Name: Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Instant Pot DUO; Non-Stick Inner Cooking Pot; Silicone Lid; Wooden Spoon; Mixing Bowls; Spoon Ladles; Soup serving casserole; Soup bowls; 5 tablespoons butter; 1 white onion; 4 cups broccoli (3 small heads of broccoli); 1 ½ cup shredded carrot (2-3 carrot sticks); 2 cups chicken broth; 1 tablespoon of cornstarch; 1 cup of milk; 1 16-ounce block mild cheddar cheese, shredded; 1 teaspoon chili flakes; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (optional); 1 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt

Jump to Recipe

Looking for a new recipe? Next time you're on the hunt for a healthy and comforting soup recipe, try this Instant Pot broccoli cheddar soup recipe! It takes 10 minutes of prep time!

Who says comfort food can’t be healthy? Packed with the goodness of broccoli and loaded with the deliciousness of chicken stock (vegetable stock works too) and cheese, this easy soup recipe is an absolute must try, especially when you’re craving for something warm to soothe your tired body and soul.

Best of all, it is incredibly easy to make and leftover soup warms up nicely too. You’ll need just 10 minutes to prep the ingredients for Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese soup, and 10 minutes in your instant pot- perfect for a weeknight dinner.

While this is a great recipe for the Instant Pot, you can also make this soup on the stove top or slow cooker. Don't forget to make this delicious soup for a tasty dinner for the whole family.

Using easy ingredients including broccoli, a block of cheese (shredded, of course), chicken or vegetable stock, milk, onion and spices...you'll have a tasty dinner ready in no time.

Whether you like chunkier soup or a smoother broccoli cheese soup recipe, our soup recipe is perfect served up in a bread bowl or a regular bowl.

One of my favorite things is to use an immersion blender or food processor to make this flavorful soup super smooth and creamy.

And, speaking of creamy soup, you can add 1/2 cup of heavy cream in place of some of the milk in the recipe to make it creamier. Use sharp cheddar cheese for a sharper bite.

This delicious broccoli cheddar soup is even a great recipe for our picky eaters. There is a reason broccoli soup is one of our most popular recipes and seriously one of our favorite Instant Pot soups. Spice it up with a little hot sauce or add in some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat.

Can I Use Another Broth for Broccoli Cheddar soup?
What to Serve with Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Essential Instant Pot Supplies
Can I Make & Freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup?
What Does Broccoli Cheddar Soup Taste Best With?
Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Recipe
More Instant Pot Recipes

Can I Use Another Broth for Broccoli Cheddar soup?

While the recipe itself calls for the use of chicken broth, but if you don’t have it, you can definitely use another stock- for instance, a beef stock or even a veggie stock if you’re trying to stick to a vegetarian recipe.

If you don’t have homemade chicken stock, you can also use a stock cube instead. The basic idea is that the stock lends a more intense and comforting flavor to the soup.

The best part about using stock is that it doesn’t just loosen up the soup, but also masks the flavor of broccoli, which is great if you don’t really love that veggie, but are still looking for a way to get some of it in your body through your meals.

What to Serve with Broccoli Cheese Soup?

Well, we wrote an entire post about what to serve with Broccoli Cheddar Soup because we've had so many people ask. Stray away from the standard French bread or crackers. We have some other ideas to bite into.

Essential Instant Pot Supplies

Instant Pot Inner Pot - I like to have an extra inner pot available because of how much cooking I do in my Instant Pot. It comes in really handy when I want to put a lid on the inner pot and refrigerate the leftovers, or mix up ingredients the night before to save time at the end of the day.
Silicone Lid for Instant Pot- I'm not sure how I lived without this one. Having a silicone lid for my Instant Pot has made life so much easier. It is perfect for adding ingredients a day or two ahead of time.
101 Instant Pot Recipes for Beginners- If you are new to pressure cooking, this is a great ebook to get you started with basic recipes you will use over and over again.

Can I Make & Freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup?

Just like most other soups, this Broccoli Cheddar soup can last in your freezer for up to 3 months. So if you’ve given it a try and really liked it, you can always make it in a big batch and store it for later.

Just remember to use an airtight container or resealable plastic bags, and when you’re ready to have it, allow it to thaw before you reheat it.

Remember that frozen and thawed soup, especially this one (which packs in broccoli) might have a slight change in the texture as opposed to when you will have just made the soup fresh, but in most cases, there is little to no nutritional change.

When you’re reheating the soup, just remember to stir it continuously to prevent the cheese from curdling.

What Does Broccoli Cheddar Soup Taste Best With?

Since this broccoli and cheese soup recipe is more on the heavier side, it tastes great when teamed up with a lighter accompaniment- like a salad with fresh veggies and a light vinaigrette, and of course, some crusty bread to go along with it.

If you have bread rolls, you can warm them up a little and slather them with some garlic butter and serve them!

Loved making and having this comfort food in a bowl? Share it with others you know and spread the love.

Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Recipe

Yield: 6 Bowls

Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

On the hunt for a healthy and comforting soup recipe? Give this Instant Pot Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe a try! Quick prep time!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

Supplies used to make the best Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Ingredients used for the most delicious Broccoli and Cheddar Soup Recipe

Instructions

Prepare all of your veggies by cutting the broccoli into small floret sizes, peeling and shredding the carrots and dicing the onion.
Set the instant pot to sauté mode and add the butter to the pot as well as the onion. Cook it down until it starts to turn a light brown color (about two minutes).
Turn the instant pot off and add in the carrots, broccoli and chicken broth.
Cover with the lid and set the pot to manual and cook for four minutes.
In the meantime, mix the cornstarch, milk, chili flakes, cayenne pepper powder, black pepper and salt in a bowl together until well combined.
Release the pressure from the instant pot when ready and let it cool for a minute or two.
Open the lid and pour in the milk mixture and the cheese.
Turn the pot to sauté mode again and cook for one minute, until the cheese has melted. Stir constantly to avoid burning.
Turn it off and carefully remove the pot from the machine to avoid burning.
Serve immediately with some bread and garnish with green onions.

Notes

FAQs

Can my dog eat Broccoli and Cheddar Soup? Your dog can eat broccoli, but he can't eat broccoli and cheddar soup. This soup is not suitable for your dog's health because it contains garlic, onion, different types of chili peppers, and lactose-based ingredients. All this can poison your beloved dog, give him allergies or stomach upset. Ideally, you should give it some boiled broccoli on the side without any seasoning. Even so, try that the intake of vegetables and fruits does not exceed 10% of your pet's diet.

Can my cat eat Broccoli and Cheddar Soup? Broccoli is a safe food for your cat. Just remember that the intake of vegetables cannot exceed 10% of your pet's diet. And don't give him broccoli with other seasonings or ingredients that can hurt him. For example, in this recipe, onion and garlic are toxic ingredients for your cat. Then we have that the strong flavor of peppers can affect your cat's digestive system. And to finish, since almost all cats are lactose intolerant, the consumption of cheddar cheese, milk, and butter, would not do him any good.

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Author

Jessica McCoy

Jessica McCoy is a seasoned food blogger with 14+ years of experience in the industry. As a self-taught home cook, she enjoys creating and finetuning easy recipes that are fool proof and simple for anyone to make. Her expertise is in all things kitchen: cooking tips, air fryer recipes, Instant Pot and other pressure cooking recipes, and slow cooker recipes. Jessica was the previous owner of AllSheCooks, where she focused on easy every day recipes including budget friendly dinner recipes and desserts.

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