook time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally. This takes about 15 minutes.
    • Remove the bay leaves and ladle the soup into serving bowls to be topped with the cheese topper.

    For Crostini Topper

    • Preheat the broiler. Place sliced bread on a baking sheet and broil for 2-3 minutes per side until the bread is just toasted. Remove from the oven and top each slice of bread evenly with shredded cheese. Broil until cheese has melted--watch carefully! Ladle the soup into bowls and top with crostini.
    • Alternatively, ladle soup into oven-safe serving bowls and place on a baking sheet. Top with a slice of bread and sprinkle evenly with cheese. Place baking sheet in the oven and broil until cheese has melted and browned. Watch carefully so the bread does not burn. Be careful serving, as the bowl will be hot.

    Equipment Needed

    • Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

    Notes

    Onions: Vidalia onions are best for French Onion soup, as they are perfectly sweet and caramelize perfectly. However, yellow onions will work as well. 
    Wine: Be sure to use a dry red wine, such as Cabernet or Merlot. A dry sherry wine or dry marsala wine can be used in place of the red wine as well. To omit alcohol, use stock in place of the wine.
    Thyme: Fresh thyme is best, but you can use ½ teaspoon of dried thyme leaves if needed.
    Stock: For stock, low-sodium beef stock adds the most classic flavor to this French Onion Soup. However, vegetable or mushroom stock can be used to make this soup vegetarian. 
    Cheese: Gruyere Cheese, Swiss Cheese, or even sliced provolone cheese can be used for the crostinis.
    Stock and Worcestershire sauce are both salty, so I recommend adding salt to taste after the French Onion Soup has cooked. 
    Storage Instructions: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container once cooled for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Alternatively, place the cooled soup into a freezer-safe airtight container, leaving 1-2 inches for expansion, and freeze it for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup if needed and then reheat the soup until warmed through. Top the soup with the bread and cheese as directed.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 316kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 656mg | Potassium: 431mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 3mg
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    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laurie

      March 24, 2022 at 6:42 pm

      5 stars
      I was presented with a 5# bag of sliced white onions from a local charity’s hoagie sandwich fund raiser. I had everything else for the recipe, so I gave it a try. The onions caramelized nicely - I’ve dabbled in Indian recipes, and they slowly caramelize white onions to flavor their daals, so I figured the white onions would be an OK sub to use. My soup turned out a tad sweet - may be the sodium overload in restaurant versionshas masked the natural flavor . My red wine was semi dry - I’d make sure I had a really dry wine and Videlias next time to compare, and perhaps cut the brown sugar by a teaspoon or so. The instructions and cheese blend for the Crostini were spot on and delicious.

      Reply
    2. Penny Lane

      January 19, 2022 at 6:02 pm

      5 stars
      Never had it before but fixed this tonight and it’s DELICIOUS. I SUBSTITUTED the French bread for Texas garlic toast & will definitely fix this again. Thank you for sharing the recipe

      Reply
    3. Richard Monje

      April 22, 2021 at 9:06 pm

      5 stars
      Best ever

      Reply
    4. Amanda

      November 24, 2020 at 10:58 am

      5 stars
      This was amazing! I love French onion soup but never have enough time to prepare it— instant pot for the win!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 24, 2020 at 12:17 pm

        I am so glad you were able to easily enjoy one of your favorites Amanda. Thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    5. Miranda

      October 27, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      4 stars
      Delicious and very thorough directions! A bit sweet but could have been my onions. Definitely we will be making again.

      Reply
    6. Tara

      September 01, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      4 stars
      A found it a bit sweet, but other than that it was lovely. Next time I will add more salt.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 02, 2020 at 6:52 am

        Be sure to use dry red wine, which will help balance the sweetness. Or you can decrease/omit the sugar next time 🙂

        Reply
    7. Terri G.

      June 09, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      5 stars
      Made this French onion soup today and we had it for lunch. It was awesome! I did not add any salt and did not red to add any when the soup was eaten. This is definitely a make again recipe! My husband rates all my recipes. He said 9 on a scale of 1 to 10. Ten being the highest rating.
      Thanks for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 09, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        I am so glad you enjoyed Terri! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    8. Stacey

      December 30, 2019 at 8:51 am

      What size IP does this fill up? Curious if I can increase and fit in 8qt...?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 30, 2019 at 10:11 am

        Hi Stacey, you can easily double this in an 8 quart. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
        • Cricket

          January 10, 2021 at 10:25 am

          5 stars
          One of my first attempts in using my new Instant Pot. It was so tasty I am making a vegan version today to give to my son and his fiancée for their lunches this week. (Substitute vegetable broth and omit butter.) They will enjoy it too. Thank-you.

          Reply
    9. Ashley F

      September 27, 2019 at 10:55 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the tips on how to prepare the crostini, we went with the more traditional way and it worked great!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        September 28, 2019 at 11:31 am

        Awesome! So glad you enjoyed Ashley

        Reply
    10. Suzy

      September 27, 2019 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best thing I've made in the instant pot! I love french onion soup.

      Reply

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