You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. It’s that sweet, rich scent of caramelized onions wafting up that pulls you right over to your Instant Pot. You sense something hearty is cooking, like a hug in a bowl waiting for ya.
Everytime onions hit that perfect tender pull stage inside, you feel the kitchen become warm and cozy. You might catch yourself sneaking a peek under the sealing ring just to see what's going on. It kinda smells like a fancy bistro but it’s just your tiny condo kitchen doing its thing.
The float valve clicks up when the pressure builds and you know you’re close. You recall how French onion soup usually takes forever but with this method, you’re about 10 minutes away from that broth depth perfect flavor. It works real good and you’re gonna love it.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- It cuts down your cooking time big time compared to the stove top way. If you are looking for other time-saving recipes, consider our tuna steak recipes with Ground Beef for quick meals.
- The sealing ring keeps all the flavors locked inside for a rich taste, similar to how a pressure cooker locks flavor in our cottage cheese queso dip with Raisins and Dates.
- You get a nice caramelization thanks to the sauté mode before pressure cooking.
- The broth depth and richness come from beef bone broth that cooks fast but tastes slow-cooked.
- Quick release lets you jump into eating faster after that natural release wait, a technique explained well in our quick release methods guide.
- You avoid standing over a hot stove stirring forever.
- The float valve shows you when pressure is reached with no guesswork.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to start with that lovely base fat.
- 3 very large yellow onions or Spanish onions, sliced ¼ inch thick for perfect caramelizing.
- 2 cloves garlic minced gives that savory hit without overpowering.
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme for a touch of earthy herbiness.
- 1 bay leaf to add subtle background depth.
- ½ cup dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon that adds richness.
- 4 cups beef bone broth plus 4 cups beef stock for a double dose of meaty flavor.
- 8 to 12 slices of small baguette cut about ¾-inch thick for the toasty topping.
- 4 ounces freshly grated Gruyère cheese for the melty finish (or Swiss, white cheddar, fontina, gouda if ya wanna mix it up).
The Full Pressure Cooker Journey
First, you set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and toss in that unsalted butter. Wait till it’s all melted and bubbly.
Next, add the sliced onions and stir ’em around. You’ll cook ’em ’til they’re softened and just starting to caramelize. It takes about 15 minutes so be patient, stir now and then so they don’t stick.
Then you throw in the minced garlic and cook another minute. You’ll smell that fragrance fill your kitchen real fast.
Pour in the dry red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck on the pot bottom. Let it simmer for a quick 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the wine’s sharpness.
After that, add your beef bone broth, beef stock, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, kosher salt, and black pepper. Give it all a good stir so everything mixes nice.
Lock the lid and set the sealing ring. Put the Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. When it beeps done, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then hit a quick release for the rest. When the float valve drops, remove the bay leaf and thyme. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed before serving.
Time Savers That Actually Work
- Use pre-sliced onions from your store if you’re in a rush; it still works great.
- Keep a jar of minced garlic ready so you don’t gotta mince fresh every time.
- Buy pre-grated cheese to save on prep time but fresh grated melts better if you got the time.
- Toast your baguette slices ahead of time in the oven or toaster to save a step.
- Have your broth and stock chilled and measured beforehand to pour in quick right after wine.
What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot
You notice the broth is rich and deeply beefy with a mild sweetness from the caramelized onions. It’s not bland at all, but kinda layered with savory goodness.
The bread soaked in broth soaks up just enough moisture to be soft but still hold a slight crunch under that melty cheese topping.
Gruyère melts super creamy and adds a nutty, salty bite that balances the soup’s sweetness.
Each spoonful feels cozy and warm, with a tender pull of onion and a hint of herb from thyme and bay leaf teasing the taste buds.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh and Ready
Cool your soup completely before packing it up. This helps keep flavors fresh and stops sogginess.
Store soup in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. You’ll notice the broth thickens a bit but stirring before reheating fixes that real quick.
For longer storage, freeze in sealed containers or freezer bags. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm gently on the stove or in the Instant Pot using the sauté mode.
Your Most Asked Questions Answered
- Can I use other types of onions? Yeah, sweet onions or even red onions work fine but yellow or Spanish onions give the best caramel flavor.
- Do I really need to let natural pressure release? It helps keep flavors melded and onions super tender but if you are in a hurry, quick release is okay too.
- What if I don’t have beef bone broth? Regular beef stock works but bone broth adds that extra depth and richness.
- Can I make this vegetarian? You can swap broth for mushroom broth and skip the meat stock but it won’t be quite the same.
- How thick should my broth be? You want it thinner than stew but richer than plain broth. A nice broth depth that coats your spoon is perfect.
- What’s the best way to reheat leftovers? Low heat on stove or Instant Pot sauté mode with a stir every few minutes keeps soup from breaking or sticking.
Instant Pot French Onion Soup
Equipment
- 1 Instant Pot Electric pressure cooker
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Oven or Broiler For toasting baguette with cheese
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter to start with that lovely base fat
- 3 very large yellow onions or Spanish onions sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon
- 4 cups beef bone broth
- 4 cups beef stock
- 8 to 12 slices small baguette cut about ¾-inch thick
- 4 ounces Gruyère cheese or Swiss, white cheddar, fontina, gouda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the butter. Wait until melted and bubbly.
- Add sliced onions and cook for 15 minutes until softened and caramelizing, stirring occasionally.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in red wine, scrape pot bottom with wooden spoon, and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to reduce wine sharpness.
- Add beef bone broth, beef stock, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, kosher salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Lock lid, set to high pressure for 10 minutes. When done, natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Top toasted baguette slices with shredded cheese and broil until golden and bubbly. Float on soup to serve.