Instant Pot French Onion Soup

1. Press the sauté button on your instant pot. Wait until "hot" is displayed, then add the butter. (Waiting until it's hot prevents smoking.)
2. Once melted, add the onions, thyme, and bay leaves. Use a large silicone spatula and stir occasionally, allowing the butter to coat the onions. Do this for about 5 minutes, the onions will start to soften and release liquid.
3. Add three Tablespoons of water to the instant pot, cover, and hit the “pressure cook” button. Set the timer for 20 minutes. Hit the quick release valve to release the pressure.
4. Remove the lid and press the sauté button again. Let it cook for 5 more minutes to release some of the liquid, then add the wine and let it simmer for an additional 20 minutes to let the wine cook out and allow the onions to fully caramelize.
5. Remove the bay leaves and the thyme stems.
6. Pour in the beef and chicken broth. Let it simmer for another 10 minutes while you prepare the baguettes. 

Preparing the baguettes:

1. Thickly slice the French bread diagonally, in roughly the size as the serving bowls you’ll be using. Brush each side with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes, until the top begins to turn brown and the bread is nice and firm. Watch them carefully to ensure they don’t burn.

Serving the soup:

1. Set the oven temp to a broil.
2. Fill oven-safe bowls with the soup and top each with a baguette and a thick slice of gruyere cheese. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil them in the oven for 3-5 minutes, until the top is a golden-brown and bubbly. Carefully remove, top with additional fresh thyme, and serve.
3. If you don’t have oven-safe bowls, you can melt the cheese on the baguettes in the oven and then place the cheesy bread on top of the filled-soup bowls.