The BEST Easy French Onion Soup

The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You remember the smell of onions caramelizing, slow and steady, but with the pressure cooker, you get all that flavor way faster. The rich smell kinda sneaks up in your kitchen and you catch yourself staring at the cooker like it’s a treasure chest about to open up.

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The countdown timer feels like the longest and shortest thing at once. You peek, you wait, you do a quick release and then bam, that first taste kinda hits you with all the warmth and depth you were dreaming of. You feel like you cracked the code on comfort food.

French onion soup usually is a long labor of love, but with this method, you get to all those layers of cheesy, brothy goodness without the usual wait. It’s the kind of dinner that hugs you back, and you just wanna dig in again and again.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

• You save a bunch of time without losing that deep flavor.
• The sealing ring does its job real good, locking in all the aroma and taste.
• Quick release lets you get to eating fast once the soup is done.
• Pressure cooking helps get that tender pull on the onions without standing around stirring forever.
• It layers the broth depth just right so every spoonful is rich and warm.

Everything You Need Lined Up

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• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced onions
• 5 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices French bread, plus cheeses: provolone, Swiss diced, and Parmesan grated

You gotta start with a good base. Butter and olive oil help get those onions soft and golden. The sliced onions are what make everything so rich once they caramelize nice and tender.

The beef broth is what gives it body, and the dry sherry adds a little oomph to the flavor. Don’t forget that thyme! It’s subtle but makes a big difference in the broth depth. And of course, seasoning with salt and pepper kinda just brings it all together.

The bread and cheeses are the final party on top of the soup. French bread gets toasted just right, and then you pile on provolone and the Swiss with the Parmesan sprinkled last to get that golden cheesy crust.

The Exact Process From Start to Finish

1. Melt the butter with olive oil in your pressure cooker over medium heat. You wanna get it nice and hot before adding the onions.
2. Throw in the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until they’re caramelized. This takes about 25 minutes with slow release flavor development, but pressure cooker helps speed it up plenty.
3. Pour in beef broth, dry sherry, and sprinkle in dried thyme. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Seal the lid with your pressure cooker's sealing ring and set it to cook until the soup is rich and bubbly. Use slow release after pressure cooking to keep flavors mellow.
5. While that’s happening, preheat your oven broiler to get ready for that cheesy toast on top.
6. Pop the French bread slices on a baking sheet and under the broiler until lightly browned on each side. You want some crunch but not burnt.
7. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top each with toasted bread, add a slice of provolone, then sprinkle diced Swiss and Parmesan. Broil just until the cheese bubbles and turns golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then you’re dang ready to dig in!

Time Savers That Actually Work

• Slam the onions in the pressure cooker right away to cut down caramelizing time. It’s slow elsewhere, but this speeds it up real good.
• Use pre-sliced onions if you’re in a rush but eyeball the thickness for that perfect tender pull.
• Toast bread slices early while your soup is cooking pressure side so it doesn’t hold things up later.
• Measure out your spices and broth before starting so nothing slows you down mid-cook.

These little shortcuts are wins when your stomach is growling and you want that cozy soup fast. Getting prep sorted makes the whole thing smoother and less dang stress.

What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot

You scoop up that first ladle and it’s all rich and deep, the broth depth totally coming through. The onions bring that tender pull with a sweetness that’s mellow but still full of flavor.

The cheese melts over the toasted bread like a warm blanket. The provolone and Swiss make it creamy and gooey, and that sprinkle of Parmesan adds a little sharp kick right at the end.

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Every spoonful feels like a hug from an old friend, kinda soothing and totally satisfying. You remember why this soup’s a classic, and you savor every bite like it’s dang treasure.

Making It Last All Week Long

• Cool the soup completely before storing to keep broth depth from getting weird.
• Use airtight containers in the fridge and it’ll keep good for up to 4 days.
• For longer storage, freeze the soup without the bread for up to 3 months.
• When reheating, do it slow on the stove and add the bread fresh and cheese right before serving to keep texture intact.

Keeping leftovers tasty is all about handling the soup with care after cooking. Follow these tips and you’ll enjoy this cozy dish anytime you want without losing what makes it special.

The FAQ Section You Actually Need

• Can I use yellow onions instead of white? Yeah, yellow onions work just fine and add a bit more sweetness. You’ll still get that tender pull and broth depth.
• What’s quick release versus slow release? Quick release is when you let the pressure out fast, usually by flipping a valve. Slow release means you let the pressure come down gradually. For this soup, you mostly want slow release to keep flavors mellow.
• Can I make this soup vegetarian? Sure thing, just swap out beef broth for a rich veggie broth. It won’t be exactly the same but still dang tasty.
• Is this soup good for meal prep? Heck yeah, it holds up well in the fridge and freezer when stored right. Just add bread and cheese fresh each time you serve.
• How do I avoid soggy bread? Toast your bread slices under the broiler before adding to soup bowls. This helps ‘em hold up better under the cheese and broth.
• Why use dry sherry? That little splash adds depth and complexity to the broth without overpowering. If you don’t have any, you can skip it but it does help bring the soup together.

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Rich and Simple French Onion Soup

Rich, cheesy, and made in a flash with a pressure cooker, this French Onion Soup brings all the classic flavor with less time in the kitchen.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Calories 380 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Pressure cooker
• 1 Oven broiler
• 1 Baking sheet
• 1 Oven-safe bowls

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups sliced onions
• 5 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 slices French bread
• provolone cheese
• Swiss cheese diced
• Parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Melt the butter with olive oil in your pressure cooker over medium heat. You wanna get it nice and hot before adding the onions.
• Throw in the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until they’re caramelized. This takes about 25 minutes with slow release flavor development, but pressure cooker helps speed it up plenty.
• Pour in beef broth, dry sherry, and sprinkle in dried thyme. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste.
• Seal the lid with your pressure cooker's sealing ring and set it to cook until the soup is rich and bubbly. Use slow release after pressure cooking to keep flavors mellow.
• While that’s happening, preheat your oven broiler to get ready for that cheesy toast on top.
• Pop the French bread slices on a baking sheet and under the broiler until lightly browned on each side. You want some crunch but not burnt.
• Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls, top each with toasted bread, add a slice of provolone, then sprinkle diced Swiss and Parmesan.
• Broil just until the cheese bubbles and turns golden, about 2 to 3 minutes.
• Then you’re dang ready to dig in!

Notes

Cool completely before storing. Keep in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 4 days or freeze without bread for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove.