Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Warm up on a chilly night by making Instant Pot French Onion Soup! This take on the classic soup is made in the electric pressure cooker and finishes under the broiler. Hearty and comforting, this Instant Pot French Onion Soup recipe is hard to beat. Makes 4 servings.

Easy French Onion Soup

You could call me the queen of all things French Onion.

Hello, Steak Bruschetta with French Onion Marmalade, French Onion Steak Pasta, French Onion Biscuits, French Onion Poutine…

I’m all about the French Onion flavors.

Specifically, I’m obsessed with caramelized onions, especially when paired with beef, thyme and melty cheeeeeese.

join our party!

get our latest recipes delivered to your inbox every week — plus all my entertaining tips and tricks!

​
​

Subscribe

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

Why should it be no surprise that I’d make you French Onion Soup in the Instant Pot?

Why I love this recipe:

This recipe has been a long time coming.

We might be able to call this a “cheater’s” French Onion Soup because we’re making it in the Insta Pot.

However, that does not imply that it’s ready any quicker than the classic French Onion Soup made on the stovetop.

This is still a labor of love and time commitment… but it’s well-worth it!

Here are some things I love about this particular recipe:

• Don’t want to babysit the caramelizing onions on the stovetop? The Instant Pot is a great tool! Since the pot doesn’t get nearly as hot as a pot on the stovetop can, the onions require less babysitting. (However, I do still recommend keeping an eye on ’em so they don’t scald the bottom of the pot.)
• If you don’t have a stovetop but want French Onion flavors, this hits the spot.
• Afraid of the pressure settings on the IP? We don’t use ’em.

Honestly, the beauty of this recipe is caramelizing the onions in the Instant Pot. (I discovered how to do it while testing out my French Onion Meatloaf, and it is FABULOUS.)

While you can serve your soup straight from the Instant Pot, if you’ve got an oven and the tools to do it, I suggest finishing the soup in the broiler for that classic French Onion toastiness.

More comforting dishes made in the Instant Pot and slow cooker: Instant Pot Red Beans and Rice | Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup | Instant Pot Gumbo | Slow Cooker Pot Roast | Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Looking for more comfort foods? Check out my Dinner Recipe Index for recipe inspo.

What is French Onion Soup?

French Onion Soup is exactly that — an onion-based soup from France. 

It’s traditionally made with caramelized onions, dry sherry (or white wine) and beef stock (or beef broth). 

Bowls of this soup are usually topped with crusty French baguette and a layer of gruyère cheese, which is broiled until melted into a crusty, cheesy topping. 

When eaten warm with a spoon, you get the most amazing cheese pulls! They’ll be Instagram-quality, I promise. 

What you need to make this recipe:

The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

• Mandoline or sharp knife
• Herb leaf remover
• Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker
• Wooden spoon
• French Onion soup crocks

The French Onion soup bowls are especially important if you’re going to broil your soup to get the delicious caramelized cheese on top!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Yellow onions — white onions work too, but yellow onions work best for caramelizing. A Vidalia onion, which is a sweet yellow onion, is also excellent, though I tend to use regular yellow onions because I never have Vidalias on hand. Don’t use red onions. 
• Unsalted butter — I like to use this because it means I can control how much salt is added to the dish. You may use salted butter, but go light when seasoning with salt and taste as it’s cooking.
• Red wine — you can use a dry white wine or sherry instead, or skip the alcohol. (See customizations section below.)
• Beef broth — beef broth is traditional and provides the best flavor, but chicken broth and vegetable broth can be used in a pinch, too. 
• Fresh thyme — you can use dried thyme if needed. You’ll need about 1 teaspoon dried thyme, though I prefer using the fresh herb.
• Kosher salt — sea salt also works. 
• Black pepper — freshly cracked black pepper provides the best flavor. 
• Crusty bread — any kind of bread will work, but it needs to be small enough to fit in your bowl. A baguette slice is classic. 
• Gruyere cheese — while I’ve made French Onion flavors with provolone and Swiss, Gruyere is the classic French Onion Soup cheese. It’s soooo melty! 

Customizations and substitutions

Sherry is traditional, but you can use any dry red wine. I always do this because I never have sherry on hand.

