Yes...it is true! I have created an easy Whole30 Instant Pot French Onion Soup recipe. How can that possibly be since French onion soup requires bread and cheese? Well, by making a quick Whole30 approved bread and topping it with creamy garlic spread that browns under the broiler, this French Onion Soup is Whole30, Paleo, and Dairy-Free and tastes as good as any restaurant or unhealthy version.
Seriously, you are probably asking yourself, "Is this soup really that good?"
Well, if I told you that it is currently over 80 degrees outside (yes, I live in Florida and we have that kind of weather during our winter months) and I am pouring sweat since I just got back from a long run and that I can't WAIT to have this soup for dinner, would you believe me?
It's the truth!
Would you believe me if I told you that you can enjoy French Onion Soup in under 30 minutes, even topped with a slice of bread and a melted creamy layer on top and still call it Whole30 and Paleo approved?
Once again, I am telling the truth!
What ingredients do you need to make this Whole30 Instant Pot French Onion Soup
- sliced onions (approximately 8 medium onions)
- olive oil
- ghee
- baking soda
- coconut aminos
- garlic cloves, minced
- beef stock
Why do you need baking soda to make French Onion Soup?
Adding a pinch of baking soda helps onions to brown much faster by raising their pH levels. A higher pH level speeds up the Maillard reaction, which is responsible for the browning of the sugars in food. Maillard reactions generally only begin to occur above 285°F (140°C). Also, it is important to note that water interferes with the Maillard reaction and therefore you can not add any stock to the onions before the onions have started to brown.
The Maillard reaction is not the same as caramelization.
In the simplest explanation, caramelization involves the reaction between sugar molecules and heat.
As for the Maillard reaction (also referred to as "browning"), here the process involves the interaction of not just sugar molecules and heat but also proteins and their breakdown products, amino acids.
How do you make the Whole30 approved bread
- Combine eggs, almond flour, flax meal, psyllium powder, apple cider vinegar, baking powder, salt, spices and boiling water in a small bowl.
- let stand for 10 minutes
- form into the desired shape
- bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes
How do you make Whole30 French Onion Soup in the Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi?
- Set your Instant Pot (or Ninja Foodi All-In-One) to the saute "hi"
- Add in ghee and oil.
- Once melted, add in sliced onions and stir.
- Add in garlic, coconut aminos and baking soda.
- Set the timer to 20 minutes and continue to stir every so often.
- After 20 minutes, add broth and set the pressure cooker to "pressure cook"
- Seal the vent and set the timer for 10 minutes. Once cooked, turn the release valve to vent.
- Divide French Onion Soup between 4 bowls, top with Whole30 Bread and Garlic Cream Sauce
- Place soup under broiler about 5 minutes or until the bread and sauce begins to brown
What if I don't have an Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
- In a large soup pot, add ghee and oil and heat on medium-hi heat
- Once the ghee has melted, add in sliced onions
- Add in garlic, coconut aminos and baking soda.
- Set the timer to 20 minutes and continue to stir every so often.
- Add in the broth and let the soup simmer for 40-60 minutes
- Divide French Onion Soup between 4 bowls, top with Whole30 Bread and Garlic Cream Sauce
- Place soup under broiler about 5 minutes or until the bread and sauce begins to brown
Substitutions
- Feel free to use any type of bread. If I am using fresh bread, I prefer to toast my bread first before placing it on top of the soup. If the bread is slightly stale, toasting is not necessary
- If you don't have any bread, simply place the garlic cream sauce directly over the soup
- If you don't want to make the garlic cream sauce, you can omit it altogether and just enjoy the soup as is
- Feel free to use regular swiss cheese or gruyere cheese instead of the creamy garlic sauce
- Replace ghee with unsalted butter
- Replace the coconut aminos with soy sauce
If you like this Whole30 French Onion Soup recipe, you may also enjoy:
- Light and Creamy Zucchini Cheese Soup
- Detox Carrot Soup (Whole30, Paleo, Allergy Free)
- Chicken Carrot Soup (Whole30, SCD Intro Phase Friendly)
- Tomato Pesto Soup with a Secret Healthy Ingredient (Whole30, Low Carb, Gluten-Free)
- Easy Acorn Squash Soup (Whole30, Low Carb, GF)
- Easy Chicken Taco Soup (Whole30, LC, GF)
Whole30 Instant Pot French Onion Soup
I have created an easy Whole30 Instant Pot French Onion Soup recipe. How can that possibly be since French onion soup requires bread and cheese? Well, by making a quick Whole30 approved bread and topping it with creamy garlic spread that browns under the broiler, this French Onion Soup is Whole30, Paleo, and Dairy-Free and tastes as good as any restaurant or unhealthy version.
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the Onion Soup:
- 1.5 lbs sliced onions (approximately 8 medium onions)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp ghee (or butter)
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos (can omit)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 oz beef stock (or chicken or vegetable)
For the Whole30 Bread
- 1 serving of Whole30 Gluten-Free Bread Recipe
For the topping:
- 1 tbsp GARLIC CREAM SAUCE
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a whoopie pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Set your Instant Pot (or Ninja All-In-One) to the saute "hi"
- Add in ghee and oil. Once melted, add in sliced onions and stir. Add in garlic, coconut aminos and baking soda. Set timer to 20 minutes and continue to stir every so often.
- After 20 minutes, add broth and set the pressure cooker to "pressure cook". Seal the vent and set the timer for 10 minutes. Once cooked, turn the release valve to vent.
- While onions are caramelizing, make bread recipe and divide "dough" into 6 sections. Form dough into a bun shape and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow buns to cool and then slice each bun in half. Place buns in toaster oven for approximately 3 minutes or until starting to brown
- Divide soup mixture into 4 bowls. Add 3 slices of bread on top of onion soup. Top each slice of bread with garlic cream sauce.
- Place soup bowls under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until cream sauce just begins to brown.
Notes
- Feel free to use any type of cheese instead of the Whole30 Garlic Cream Sauce
- Some nut cheeses are Whole30 approved. Just make sure to read the label as most Vegan cheese is NOT Whole30 approved.
- This soup is delicious even without the bread and cheese so feel free to skip making the bread.
- See post for stovetop directions
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Meals
- Cuisine: Whole30, Keto, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (soup only)
- Calories: 173
- Sugar: 8.2 g
- Fat: 10.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.9 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 4.9 g
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