It's no secret that I love French onion soup and this beefy French onion soup is a step above the original. Adding tons of beef takes this appetizer into a full blown meal that is perfect for any chilly day.
This french onion and beef soup is ready in a fraction of the time using an Instant Pot.
Why you'll love it
- Rich, savory flavor from slow-caramelized onions, tender beef, and a deeply flavorful broth.
- Hearty enough for a meal thanks to the addition of beef, making it more filling than traditional French onion soup.
- Comfort food at its best, perfect for chilly days, cozy dinners, or when you're craving something warm and satisfying.
- Loaded with gooey melted cheese and toasted bread for the classic French onion soup experience everyone loves.
- Easy to make at home with simple ingredients and no special cooking techniques required.
- Great for meal prep since the flavors become even better after a day in the refrigerator.
- Perfect for entertaining, whether you're serving it as a starter or the main course for family and friends.
- Restaurant-quality results without the expensive price tag or long wait.
- Easy to customize with your favorite cheeses, bread, or cuts of beef.
- A comforting twist on a classic, combining the timeless flavors of French onion soup with tender bites of beef for an extra satisfying bowl.
Equipment needed
For this you'll need an Instant Pot and oven safe soup bowls.
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients and quantities, scroll down to the recipe card.
- Yellow Onions – The foundation of this soup. Slowly caramelized onions develop a deep, rich sweetness that gives French onion soup its signature flavor.
- Beef Stew Meat – Tender chunks of beef like chuck roast, make this soup hearty and satisfying, turning a classic starter into a filling main course.
- Beef Broth – A high-quality beef broth creates a rich, savory base that complements both the caramelized onions and the beef.
- Gruyère Cheese – This traditional French cheese melts beautifully over the toasted bread, creating the gooey, golden topping that makes French onion soup so iconic.
- French Bread – Thick slices of toasted French bread soak up the flavorful broth while providing the perfect base for the melted cheese, adding both texture and heartiness to every bowl.
Instructions to make beefy French onion soup
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté.
- Pat dry the chuck roast and cover your chuck roast with 1 tablespoon of salt and the black pepper.
- Add the vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and then place chuck roast in the Instant Pot and cook for a couple minutes on each side to give each side a good sear. Don't worry about fully cooking the roast, you're just giving it a good sear.
- Once all the sides have a good sear, remove the chuck from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Place the onions and white wine in the Instant Pot and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions begin to look translucent.
- Add the chuck roast back into Instant Pot. Over the chuck roast add the parsley, thyme, garlic powder, beef broth, remaining salt and bay leaves into the Instant Pot. Close the Instant Pot and set to Pressure Cook at high pressure for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While the soup simmers, toast your baguette. Lightly brush the baguette pieces with olive oil and arrange the baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
- Once the hour is up, allow the steam to quick release and carefully open up the Instant Pot. Using tongs, Break up and large chunks of beef and remove any large bits of fat. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and taste the broth. Add additional salt if necessary.
- When ready to serve the onion soup, adjust oven rack to upper middle position; heat the broiler. Set onion soup bowls on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 ½ cups soup.
- Top each bowl with toasted baguette slices that cover the top of the bowl without overlapping the bread.
- Over the bread lay the gruyere in a single layer. Be sure to slightly overlap the cheese over the edge of the bowl.
- Place the bowls into the oven, about 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and let broil until cheese is brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Top tip
The cheese layer should cover the whole surface and drape over the side of the bowl slightly. This way, it will stick to the sides and form a crust that holds its shape and does not sink into the bottom of the bowl.
Variations & Substitutions for this Instant Pot French onion soup
Want a keto/low carb french onion soup? Simply omit the baguette in the soup.
Don't have fresh herbs? Opt for dried herbs, but double the amount.
Want to make this a hearty french onion and beef stew? Throw in some chopped carrots, potatoes, celery and a tablespoon of flour.
Don't like smoked gruyere cheese? Opt instead for regular gruyere cheese, asiago major cheese goals right here or even mozzarella.
Don't have an Instant Pot? You can make this soup in a dutch oven or pressure cooker on your stove top. If using a dutch oven, the cook time will be about tripled to ensure the onions are caramelized and the chuck roast is tender.
Storage
Refrigerator: Allow the soup to cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, store the soup separately from the toasted bread and cheese.
Freezer: Freeze the cooled soup (without the bread and cheese) in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. Leave a little room at the top of the container for the soup to expand as it freezes.
To Reheat: Warm the soup in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through, or microwave individual portions in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each, until hot.
Add the Toppings Fresh: Toast the bread and melt the cheese just before serving for the best flavor and texture. Avoid freezing or storing the bread and cheese on top of the soup, as they will become soggy.
Make Ahead Tip: This soup tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop, making it an excellent meal prep recipe.
Check out these other soup recipes
French Onion Beef Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3 lbs yellow onions peeled and sliced thin
- 2 shallots peeled and sliced thin
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 lbs beef chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons sea salt separated
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup dry white wine I used Pinot Grigio
- 3 Sprigs fresh parsley minced
- 3 Sprig fresh thyme minced
- 4 Fresh sage leaves minced
- 2 Bay leave
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 French baguette loaf cut on the bias into ¾-inch slices
- ½ lb. of smoked gruyere sliced
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté.
- Pat dry the chuck roast and cover your chuck roast with 1 tablespoon of salt and the black pepper.
- Add the vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and then place chuck roast in the Instant Pot and cook for a couple minutes on each side to give each side a good sear. Don't worry about fully cooking the roast, you're just giving it a good sear.
- Once all the sides have a good sear, remove the chuck from the Instant Pot and set aside.
- Place the onions, shallots, garlic cloves and white wine in the Instant Pot and sauté for 5 minutes until the onions begin to look translucent.
- Add the chuck roast back into Instant Pot. Over the chuck roast add the parsley, thyme, sage, garlic powder, beef broth, remaining salt and bay leaves into the Instant Pot. Close the Instant Pot and set to Pressure Cook at high pressure for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. While the soup simmers, toast your baguette. Lightly brush the baguette pieces with olive oil and arrange the baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake until the bread is dry, crisp, and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
- Once the hour is up, allow the steam to quick release and carefully open up the Instant Pot. Using tongs, Break up and large chunks of beef and remove any large bits of fat. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and taste the broth. Add additional salt if necessary.
- When ready to serve the onion soup, adjust oven rack to upper middle position; heat the broiler. Set onion soup bowls on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 ½ cups soup. Top each bowl with toasted baguette slices that cover the top of the bowl without overlapping the bread. Over the bread lay the gruyere in a single layer. Be sure to slightly overlap the cheese over the edge of the bowl.
- Place the bowls into the oven, about 5 to 6 inches from the broiler and let broil until cheese is brown and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
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