Instant Pot French Onion Soup

This Instant Pot French Onion Soup recipe has allowed me to enjoy all of the flavors of traditional French Onion Soup without all the work and time!

I absolutely love French Onion Soup. There is just something about a bowl of sweet, caramelized onions in a rich and thick broth. And who can resist the topping of a slice of French baguette and cheese that is melted on top?

However, this soup is one that is rarely made in kitchens across America. In fact, I can recall just a few times that I made this myself. That was until I began making it in my Instant Pot.

You see, unlike Chicken Soup, French Onion Soup must be cooked low and slow to maximize and meld the flavors together.

Although this soup requires very little ingredients to make, it is the cooking process that steers most people away from making it in their own kitchens.

However, by cooking French Onion Soup in the Instant Pot, you have all the flavor of traditional French Onion Soup in a fraction of the time.

Instant Pot French Onion Soup

But don’t get me wrong. You still have to spend some time attending to the pot in order to caramelize the onions.

First you must start by slicing your onions nice and thin. If you have a mandoline slicer, be sure to use it! It will make the process go much quicker.

However, if you have to slice your onions by hand, try to cut them in uniform slices. This will help ensure that all the onions caramelize at the same time.

Once you have all your onions sliced, turn your Instant Pot on the Saute mode.

When the display reads HOT, add your butter. Once the butter melts, add in the onions and brown sugar.

Caramelize The Onions

Continue to saute, tossing the onions frequently with tongs, until they begin to caramelize. It will take about approximately 15-20 minutes until the onions break down the sugars and become a deep golden brown in color.

Next, add in the garlic, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and red wine and continue to saute for 1-2 minutes.

It is strongly recommended that you use the red wine in this recipe as it adds more flavor to your Instant Pot French Onion Soup.

However, if you are totally against using wine, substitute beef broth instead.

And speaking of beef broth, it is crucial that you use a high quality brand of broth for your soup. Because this soup is primarily broth based, this is not the time to use a low quality or to substitute it with beef stock.

However, I do recommend using low sodium beef broth. You can always add in more salt later if needed.

Pressure cook on HIGH for 20 minutes and then allow 15 minutes for the pot to Natural Pressure Release. Keep in mind, that the pot will be full and will take longer to come to pressure.

I made this in my 6 quart Instant Pot and it took 18 minutes to come to pressure.

Topping the Soup

Once the pressure has been released, ladle the soup into oven safe crocks and top with a French Baguette slice.

Then top the entire rim of the bowl with a slice of Gruyere cheese. Yes, you could use a different variety of white cheese. However Gruyere will give you the most flavor and will withstand the broiling process perfectly!

Place the crocks on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese begins to melt and turn golden.

Let the soup cool a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

To receive our 3 Recipe Articles in your inbox each week, sign up for our free email list located in the middle of each recipe or email me at contact@makeyourmeals.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Pinterest. This article may contain affiliate links where a small commission is paid if you purchase a product at no additional cost to you.