Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is the perfect dinner recipe for a hectic weeknight. Full of veggies with the rich goodness of cream and cheese, this soup takes only 20 minutes to make.
So you may remember a few years ago I made this recipe for Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup. I’ve had a large number of people asking if I could make an Instant Pot version of that classic recipe.
Why Instant Pot Broccoli Soup Works
This Instant Pot Broccoli Soup tastes just as good, if not better, than what you get at a restaurant. It’s incredibly filling. And the best part? There’s nothing to it.
Here are a few reasons why this recipe works so well,
- Dinner in 20 minutes. This is like music to my ears. I’m grateful for every recipe that puts a wholesome dinner on the table quickly. Especially on a busy work night.
- One pot recipe. The main reason this recipe is so simple is that, literally, all you have to do is drop ingredients in an Instant Pot. That also means clean-up is a breeze.
- Endless variations. There are endless options to add your favorite veggies, spices, or proteins to make this soup spicier, richer, or heartier.
We love making some of our easy Instant Pot Recipes for family and friends. Some of our classics, like instant pot buffalo chicken soup, meatloaf and homemade mac and cheese are now made even easier in the Instant Pot!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter – You can substitute olive oil if you want to make the soup a bit lighter in your belly. I like the richness of using butter.
- Onion – Yellow onions make the sweet and aromatic base of the soup.
- Broccoli – You can use fresh or frozen broccoli for this recipe. Cut the florets into small pieces to make sure they cook properly. You can go a little heavy on the broccoli if you want its flavor to be more intense.
- Carrots – Shredded carrots add texture and a visual appeal to the soup. You can skip it if you want.
- Chicken Broth – Use low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth so that you can control the salt in the recipe. Feel free to make your own broth at home if you have time.
- Cornstarch – This acts as a thickener for the soup, so try not to skip it.
- Heavy Whipping Cream – It makes the soup rich and creamy.
- Cheddar Cheese – I prefer Sharp cheddar for this recipe as it pairs really well with the flavor of broccoli.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Add Ingredients. Add butter, onion, broccoli, carrots, broth, and seasonings to the Instant Pot.
- Pressure Cook. Secure the lid and turn the valve to “sealing.” Select Manual (high pressure) and set the cooking time to 4 minutes. Then use a quick release.
- Add finishing touches. Add the water and cornstarch slurry. Then turn on Saute mode. Add cream.
- Make it cheesy. Add cheddar. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.
Tips and Tricks
- Add onion or garlic powder. If you want to skip the red pepper flakes or make the soup more flavorful, add onion powder and garlic powder along with the other seasonings.
- Use pre-cut or frozen veggies. To save time, skip washing and veggie prep, try using pre-cut or frozen veggies instead.
- Add chicken bits. To make the soup rich in protein, add bits or shreds of cooked chicken breast or thigh.
- Make it smooth or chunky. Depending on your preference, you can leave the soup chunky or make it smooth by blending it using an immersion blender. Blending it also helps hide the broccoli, which can sometimes be helpful if you’re trying to feed kids.
- Adjust the consistency while reheating. Refrigerating the soup can make it very thick. Add some water or stock while reheating to adjust the soup’s consistency. I would also recommend reheating it on the stovetop on medium-low heat to prevent the cream and cheese from splitting.
- Crockpot: Use our slow cooker broccoli cheese soup recipe for a fix it and forget it kinda of dinner!
Serving Suggestions
This soup pairs really well with any quick and simple bread. To make a complete meal, serve this soup with Garlic Bread, Dinner Rolls, or Olive Garden Breadsticks. The joy of dunking a piece of bread in hot soup is priceless.
Recipe FAQs
Store the cooled Broccoli Cheddar Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that frozen soup, when thawed, can turn out a little watery. So make sure you adjust its consistency while reheating.
Absolutely. You can add vegetables like potatoes, cauliflower florets, or celery. Make sure you chop them into really small pieces so that they cook properly.
Heavy whipping cream makes the soup thick and rich. If you want a lighter or healthier option, you can use half and half, 2% milk, or almond milk. But remember that using these instead of heavy cream will make the soup thinner and less hearty.
Absolutely. The same soup can be made on the stovetop. You can use the same recipe and make it in a stovetop pressure cooker. But if you plan to make it in a regular pot, allow some extra cooking time for the veggies to simmer in the broth. You may also have to add extra broth to cook the veggies properly.
