French Onion Soup - Instant Pot

Pressure Cook Onions:
Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT (roughly 8 mins).

Melt unsalted butter in Instant Pot.

Add in the baking soda, then mix well. Sauté until the onions begin to release moisture ~5 mins.

With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close the lid, then turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position. Pressure cook at High Pressure for 20 minutes, then Quick Release.

Amy + Jacky's Notes - Onions are full of liquid, so they will generate enough steam for the Instant Pot to build pressure.

Caramelize Onions:
There will be a lot of liquid in Instant Pot. To speed up the process, pour the onion liquid in a large glass measuring cup and reserve it for later.

Caramelize onions by using the "Saute More" function. Stir occasionally. Once all the liquid has evaporated, turn the heat down to "Saute Normal".

Amy + Jacky's Notes - At this point, stir the onions more frequently to avoid burning.

Sauté the onions until they are deep golden brown.

Amy + Jacky's Notes - The whole caramelizing process will take roughly 22 - 30 minutes.

Deglaze Instant Pot:
Pour in the Sauvignon Blanc or dry white wine, then completely deglaze the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Pressure Cook French Onion Soup:
Add the minced garlic, regular soy sauce, fish sauce, bay leaf, thyme, previously reserved sliced onions, previously reserved onion juice, unsalted beef stock, and unsalted chicken stock in Instant Pot. Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 0 (zero) minutes, then Natural Release for 20 minutes. Then, carefully turn Venting Knob to the Venting position to release the remaining pressure.

Season and Serve:
While Instant Pot is natural releasing, preheat oven to 450°F.

Slice French baguette to ¾ - 1 inch thick slices. Optional: Spread melted butter on baguette slices, then toast them in toaster oven.

Taste and season the French onion soup with salt. For reference, we added 3 large pinches of coarse kosher salt.

Optional Flavor Enhancing Step:
Simmer the soup for 5 - 10 minutes using the "Sauté" button to give it more body and richness.

Add French onion soup to an oven-safe bowl. Place a slice of French baguette on top of the soup, then layer freshly grated Gruyère cheese on top. Place the bowls on a baking tray, then place them in a 450°F oven for 6 - 8 minutes, until the cheese melt and browned.

Pat yourself on the back for making this delicious French Onion Soup! Enjoy