Making Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup, with tender pieces of broccoli in a cheesy, creamy soup, if so quick you won’t even believe it when you taste how good it is.
If you’re not quite sure what to do with the broccoli you have in the fridge, this Broccoli Cheddar Soup is calling your name. This is one of my absolute favorite soups.
It has a nice creamy broth that is packed with tender broccoli, making one satisfying and filling soup that you’ll want to eat again and again.
Why You’ll Love It
- Enjoy a velvety and comforting bowl of broccoli cheese soup effortlessly in your Instant Pot. The pressure cooking method not only reduces the cooking time but also intensifies the flavors.
- The Instant Pot not only streamlines the cooking process but also minimizes the mess. With just one pot to clean, you’ll appreciate the simplicity of preparing broccoli cheese soup without the hassle of multiple dishes.
- With broccoli cheese soup, the Instant Pot transforms a dish that might traditionally require hours of simmering into a quick and convenient option. Perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re craving a comforting bowl of soup without the extended cooking time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Broccoli – You’ll need one small to medium head of broccoli, roughly chopped. Or save yourself some time and buy a bag of broccoli florets, already chopped.
- Butter – Sauté the veggies in butter for extra flavor. If you don’t want to use butter, you can use olive oil instead.
- Onion, celery, and garlic
- Chicken broth – Use a low-sodium chicken broth or sub with water and chicken bouillon cubes
- Salt and pepper
- Shredded cheddar – A medium to sharp cheddar works best for flavor, but don’t use an aged or vintage cheddar which won’t melt as easily
- Corn starch and water – This is to make a slurry that you add to the soup to thicken it.
- Cream – Use heavy whipping cream for a thick and rich soup, otherwise you can use milk or half and half.
Equipment Needed
- Instant Pot – I use a 6-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus to make all of my recipes, but you can use any size or brand of electric pressure cooker. If you’re using an 8-quart pot, you will need to adjust the amount of liquid accordingly, as it requires more water to build steam.
Helpful Tips
- You want a pretty small chop on the veggies. I go with very small cubes for the onions and celery, and about 1″ sized chop on the broccoli.
- The soup may be thin when it is finished cooking. If you want it more creamy and thick make a corn starch slurry. Mix equal parts corn starch and cold water. About 1 tablespoon is all that’s needed, but if it’s still not thick enough for you, you can add 2 tablespoons.
- Watch the garlic closely so that it doesn’t burn and become bitter.
How to Make Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Step One: Sauté the veggies
Turn on sauté mode on the Instant Pot and let it get hot. Add the butter and let it melt. When melted, add the onion and celery. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until they’re a little softened. Turn off sauté mode.
Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. You don’t want to let the garlic burn, so watch it closely and be ready to add the next ingredients.
Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir it all up and scrap up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
Step Two: Pressure cook
Lock on the lid and set the vent to sealing (if that’s necessary for your model). Press the pressure cook button and set the time to 1 minute. Yep, just 1 minute. It will take about 5 minutes to come up to pressure.
When done, allow for a 5-minute natural pressure release, then manually release remaining pressure.
Step Three: Finish the soup
Add the shredded cheese to the pot and stir until the cheese is completely melted.
The soup will be a little soupy and thin after pressure cooking. To thicken, press the sauté mode again and set it to low (if available on your model). Stir together the corn starch and water in a small bowl, then pour it into the soup. Stir and cook for 2-5 minutes, until it’s thicken a little. Turn off sauté mode.
When the boiling has stopped, pour in the cream or milk. Stir it all together. Serve immediately with extra cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes as garnish, if desired.
What Type of Cheese to Use
This recipe is made with cheddar cheese. You can add medium or vintage cheddar. I use a medium white cheddar.
You can use other cheeses, if you want to try something different. The best cheeses for melting in soup are cheddar, fontina, Gruyere and swiss. You can also use Monterey Jack.
I don’t recommend a mild or stringy cheese, like mozzarella, because it doesn’t incorporate into the soup very well. It will end up being a glob of cheese at the bottom of the pot, or so stringy that it doesn’t mix in.
How to Store & Reheat
Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. Store leftovers in an airtight container to preserve freshness. Refrigerate for up to three days for the best taste and quality.
Reheating
Stovetop: Place leftovers in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, you can adjust the consistency by adding a splash of chicken broth. Heat the soup gently, stirring occasionally. Avoid rapid boiling to prevent overcooking.
Microwave: Transfer the desired amount of soup into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat the soup in short intervals, such as 1-2 minutes at a time, depending on your microwave’s power. Stir the soup between each interval to ensure even heating.
Instant Pot: To reheat in the Instant Pot, place the leftover soup in the pot, set it to the “Sauté” function, and warm it gently, stirring occasionally, until the desired serving temperature is reached.
Questions About the Recipe
Can I freeze broccoli cheese soup?
Due to the cheese and cream in this soup, it doesn’t freeze well. When you reheat it, the cream will separate and may or may not be able to reincorporate into the broth. I think the soup is best enjoyed right away. You can keep left overs in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Yes, you can. I find that it takes about the same time as fresh broccoli, but you might need to add 1-2 more minutes to the cook time to reach your desired tenderness.
Before You Go
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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Note: Made in a 6-qt Instant Pot
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
- 1/2 cup (80 g) onion chopped
- 1/2 cup (51 g) celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 3 cups (264 g) broccoli roughly chopped
- 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) salt
- 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
- 2 cups (226 g) shredded cheddar plus more for garnish
- 2 tablespoons (16 g) corn starch
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water
- 1 cup (237 ml) cream milk or half and half
Instructions
- Turn on saute mode on the Instant Pot and let it get hot. Add the butter. When melted, add the onion and celery. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Turn off saute mode.
- Add the broccoli, chicken broth, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir.
- Lock on the lid and set the vent to sealing (if necessary for your model).
- Press the pressure cook button and set the time to 1 minute. When done, allow for a 5 minute natural pressure release, then manually release remaining pressure.
- Add the cheese and stir until melted.
- Press the saute mode again and set it to low (if available on your model).
- Stir together the corn starch and water in a small bowl. Pour it into the soup. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off saute mode.
- When the boiling has stopped, pour in the cream or milk. Stir it all together. Serve immediately with extra cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes as garnish, if desired.
Notes
- You want a pretty small chop on the veggies. I go with very small cubes for the onions and celery, and about 1″ sized chop on the broccoli.
- The soup may be thin when it is finished cooking. If you want it more creamy and thick make a corn starch slurry. Mix equal parts corn starch and cold water. About 1 tablespoon is all that’s needed, but if it’s still not thick enough for you, you can add 2 tablespoons.
- Watch the garlic closely so that it doesn’t burn and become bitter.
Nutrition
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Laura is a passionate home cook and the owner of A Pressure Cooker Kitchen. She is dedicated to helping people create delicious Instant Pot meals with ease. Laura is an expert at developing recipes that can be prepared quickly and easily using a pressure cooker.
I haven’t tried it but it sounds delicious.
Easy recipe
So much better than store-bought or anything you can get at a restaurant.