My wine of choice is a pinot noir or a merlot. I do not recommend using a cabernet sauvignon because of their bolder, jammy flavors.

If you choose to forgo the red wine, I suggest using a cup of beef bone broth to give some extra flavor to the soup before adding in the broth. This will provide some extra depth of flavor that the wine provides without adding the wine.

If you don’t want to go that route, just use an additional cup of beef broth to deglaze before adding in the rest of the broth and call it a day.

Alcohol for French Onion Soup

Traditional French Onion Soup uses alcohol to deglaze the pan. (Deglazing is the name for ​​adding liquid to a pan to loosen food particles and browned bits.) 

Some recipes call for red wine, while others call for white wine sherry. Some even call for cognac or brandy. My recipe uses red wine.

How to make French Onion Soup in the Instant Pot

First and foremost, chop the onions.

Measure out the wine and beef broth.

Strip the thyme leaves off the thyme stems.

Shred the cheese and slice the crusty bread.

Set ’em all aside.

How to caramelize onions in the Instant Pot

Caramelizing onions is the part that takes the most time! It is IMPORTANT. If you try to go too fast, they will burn! Go slowly and be patient. You can do this!

I find this process to be much easier in the Instant Pot because the pot doesn’t get nearly as hot as a pot on the stovetop.

And if your electric pressure cooker has a Sauté setting like my Instant Pot does, you can easily do this, too.

As the pressure cooker heats, add the butter and let it melt.

Once melted, add the onions.

Stir them constantly as they cook down, until they’re nice and caramelized!

Make the soup

Once the onions are caramelized, deglaze the pot with red wine.

Be sure to scrape the bottom of the Instant Pot with your wooden spoon to release any browned bits from it. This is major flavor, so don’t let it go to waste!

Add the beef broth and the thyme, stirring to combine.

Give the soup a taste, then add salt and pepper, if necessary.

Simmer for the rest of the 15 minutes, then bake in the oven or serve with a little shredded cheese and a toasted piece of bread on top.

That’s right. You don’t even have to put the pot under high pressure and seal the lid! All you do is saute and simmer! No quick pressure release OR natural release of the remaining pressure is necessary.

How to broil French Onion Soup

Move a rack to be about 6-7″ from the top of your oven. (The top of the oven is where the broiler is.)

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Mine goes up to 550°F, so it gets HOT.

Make sure you use oven-safe bowls. Place them on a large baking sheet.

Spoon the soup into the crocks.

Top each bowl with 1-2 pieces of crusty bread, then add cheese on top of that.

Broil for 5-8 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey and browned.

Please keep an eye on these as they’re broiling, as you do not want things to break or burn beneath the broiler.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve.

How to store and freeze

Let the soup cool before storing it. Ladle it into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. 

The soup can also be frozen and thawed later. It will last about 3 months in the freezer.

When ready to serve, warm the soup in a pot on the stove while the broiler preheats. Then ladle the hot soup into bowls, prepare the toast and cheese in the bowls and stick them under the broiler. 

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

This would be excellent for a soup party or gathering!

Basically, any wintertime party that requires a meal would be great for this because you can make it in advance and keep the soup warm before broiling the individual bowls.

Here’s what I would do:

• Serve it with extra crunchy bread and some compound butter on the side. 
• Let guests serve themselves… and add on their bread and cheese accordingly. Broil ’em all together!
• Don’t have broiler-safe bowls? You can cook the toasts separately in the oven for a few minutes until the cheese has melted, then place them over the bowls. 
• Serve the soup with the wine you used to deglaze the pan!

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the BEST French Onion Soup

• Give the onions time to caramelize. These golden brown onions add so much depth of flavor, and you can’t rush it.
• Use a mandoline* (affiliate link) to thinly slice your onions if you don’t want to use a knife. (Just be careful!) 
• Mise en place is key. Removing the thyme from the stems is time-consuming and frustrating. Get this done first. If you have a herb leaf remover* (affiliate link), it can help cut down on the time spent here!

More comforting soup recipes to try:

• Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings

Now who’s ready to make some of this soup?

Scroll on down to learn how easy it is!