This instant pot broccoli cheddar soup is the perfect comforting soup for those cold winter days! It’s so easy to make and oh so satisfying!
❤️About This Recipe
Texture: This soup is deliciously cheesy, thick, rich and creamy. It has plenty of broccoli dotted throughout the soup.
Flavor: This is the best broccoli cheddar soup made in instant pot. It’s incredibly hearty and brimming with fresh flavors.
Quick to make: You’ll need only 20 minutes to make. Yes, the pressure cooker makes this soup in no time.
Comforting dinner/lunch: This soup itself makes a good, filling vegetarian dinner. Though, you can serve a crusty bread or salad on the side. Or go fancy, serve into a bread bowl.
Better than restaurants (Panera Bread): Yes, you heard it right. You might be the fan of Panera’s broccoli cheese soup, but try this recipe and you’ll be hooked. This one doesn’t have any odd taste of processed cheese like some popular restaurant one does.
🧾Ingredients
Here is the pic of the ingredients to make this super simple and delicious instant pot broccoli cheddar soup. All of them are easily available, nothing fancy here.
Broccoli: Use fresh or frozen broccoli. I like to cut into small florets that do get almost mushy kind once cooked. If you like to bite into the florets which hold the shape then keep them bigger in size. Also, make sure to remove the stems (just use tree-like florets). Stems are tough and fibrous, it won’t taste good in the soup.
Carrot: Please use the carrot matchsticks readily available in the store. The homemade grated carrot will get overcooked and finely diced carrot will stay raw and crunchy. But these matchsticks get cooked perfectly (no raw taste, yet hold it’s shape).
Paprika and Dry mustard powder: These two adds a nice flavor to the soup. Please do not skip.
Vegetable stock: If you are using pre-packaged, try to buy the low-sodium version, so you can control the salt in your dish. I always use better than bouillon vegetable base (which you have to dissolve in warm/hot water). I always keep that handy in the refrigerator.
Heavy cream: This makes the broccoli cheddar soup super creamy. To make it light, you can use half-half or evaporated milk.
Sharp cheddar: I prefer to use sharp or extra sharp cheddar for really good cheesy flavor in this soup. It’s the personal preference, you can use mild cheese as well.
- Also, buy the block of cheese and grate yourself using a box grater. Not only it’s cheap, it also melts nicely without being grainy. The pre-shredded cheese does not melt well.
Corn starch + Milk: A slurry is made by combining two and added into the soup. It helps to thicken the soup.
🎥Watch The Recipe Video
👩🍳Step By Step Photo Instructions
1) Turn the instant pot on with saute mode. Once hot add butter and let it melt.
2) Add chopped onions, sprinkle a little salt and cook until onions get soft and translucent.
3) Add minced garlic and saute for 30-40 seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
4) Add pepper, paprika and dry mustard powder. Mix well.
5) Add carrot, broccoli and remaining salt.
6) Mix in vegetable stock. Cover the instant pot with lid, keep the vent to sealing. Cancel the saute mode and cook on manual (high pressure) for 2 minutes.
7) Meantime it’s cooking, combine milk and cornstarch to make smooth (lump-free) slurry and keep it aside.
8) Once the instant pot beeps, do the QPR (quick pressure release) and open the lid.
9) Now stir the milk+corn starch slurry and add into the soup. Turn the saute mode on.
10) Also, add heavy cream and mix.
11) Let the soup simmer for 1-2 minutes or until it thickens well.
12) Now turn off the saute mode, add cheese in 3 additions. Meaning add ⅓ of cheese, stir until melted and well combined, repeat 2 times.
💭Expert Tips
Add cheese after turning the heat off (saute mode) to avoid curdling the cheese. The soup itself is hot enough to melt the cheese.
Add cheese in parts, so it melts faster and blends evenly into the soup.
Do not overboil after adding corn starch slurry. As soon as it thickens turn off the instant pot.
Seasoning with salt: Start with very little amount. Keep in mind that cheese is salty. Plus, your stock may already have some salt added. So taste test and adjust as needed.
Don’t use broccoli stems: those are tough and fibrous. Only use florets.
Save prep time: Do some prep while other stuff is cooking. E.g. make slurry & grate cheese while the soup is pressure cooking.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
In the refrigerator: This broccoli cheddar soup stays good for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
In the freezer: It stays good for up to 3-4 months. Let it thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator before re-heating for the best texture. Otherwise, you will end up with a curdled and grainy texture.
Reheating leftovers: Focus on ‘Low heat & Slow heating’ to avoid grainy soup.
- Stovetop: Keep the flame really low and stir often until it starts simmering. Do not simmer for longer. As soon as it starts simmering, remove it from the stove, and serve hot.
- Microwave: Start with 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this (30 sec + stir) until the soup reaches the desired hot temperature.
PS Tried this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback! Plus, Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all the latest updates.
📋 Recipe Card
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1 medium or ¾ cup Onion chopped
- 1 large clove Garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper crushed
- 1 cup Carrot matchsticks
- 1 lb or 4 cups Broccoli cut into small florets (no stems)
- 2 cups Vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons Corn flour (corn starch)
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Heavy cream
- 2 cups Sharp cheddar cheese Shredded
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Instructions
- Turn the instant pot on with saute mode. Once hot add butter and let it melt.
- Add chopped onions, sprinkle a little salt and cook until onions get soft and translucent.
- Add minced garlic and saute for 30-40 seconds or until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
- Add pepper, paprika and dry mustard powder. Mix well.
- Add carrot, broccoli, remaining salt, and vegetable stock.
- Cover the instant pot with lid, keep the vent to sealing. Cancel the saute mode and cook on manual (high pressure) for 2 minutes.
- Meantime it’s cooking, combine milk and cornstarch to make smooth (lump-free) slurry and keep it aside.
- Once instant pot beeps, do the QPR (quick pressure release) and open the lid.
- Now stir the milk+corn starch slurry and add into the soup. Turn the saute mode on.
- Also, add heavy cream and mix. Let the soup simmer for 1-2 minutes or until it thickens well.
- Now turn off the saute mode, add cheese in 3 additions. Meaning add ⅓ of cheese, stir until melted and well combined, repeat 2 times.
Notes
- Add cheese after turning the heat off (saute mode) to avoid curdling the cheese. The soup itself is hot enough to melt the cheese.
- Add cheese in parts, so it melts faster and blends evenly into the soup. Do not overboil after adding corn starch slurry. As soon as it thickens turn off the instant pot.
- Seasoning with salt: Start with very little amount. Keep in mind that cheese is salty. Plus, your stock may already have some salt added. So taste test and adjust as needed.
- Don’t use broccoli stems: those are tough and fibrous. Only use florets.
- Save prep time: Do some prep while other stuff is cooking. E.g. make slurry & grate cheese while the soup is pressure cooking.
- Buy the block of cheese and grate yourself using a box grater. Not only it’s cheap, it also melts nicely without being grainy. The pre-shredded cheese does not melt well.
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