The pressure cooker onion soup, or soupe à l’oignon, is a typical dish of French cuisine, tracing its origins back to ancient Rome. The recipe is very simple, and despite the hassle of slicing many onions to prepare it, it’s definitely worth making to enjoy its goodness.
Simple and beloved worldwide for its rustic taste, this comfort food is also part of those recipes made with humble and easily available ingredients. Indeed, a recipe that involves the use of onions, yellow or white as in my version: the true protagonists of this recipe. After softening them with a pat of butter over very low heat, some beef broth is added, as per traditional recipe. Alternatively, if you prefer a vegetarian recipe, you can also use vegetable broth.
Of course, my recipe involves using the pressure cooker: a faster cooking method that keeps the nutritional properties of the food intact. After cooking in the pressure cooker, a step in the oven with toasted bread slices and lots of grated cheese cannot be missed. The result will be an incredible gratin and melted effect that will tantalize your guests. Curious to find out how to prepare it? Then read the recipe, because the pressure cooker onion soup will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other comfort food recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4 servings
- Cooking methods: Pressure cooker, Oven
- Cuisine: French
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 525.87 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 43.63 (g) of which sugars 9.36 (g)
- Proteins 25.48 (g)
- Fat 28.28 (g) of which saturated 17.31 (g)of which unsaturated 10.73 (g)
- Fibers 3.80 (g)
- Sodium 1,746.67 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 527 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 21.16 oz white onions (weight of onions already peeled)
- 3.5 tbsp butter
- 4.25 cups beef broth
- 0.25 cups all-purpose flour
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- 7 oz gruyere cheese (to grate)
- 6 oz baguette
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Lid
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- 4 Cocotte
- Grater
Steps
First, prepare the beef broth and set it aside. Then clean the onions, rinse them under water, and slice them rather thinly. This way, they will cook better. Then put the butter in the pot and add the onions. Season with salt and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes with a regular lid, until they are wilted. Alternatively, you can cover the pot with aluminum foil. It is very important to cover the onions during this phase of cooking so that they release their water and cook gently without burning. Stir occasionally with a spoon to ensure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. If needed, you can add a little water.
After the cooking time, increase the heat and add the flour all at once, stirring so it blends with the onions. Then pour in the hot broth and close the pot. Bring it to the maximum power and cook for 5 minutes. Subsequently, let the steam gradually vent.
If you want to use an electric pressure cooker, clean and slice the onions. Soften them with the butter and salt over low heat with a regular lid, then add the flour and the hot broth. Close with the pot lid and set the decompression valve to “sealing”. Set the cooking to “Pressure Cook” and the cooking time to 5 minutes. After the cooking time, wait 5 minutes, then initiate the quick release.
Meanwhile, as the soup cooks, prepare the gratin. Slice the baguette and toast it for a couple of minutes in the air fryer or on a grill pan. Then remove the crust from the gruyere and grate it with a wide-hole grater.
Then place a few slices of bread at the bottom of the cocottes and some grated gruyere. Pour in a few ladles of soup and more cheese on top. Sprinkle a dash of pepper and bake in a fan oven at 392°F for 10 minutes, or until the soup is well gratinated on the surface.
Variations and Tips for Pressure Cooker Onion Soup
Onion soup is best consumed right after oven cooking. Alternatively, you can prepare it in advance and gratinate it just before serving.
FAQ Questions and Answers for Pressure Cooker Onion Soup
How can you make onions more digestible?
Once sliced thinly, you can soak them in cold water for an hour, changing the water 2 or 3 times. Alternatively, you can soak them in water and vinegar for 30 minutes.
What is the most digestible onion?
The most digestible variety of onions is the white one.
