Go Back
Instant Pot french onion soup | french onion soup instant pot
4.94 from 76 votes

Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Recipe by Amy + Jacky | PressureCookRecipes.com
How to make Instant Pot French Onion Soup. Sweet caramelized onions in rich beef broth, topped with toasted golden crusty bread and melted Gruyère cheese. Enjoy the rich complex layer of flavors crafted with simple ingredients and love.
Servings 4 - 6
Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds (1816g) onions (3⅔lb (1665g) yellow onions + ⅓lb (151g) shallots) , sliced
  • 6 tablespoons (64g) unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon (2g) baking soda
  • ¼ cup (63ml) Sauvignon Blanc or dry white wine
  • 3 (12g) garlic cloves , minced
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) regular soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) fish sauce (can substitute with regular soy sauce)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon (1g) dried thyme
  • 4 cups (1L) unsalted high quality beef stock
  • 4 cups (1L) unsalted high quality chicken stock
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • French baguette , sliced into ¾ - 1 inch thick slices
  • 4 ounces freshly grated Gruyère cheese

Equipment

Instructions

  • Pressure Cook Onions: Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (roughly 8 mins). 
    Melt 6 tbsp (64g) unsalted butter in Instant Pot. 
    Add ⅓ lb (151g) sliced shallot and 3⅙ lb (1438g) sliced yellow onions in Instant Pot. 
    Amy + Jacky's Notes: We're reserving the remaining ½ lb (227g) sliced yellow onions for later.
    Add in ½ tsp (2g) baking soda (NOT baking powder!), then mix well. Sauté until onions begin to release moisture (around 5 mins). 
    With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes, then Quick Release. 
    Amy + Jacky's Notes: Onions are full of liquid, so they will generate enough steam for the Instant Pot to build pressure.
  • Caramelize Onions: There will be a lot of liquid in Instant Pot. To speed up the process, pour the onion liquid in a large glass measuring cup and reserve it for later. 
    Caramelize onions by using the "Saute More" function. Stir occasionally. Once all the liquid has evaporated, turn the heat down to "Saute Normal". 
    Amy + Jacky's Tip: At this point, stir the onions more frequently to avoid burning. 
    Saute onions until they are deep golden brown. 
    Amy + Jacky's Notes: The whole caramelizing process will take roughly 22 - 30 minutes.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot: Pour in ¼ cup (63ml) Sauvignon Blanc or dry white wine, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
  • Pressure Cook French Onion Soup: Add minced garlic, 1 tbsp (15ml) regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15ml) fish sauce, 1 bay leaf, thyme, previously reserved ½ pound (227g) sliced onions, previously reserved onion juice, 4 cups (1L) unsalted beef stock, and 4 cups (1L) unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.
    With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 (zero) minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes. Then, carefully turn Venting Knob to the Venting position to release the remaining pressure.
  • Season and Serve: While Instant Pot is natural releasing, preheat oven to 450°F. 
    Slice French baguette to ¾ - 1 inch thick slices. Optional: Spread melted butter on baguette slices, then toast them in toaster oven. 
    Taste and season the French onion soup with salt. For reference, we added 3 large pinches of coarse kosher salt. 
    Optional Flavor Enhancing Step: Simmer the soup for 5 - 10 minutes using the "Saute" button to give it more body and richness.
    Add French onion soup to an oven-safe bowl. Place a slice of French baguette on top of the soup, then layer freshly grated Gruyère cheese on top. Place the bowls on a baking tray, then place them in a 450°F oven for 6 - 8 minutes, until the cheese melt and browned. 
    Pat yourself on the back for making this delicious French Onion Soup! Enjoy~

Notes

1. Onions: Use good-quality onions! For simplicity, you can use 4 pounds of yellow onions.
  • Deeply Caramelized Onions: Make sure to spend some time caramelizing the onions. The more caramelized the onions, the more rich flavors they’ll impart to your soup.
2. Baking Soda: Helps onions caramelize faster. Triple-check that you're NOT using baking powder!
3. High-Quality Unsalted Stock: The quality of your stock directly impacts the taste of your French onion soup, so try your best to use good quality stock. 
  • Substitute with Chicken Stock: If you can’t find high-quality beef stock, you can use all unsalted chicken stock or vice versa.
  • Substitute with Salted Stock: Keep in mind that the sodium level can vary a lot between different brands. Always taste and adjust accordingly.
  • Vegetarian Option: Substitute with vegetable stock.
4. Fish Sauce & Regular Soy Sauce: They’re not traditional ingredients in a classic French onion soup. But they add a magical boost of savory-umami flavor complexity.
  • Fish Sauce Substitute: You can substitute it with soy sauce. Some readers substitute it with Worcestershire sauce.
5. Unsalted Butter: We prefer to develop recipes using unsalted butter for more control and consistency. If you're using salted butter, taste and adjust accordingly.
  • Vegan Option: Substitute with olive oil.
6. Zero-Minute Pressure Cooking Method: We’re using the heat generated during the “building pressure” stage and the “releasing pressure” stage to cook the soup.
7. Double Recipe: You can double the recipe and use the same pressure cooking time.
8. Freeze: Yes! You can freeze the soup without the bread. For the best quality, consume it within 2 months.
Rate Amy + Jacky's Recipe: If you've tried our recipe, rate the recipe in the Comments section. Thank you!
Author: Amy + Jacky
Calories: 271kcal

Nutrition

Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 871mg | Potassium: 859mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 375IU | Vitamin C: 21.9mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 1.5mg