Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is cozy, creamy, and ready in no time. Just add everything to your pressure cooker, stir, and you’ll be rewarded with comforting, cheesy soup!
I’m not sure which I love more…soup or making soup in my Instant Pot.
If you’ve been hanging around here for a while, you probably know by now that I love soup. In fact, I love it so much that I practically eat it weekly, even in the summer, when it’s 95 degrees out. There’s just something about a bowl of hot soup that warms my soul.
This cheeseburger soup, mushroom barley soup, and black bean soup are in a regular rotation for dinner at my house.
And one of my favorite things is preparing a delicious soup in the pressure cooker. Not only does it make the process so easy, but it’s practically hands-off, which is a winner in my book. If you haven’t tried this Instant Pot chicken gnocchi soup or that Instant Pot tomato basil soup, you must add it to your lunch or dinner menu.
Back to this instant pot broccoli cheese soup. It’s smooth, creamy, cheesy, warm, and tastes like a hug in a bowl. If you’re a fan of the Panera Bread version, then this cheesy soup was made for you.
This dinner is perfect for the whole family and makes a tasty meal when served in a bread bowl or with some crusty bread on the side. And if you love leftover soup, this one hits the spot. It reheats beautifully and will make a perfect lunch or dinner.
Ingredients in Instant Pot Broccoli Soup:
- Butter: unsalted works best as that allows you to control the amount of salt
- Onion: yellow or white works best
- Minced garlic
- Carrots: match-stick or diced
- Broccoli: you can use the precut broccoli florets for ease
- Chicken broth: l like to use low-sodium. However, vegetable broth can also be used
- Salt and black pepper
- Cornstarch slurry: cornstarch and cold water to thicken soup
- Shredded cheese: Colby Jack and sharp cheddar cheeses’
- Heavy cream: half-and-half can also be used
How to Make:
- Sauté: Use the ‘sauté’ setting on your pressure cooker to melt the butter. Then, sauté the onions softened. Then add the minced garlic.
- Add: carrots, broccoli, chicken broth, salt, pepper, paprika, and stir to combine. Cover, place valve into the ‘sealing’ position and cook for 1 minute. Yes, 1 minute! Remember that it will take the Instant Pot about 10 minutes to come to pressure and will then count down from one minute.
- Make the slurry: in a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water. This will thicken the soup once it’s cooked.
- Cheesy time: Once the timer goes off, do a quick pressure release and stir in the shredded cheeses, one cup at a time.
- Use the ‘sauté’ mode: stir in heavy cream and cornstarch slurry. Mix until well combined and mixture is bubbly and thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Can You Use Frozen Broccoli?
Yes! Fresh or frozen broccoli works well in this recipe. If using the frozen kind, there is no need to alter the cooking time. To save on time, you could also use the pre-chopped, packaged broccoli florets that you can find in the produce section of your grocery store.
What Kind of Cheese Works Best?
Cheddar cheese is the base of this creamy soup, along with Colby Jack. You can use pre-shredded cheese for convenience, or you can shred a block of sharp cheddar cheese using a cheese grater. If you want to experiment with different kinds of cheese, pepper jack or Parmesan would make a delicious addition.
How to Store Leftovers:
Soup will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To freeze: store cooled soup in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. When ready to eat, let thaw completely in the refrigerator. When frozen, the texture of the soup may change, so you may want to add additional broth when reheating, if desired.
What to Serve with This Cheddar Soup:
I like to pair this with this cheesy garlic bread, a crusty French loaf, or a fresh salad.
Recipe Tips:
- For the smoothest soup: grate your cheese by hand. Pre-shredded cheese is perfectly fine to use, it just may clump up a bit
- To skip the cornstarch slurry: use an immersion blender! Remove about half of the soup once cooked, blend using an immersion blender, and then stir back in with the remaining soup. It will thicken the soup without a cornstarch slurry
- Seasonings: to kick up the flavors of this soup, add a dash of cayenne pepper or some fresh rosemary or thyme
Looking for More Instant Pot Recipes? I’ve Got You Covered!
- Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
- Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Instant Pot Pizza Stuffed Peppers
- Instant Pot Steak Fajitas
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, (chopped)
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1½ cups matchstick carrots, (or 1 cup carrots, diced)
- 4 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1 carton (32 ounce) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
- 2 cups heavy cream
Equipment
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to 'sauté' setting. Once pot is hot, add butter and let melt. Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until onions begin to soften. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Press the 'cancel' button on Instant Pot.
- Stir in carrots, broccoli, chicken broth, salt, pepper, and paprika. Cover, place into lock position and make sure the valve is in the 'sealing' position. Cook on high pressure for 1 minute (yes, 1 minute, as it will take time to come to pressure). **The IP will take 10-15 minutes to come to pressure and then will cook for 1 minute**
- While the soup is cooking, mix together the cold water and corn starch in a small bowl to make a slurry. Set aside.
- When timer goes off, turn off the Instant Pot and do a quick release. Remove the lid and stir well. Stir in cheese, 1 cup at a time, until well combined.
- Set the instant pot to the 'sauté' setting and add heavy cream and corn starch slurry. Mix well until the soup is bubbly and thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe was tested and made in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
- If using regular carrots, be careful not to dice carrots too small, as they will cook in the instant pot and may become mushy.
- Soup will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To reheat soup, reheat on the stove or microwave until warmed through.
- To freeze, place soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. When frozen, the texture of the soup may change, so you may want to add additional broth when reheating, if desired.
- See my tips and tricks for making this Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup above the recipe box.
