This Instant Pot broccoli and cheese soup recipe takes only ONE minute to make. It’s an easy Instant Pot soup that’s thick, creamy and healthy. Enjoy this gluten free and vegetarian soup for any meal!
The Best Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup
I’ve been on the Instant Pot train for a while now, and I won’t be getting off anytime soon. While the slow cooker is the “set it and forget it” miracle dinner maker in the kitchen, consider the IP as your “oops, I forgot it” meal helper when you need a hot meal fast. Soups made in the Instant Pot are one of my favorite things pretty much ever, but it also does well with shredded pork and hard boiled eggs. What I’m saying is, the options are truly limitless when it comes to the fast and low-maintenance power of IPs!
And this broccoli and cheese soup recipe? It’ll knock your socks off. It *may* just be my favorite soup I’ve made in the Instant Pot (and that’s saying a lot because I’m a big IP soup maker!). It comes out impeccably rich, thick, and creamy with the most perfectly cooked veggies and a delicious texture. I’d say the best part is that the cook time is literally only one minute. Yep, you read that right. This one-pot meal will be a huge hit with your family, and I can’t wait for you to try it out!
This recipe comes from a cookbook of a friend. Barbara sent me a copy of her cookbook to review and I’m so glad that she did. I’ve actually given the book as a gift to friends who are new to electric pressure cookers because it’s so full of tried-and-true family-friendly recipes. Barbara and I roomed together at a conference in Austin last spring and she had just turned in the manuscript for this huge cookbook with over 200 recipes. It was such a massive undertaking and she was so proud of it. She is someone who has inspired me to pursue writing a cookbook of my own. I’m so proud of this woman and her cookbook is a great tribute to her years of knowledge when it comes to electric pressure cooking (Instant Pot or any other brand). She’s been using one long before it was trendy and now she’s ready to teach the rest of us. The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: 200 Fast and Foolproof Recipes for Every Brand of Electric Pressure Cooker is one you want on your shelf.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead?
Yep! You can use whatever you have on hand. Frozen and fresh will both work the same in this recipe, and no need to change the cooking time. Score!
Can I make this soup if I don’t have an Instant Pot?
I know not everyone has an Instant Pot (but y’all MUST add it to your wish list!), so this recipe can easily be made on the stovetop, too. Follow the recipe as directed, but instead of pressure cooking the veggies, just let them simmer in the broth until tender, about 20 minutes. Then, move on with adding the cornstarch, cream, and cheese as directed.
What can I pair with broccoli and cheese soup?
I love a toasty bun or crusty piece of bread for dipping into broccoli and cheese soup. You can also serve a fresh salad on the side to add more color and veggies to the meal!
The Best Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 40 min
- Yield: Serves 4-6 1x
Description
This Instant Pot broccoli and cheese soup recipe takes only ONE minute to make. It’s an easy Instant Pot soup that’s thick, creamy and healthy. Enjoy this gluten free and vegetarian soup for any meal!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth (or chicken stock if not vegetarian)
- 4 cups bite-sized broccoli florets
- 1 cup matchstick or grated carrots
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 1/4 cup cold water
- 2 cups cream or half-and-half
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Select browning/saute to preheat the pressure cooker. Add the butter and onion and saute until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken stock, broccoli, carrots, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Lock the lid in place, make sure the vent is set to seal, and select high pressure and 1 minute cook time.
- When the cooking time ends, use the quick pressure release. When the valve drops, remove the lid carefully.
- In a small bowl whisk together the corn starch and cold water until smooth.
- Set the pressure cook to saute/browning and slowly add the corn starch mixture to the pot. Stir constantly until the soup comes to a boil and thickens.
- Turn off the pressure cooker. Slowly stir in the cream or half-and-half.
- Add the cheese a handful at a time and stir until it melts.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Notes
- Recipe from my friend Barbara Schieving’s fabulous cookbook The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook. It’s full of tried-and-true family-favorite recipes and I use it often.