More Easy Dinner Recipes:
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Roast
- Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- Baked Ziti Recipe
- Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
- MORE Soup Recipes
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 head broccoli chopped very small (florets only), about 3 cups
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 32 oz chicken broth or vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Add butter, diced onion, diced broccoli, carrots, chicken broth, pepper, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes to pressure cooker. Secure lid in place and turn valve to “sealing.”
- Select “High Pressure” or manual and cook for 4 minutes. When cook time ends, turn off pressure cooker and use a quick release.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cold water and cornstarch. Turn pressure cooker on to “saute” and add cornstarch mixture. Also add heavy whipping cream and cheddar cheese.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes while stirring constantly until soup thickens and cheese melts completely. Serve immediately. ENJOY.
Notes
- Using heavy whipping cream keeps the soup from curdling.
- You don’t want the soup boiling at the end. A gentle heat will melt the cheese.
- Recipe tested in a 6-quart Instant Pot.
- Use pre-cut or frozen veggies. To save time, skip washing and veggie prep, try using pre-cut or frozen veggies instead.
- Add chicken bits. To make the soup rich in protein, add bits or shreds of cooked chicken breast or thigh.
- Make it smooth or chunky. Depending on your preference, you can leave the soup chunky or make it smooth by blending it using an immersion blender. Blending it also helps hide the broccoli, which can sometimes be helpful if you’re trying to feed kids.
- Adjust the consistency while reheating. Refrigerating the soup can make it very thick. Add some water or stock while reheating to adjust the soup’s consistency. I would also recommend reheating it on the stovetop on medium-low heat to prevent the cream and cheese from splitting.
- Add onion or garlic powder. If you want to skip the red pepper flakes or make the soup more flavorful, add onion powder and garlic powder along with the other seasonings.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.
I want to make this soup, but it doesn’t seem like any questions that are being asked get answered. Such as can this soup be frozen? Can someone advise if it ok to freeze this and still taste good?
I haven’t yet tried freezing it…so that’s why I can’t answer this question. Sorry.
Then that’s what you need to respond. Ignoring people is rude.
Made this soup and loved it! So easy in the Instant Pot! I only made a few changes because it is a personal preference. I don’t like a ton of cheese in my soup. I thought 3 cups was way too much! I am French Canadian and we typically don’t put a lot of cheese in soups. So I only put 1/2 cup of cheese. I also sautéed my onions in butter first and added a couple of cloves of garlic along with the onions. I didn’t use salt or pepper but instead added some fresh chopped up basil leaves.
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe! Making it again today. 🙂
Can you freeze this soup?
Can you use half and half instead??
Is it possible to sub half and half?
So I have to say broccoli cheese soup is my all time favorite. I just made this tonight and will be making it again and again. Everyone loved it. My kids are asking for more and even my husband who doesn’t like broccoli cheddar soup came out for more and said wow I didn’t think it would be this good! Thank you for this simple amazing recipe!
Love this soup! I used one broccoli crown and it was more than enough. I swapped arrowroot for the cornstarch to keep everything keto friendly. Almost no leftovers!
If you make it and are lucky enough to have leftovers, consider serving as cheese sauce over cooked macaroni or serve over a fluffy baked potato!
Can you use frozen broccoli cuts?
I made this tonight and oh my gosh! It is so good! I already can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thank you for this recipe!
Super easy and fabulous taste
Absolutely delicious, and I agree with other comment. I think it is better than Panera!
Has anyone doubled this in an 8qt? Or will i need to make two mall seperate batches?
I rarely measure but I do double except use 3/4 of a large head of cauliflower instead of a second broccoli. I also have made it without adding the starch,cream and cheese and it’s still delicious
Soup was delicious, thanks so much! I was lazy and bought most of my veggies pre-cut, bit more expensive but so much easier. My dad said, “Ugh, I don’t like broccoli,” but he still ate 2 bowls. 🙂
Hey we all need shortcuts sometimes 🙂 Love that your dad ate two bowls, LOL!
This soup is a total mom win! My kids eat it up making dinner time so much nicer.
This soup is the best comfort food around!
Bookmarking this recipe to try with my IP. I love my Instant pot, but I never seem to know what to make. Now I do! Plus…broccoli cheddar soup is one of my all time fav comfort foods! Thanks for posting.
This recipe was so yummy and incredibly easy to make…thanks!!
My little one loves broccoli cheddar soup, and I’m so glad I can do this in my Instant Pot! Thank you for sharing!
This IS my favorite soup. Hands down, and I love it’s in the IP. Absolutely perfect.
This soup looks even better than the Panera original!