Instant Pot French Onion Soup
This easy recipe for Instant Pot French Onion Soup contains no wine and is a great weeknight dinner. It’s made with simple healthy ingredients and suitable for those on a keto, paleo or Whole30 diet making it a versatile instant pot soup recipe.
I’m not sure why, but I always thought French onion soup was such a fancy menu item to order. It was on a lot of diner menus growing up and I often ordered a crock. Especially when I felt under the weather or if it was super cold out side.
I’m also a huge onion lover. So huge that I remember eating Vidalia onions RAW in the past. Don’t even get me started on caramelized onions. And that SMELL!
I still believe that butter and onions being sautéed together is one of the best smells of all time.
🧅 Ingredients You’ll Need
- Yellow Onions: You can use pretty much any onion you prefer like sweet or red onion in this soup but I’ve found that yellow onions have the best flavor once caramelized and they are the most budget friendly.
- Minced Garlic: Garlic goes hand in hand with onion and is the perfect flavor compliment.
- Worcestershire or Coconut Aminos: This will add a deep umami flavor to the soup.
- Beef Broth: The base of this soup is flavored with beef broth but you could also use vegetable stock if you’re making this a vegan soup recipe.
- Arrowroot Starch or Flour: This is used to thicken French onion soup to make it a bit more hearty.
- Thyme and Bay Leaves: These dried herbs add a fresh layer of flavor.
- Instant Pot: Any instant pot or pressure cooker will work in this recipe, however I love making soups in my Ninja Foodi.
📖 How To Make Instant Pot French Onion Soup
1️⃣ Cut and slice your onions into 1/8 inch salad slices (rainbow shape) and mince your garlic. In instant pot, use the sauté function to melt 3 tbsp butter or ghee.
2️⃣ Once butter is melted, add onions and garlic and sauté for 15-20 minutes making sure to constantly keep an eye on it and stir to keep from burning. After about 15-20 minutes the onions should be soft and translucent.
3️⃣ Sprinkle in 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or flour and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire or Coconut Aminos and stir to combine.
4️⃣ Pour in 8 cups of beef broth. Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
5️⃣ Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Use a quick release or natural release and serve hot.
🌟 OPTIONAL: pour in crocks or ramekins, top with bread and cheese and place under broiler.
🍲 Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
This recipe can be made in your slow cooker or crockpot with these simple steps:
- Saute onions and garlic in butter according to the recipe below in a pan over medium low heat for 15-20 minutes.
- Add onions to slow cooker or crockpot along with beef broth, herbs and any remaining ingredients
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or Cook on LOW for 6 hours
🥑 Keto Instant Pot French Onion Soup
If you leave off the bread croutons, this soup will be naturally low carb. To add texture and crunch top this French onion soup with Air Fryer Onion Rings.
🍎Paleo & Whole30 French Onion Soup
- Use ghee instead of butter to sauté your onions and garlic
- Use Arrowroot starch instead of flour
- Make sure you read your labels if you’re using store bought beef broth or stock.
- Use coconut aminos instead of Worcestershire
❔FAQ
Caramelizing onions is when you draw out the sugar in onions cooking them over low heat very slowly in oil. Although caramelized onions would work well in this recipe, it is not necessary to make sure they are caramelized. They still need to be cooked 15-20 minutes in the instant pot, but will get their brown color and flavor from the herbs and beef stock.
Traditionally a French onion soup base is made and then poured into oven safe crocks or ramekins and topped with a slice of French baguette and shredded Gruyere cheese. It is then put under the broiler for about 5 minutes or until the cheese gets melted and bubbly.
Traditionally, onions are caramelized in butter which gives it a rich flavor. You could use avocado oil, but the best way to make vegan French onion soup would be to caramelize your onions in a butter substitute such as Earth Balance.
You can freeze prepared French onion soup in an airtight container or bag for up to 4 months.
Have Leftovers? Use them up in this French Onion Quiche
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Instant Pot French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yellow Onion
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 tbsp [Ghee] or Butter
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire or Coconut Aminos for whole30
- 8 cups Beef Broth or Beef Stock
- 1 tbsp [Arrowroot Starch]
- 2 Dried Bay Leaves
- 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
Instructions
- Cut and slice your onions into 1/8 inch salad slices (rainbow shape) and mince your garlic.
- In instant pot, use the saute function to melt 3 tbsp butter or ghee.
- Once butter is melted, add onions and garlic and saute for 15-20 minutes making sure to constantly keep an eye on it and stir to keep from burning. After about 15-20 minutes the onions should be soft and translucent.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp arrowroot starch and 2 tablespoons Worcestershire or classic marinade and stir to combine.
- Pour in 8 cups of beef broth.
- Add bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
- Cook on manual HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
- Use a quick release or natural release and serve hot.
- OPTIONAL: pour in crocks or ramekins, top with bread and cheese and place under broiler
