Quick Instapot French Onion Soup
Last month was my mother’s birthday. She and my dad flew in for the holidays on her birthday. Her only request was that no one talk politics (her birthday was the day after the finalization of the House Impeachment Hearings). AND…to everyone’s surprise, my dad appeased her; even though my husband sure tried to goat my dad.
As I was meal planning for the holidays, I knew I wanted to create something super special for my mom in honor of her birthday. One of her favorite soups is French Onion soup, but I know she is extra picky about the texture and flavors so she rarely finds one that meets her standards.
I took it upon myself to create the perfect French Onion soup for my mom. I came across this recipe on Pinterest and it gave me some inspiration. Making French Onion soup may seem easy, but to achieve the proper texture and combinations of flavors, it takes a little finesse. Cooking this soup in the Instapot takes quite a bit of the hassle and pressure off.
Quick French Onion Soup
Equipment
- instapot
Ingredients
- 6 large sweet onions
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 32 oz low sodium beef stock
- 4 Tbsp fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves fresh or dried (fresh gives richer flavor)
- 2 Tbsp no sodium tomato paste
- shredded cheese: gruyere, swiss, provolone, and parmesan are my favorites for garnish
- 16 oz fresh gnocchi optional
- fresh basil for garnish
Homemade Croutons
- 1 large loaf of hearty bread such as Italian, sourdough, or French
- olive oil extra virgin
- Italian Seasoning
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Turn the Instapot onto the saute setting. While the Instapot is warming up, rough chop the onions. You can slice them, or large dice them. The traditional French Onion soup has the onions sliced, but since my kiddos aren't a huge fan of onions, I chose large dices.
- Add in the butter and the onions to the warmed Instapot and saute the onions for 5-7 minutes or until the onions begin to brown slightly. Once the onions are slightly brown add minced garlic cloves and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Garlic burns very quickly so have the liquid ingredients ready. When the garlic is ready, add in the Worcestershire sauce, low sodium beef stock, tomato paste, bay leaves and 3 of the 4 Tbsps of the fresh thyme. Stir until the tomato paste incorporates with the liquids.
- Place the lid on the Instapot and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.
- While the soup cooks in the Instapot, take the opportunity to make the homemade croutons.
- Once the Instapot is finished, rapid release the pressure and serve immediately topped with the croutons, shredded cheese, and basil.
- If your children are anything like mine, adding in some sort of noodle will convince them to try the soup. Personally, I prefer gnocchi, which I know…is Italian and this is French Onion Soup. But the pillowy texture of the gnocchi is very pleasant to the taste buds.
Homemade Croutons
- Cube the loaf of bread, you should end up with approximately 6-7 cups. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle olive oil over the bread, generously. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes, or until the bread becomes toasted.
Notes
Nutrition
The homemade croutons are extremely tasty with other foods as well, salad, other soups. They keep in a sealed bag for a few weeks, just like store-bought croutons.
If you substitute the beef stock for vegetable stock, then it will be a vegetarian/vegan soup.
Do you have a favorite soup that you can never find a good DIY recipe for? Hope y’all are having an amazing week.
