Instant Pot French Onion Soup

Summer is quickly coming to end and it’s time to bust out the Instant Pot again. Today I’m bringing you this yummy recipe for French Onion Soup made in the IP. If you are looking for more Instant Pot recipes there’s a list posted above this recipe below. 

I’ve been on this caramelized onion kick lately after making French Onion Chicken.  Seriously, they are so good and can make any dish better! I’ve been dreaming of this French Onion Soup recipe which only has 5 easy ingredients. 

There is one other step towards the end when you use your broiler to get the cheese all melted and bubbly and that toasted baguette on top. The only thing scary or hard about broilers is trying to not let your food burn. Just make sure to keep an eye on the bread and cheese so they don’t end up burning. If making French Onion Soup seems like a daunting task to you then give this recipe a try in your Instant Pot. I’ll bet you want to make it over and over again. Using your instant pot should be fun and not a scary thing. Heck, I used to think that using your broiler was scary. 

How to Make Instant Pot French Onion Soup

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and Select Sauté mode. Add the butter, and stir with a wooden spoon. 
2. Add sliced onions to your Instant Pot. Sauté for about 15-20 minutes or until onions are golden brown and caramelized. Stir occasionally. Caramelized onions take a while and you need to be patient with them. I find that when it looks like the onions are drying out just add a little bit of water to the pot. The IP I have only sauteed for 10 minutes so every time it turned off I just hit the Saute mode again. 
3. Add thyme, Worcestershire sauce and beef broth to the IP. Stir for 1-2 minutes
   Cover the lid on the Instant Pot, and set it to sealing mode. Pressure cook for 20 minutes followed by a quick release. 
4. Slice bread and spray with cooking spray. Place the slices of bread on top of a sheet pan and broil 2 minutes per side or until golden. 
5. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls or ramekins. Add a slice of bread to the top of the soup. Place a slice of cheese on top of the bread and place back in the oven until the cheese is bubbly and turns golden brown. 
6. Enjoy! 

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO MAKE FRENCH ONION SOUP? 

The base of my soup only quires 5 ingredients and you more than likely have a lot of these simple ingredients in your pantry already!  If you don’t like Worcestershire sauce or Thyme feel free to use what seasonings you like or have on hand. A good substitute for Worcestershire sauce is Soy Sauce. For Vegan or vegetarian substitutions use vegetable stock and coconut aminos instead of Worcestershire sauce, and a vegan butter substitute. 

6 tablespoons of light butter

4 cups of sliced onions 

½ teaspoon of dried thyme

4 to 6 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

32 oz  of reduced-sodium beef broth

Servings and WW Points 

This recipe makes a total of 6 to 8 servings (1 cup each) and can easily fit into a ramekin that is about medium in size. The base of the soup is 3 points for 1 cup. Do not skimp out on the butter here because that gives the flavor of the onion. The choice of bread and cheese used is up to you! I picked up a ciabatta loaf and some swiss cheese from Aldi to top the french onion soup off with. If you use a fancy bread the best way to figure out points for it is to weigh it. Sargento Ultra Thin Swiss Cheese Slices are a good low point option to top off your soup with. 

Make sure to get a bite of soup, bread, and melted cheese. It is the only way to eat this soup!

How is this a WW recipe?

 NO FOOD is off limits on WW and WW themselves stresses that a lot on their social media pages. That is one reason why I love WW. You can pretty much eat ANYTHING to lose weight just as long as you stay in your daily points range or are in a calorie deficit.  

How does Weight Watchers work? 

Each recipe or food has a Smart Points value. This is calculated using calories, saturated fat, protein, and sugar. It is best to stay away from foods that are loaded with saturated fat and sugar on the plan because those foods are higher in points. When you register with Weight Watchers you are given a daily set of points to target based on your age, gender, height, and activity level. Think of it as an easier way to track your macros. 

Why did I come up with a different points value than you did? 

I try to figure out points for recipes as best as I can. The points you come up with might be different because you could have used a different brand or product than what I did. 

HOW TO FREEZE or store FRENCH ONION SOUP FOR LATER

1. French onion soup can be stored in an Instant Pot for up to 5 days in airtight containers. 
2. Let the french onion soup cool completely before storing it in airtight containers and storing it in the fridge or freezer. 
3. When you are ready to eat the soup again defrost it and warm it on a stovetop or microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. Do not freeze the soup with the bread or soup. 

WHAT IS THE BEST CHEESE FOR FRENCH ONION SOUP? 

When making classic french onion soup the best type of cheese to top it with is Gruyere cheese but oftentimes that type of cheese is expensive to buy for this. I have found that when making this soup Swiss cheese and Provolone both work very well because they are both good melty cheeses. 

WHAT TYPE OF ONIONS ARE BEST 

There are many varieties of onions out there and they all caramelize. You can experiment with different ones to your heart's desire but I prefer sweet onions like Vidalia or Walla Walla. A unique twist on french onion soup would be to use some red onions for their unique purple color.

Onion Chopping Tips 

Chopping onions can be kind of a pain in the butt because of how they make you cry. I have found that in order to prevent crying when chopping onions, it is best to store them in the fridge before cutting them.  I have tried this method many times and it works every time.

 Another thing I found recently was to have a fan blowing near the onions. It blows away all the pungent chemical fumes from the onion away. Do you have any tips for not crying while chopping an onion? Drop a comment below! 

If you try this recipe don’t forget to rate it below. 

More Instant Pot Recipes 

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken 

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese 

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches 

Instant Pot Sunday Pot Roast 

Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meat Sauce