- You can use frozen broccoli in place of the fresh, no need to change the cooking time.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Soup
Keywords: Instant pot soup recipe, Instant pot soup, easy soup recipe, vegetarian soup, gluten free soup, quick soup recipe
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- Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup
- Tortellini Vegetable Soup
- Healthy Slow Cooker Bean and Sausage Soup with Spinach
I know you are going to fall in love with this Instant Pot broccoli and cheese soup just as much as we have, and you’ll love how easy it is to make and how rich it tastes!
Amazing! One of the few recipes I actually followed exactly, and it was perfect. (I used chicken broth and cream.) Didn’t even have to add any seasoning after cooking. My picky kids loved it. We don’t eat much soup, but this one was a hit. And so quick and easy! Keeper.
★★★★★
YAY! Thank you for coming back to let us know what worked for you, that’s so helpful. I really appreciate that.
Have made this 1/2 dozen times since November. This is sooo much better than anything from any restaurant. Once tried I can not see anyone patronizing an eating establishment again for broccoli/cheddar soup. I do not use the pepper flakes. I do only use the very tops of the florets. Wonder what would happen if a tad of smoked paprika was added. Excellent, Thank You!
★★★★★
Ohhhh I love that! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review, it’s always appreciated. Happy soup making Dexter!
This is so good. I made it with frozen broccoli, reduced sodium chicken broth, and 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream and 1/2 cup of whole milk. It is was delicious. I can’t stop eating it. Easy, quick and and yummy! Thank you!
★★★★★
And I made it without red pepper flakes. I can’t have spicy food.
Mmmmmm and I’ve about switched over to making this with only frozen broccoli, it makes it SO fast. And I love the cream in it too, thanks for sharing what worked for you!
Awesome recipe! Better than any restaurant’s or Panera’s packaged soup. I used chicken broth and 1 cup half and half and 1 cup heavy cream and omitted the salt (because of the broth base and higher sodium content) So easy and was excellent!!!
★★★★★
Thank you for the reviews and sharing what worked for you, so helpful!
Hello,
Thinking of making this today. Wondering if this recipe can be doubled in a 6 q pot??
I can double it in my 8 quart but I haven’t put it doubled in a 6 quart. If you try it will you let us know?
Just made this for the 2nd time, a double batch. I added a couple tablespoons Vermont Cheese Powder from King Arthur Flour sprinkled over the shredded cheese, and it really made the cheese flavor pop! I also used low-sodium chicken stock rather than vegetable stock, but did add some salt as called for. I also used Korean red pepper flakes, a tad more than specified because it’s mild. Perfect recipe!
★★★★★
Ohhhh that’s such a great idea! I love KAF and that’s a product that I haven’t tried yet, I’m going to order it the next time I get a few things. Thank you for the tip.
Delicious and so easy! My husband is NOT a soup person but he requested this be added to our weekly rotation. We love it!
★★★★★
Your husband and mine sound a lot alike, and mine loves this one too. Pro tip: leftover are great over baked potatoes! He might like that too!
Excellent! This soup came together really easily. I used frozen broccoli and cut the liquid by 1/4 c., as suggested. It was a little salty, due to my stock, so next time, I will season at the end.
★★★★★
Thank you for the tips and what worked for you, always so helpful!
This says cook time is 30 minutes at the top of the recipe but it says in the instructions to only cook for 1 minute? I’m confused
It’s one minute on the IP setting but by the time you let it come to pressure and come down from pressure the recipe is going to take about 30 minutes, so that’s a more realistic time frame in regards to how long it’s dong to take to get dinner on the table!
Yummy and so easy
This was so yummy and so easy. Thank you.
So glad you loved it!
can you freeze this soup?
I actually haven’t tried it. I think that you could but occasionally with a creamy product the dairy will break and you’ll end up with a lumpy soup out of the freezer. That being said, I have had good luck in the past freezing half and half which is called for. So I’m not sure how it’ll end up but I think it’s worth a try if you are just going to eat it at home and if it happens to get lumpy you won’t too disappointed. If you do, will you report back and let us know, it would… Read more »