Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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This healthy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup takes forty-five minutes to make. It’s a lightened up version of the classic, without losing any of the cheesy goodness of the original!

One of my family’s favorite soups is Broccoli Cheddar Soup like the one at Panera Bread.

Warm, gooey, cheesy, rich – there are a lot of things to love about Broccoli Cheddar Soup.

What I don’t love is the fact that one tiny cup of the traditional recipe can run you over 400 calories and 18 grams of saturated fat! That’s because most versions of this recipe end up being more like “cheese soup with a tiny bit of broccoli.”

This easy instant pot broccoli cheddar soup recipe is comfort food at its best: delicious (thanks to the cheese and cream) but also nutritious (thanks to the fiber and nutrients from the broccoli – which have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties!).

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My whole family loved this recipe and we managed to finish all of this delicious soup between us!

And the best part — this great recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make in the Instant Pot! Serve this bowl of hot soup with some crusty bread and you’ve got yourself a delicious, light, dinner.

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

• Easy Recipe
• Flavorful Soup
• Low in Calories
• Low in Fat
• Healthy and Satisfying
• Rich and Creamy
• Family Friendly
• Vegetarian
• Gluten-Free
• Low Carb
• Panera broccoli cheddar soup copycat!

🥘 Ingredients

This recipe calls for simple ingredients easily found in your pantry or local grocery store! For the full ingredients list and nutritional information, see the recipe card below.

Vegetables: This vegetarian soup is loaded with broccoli, with added diced onions, garlic, and carrots for flavor and texture.

Vegetable Broth: Use a low-sodium vegetable broth, or chicken broth if you are not making this soup vegetarian.

Reduced Fat Shredded Cheese: Keeping this recipe low in saturated fat, I used reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese. You can also use full fat cheddar cheese, just use half the amount this recipe calls for. I recommend shredding your own cheese for maximum flavor! If you can’t find sharp cheddar cheese, you can also use mild cheddar.

Heavy Cream: You only need a small amount of cream or half and half, but it gives the soup a nice creaminess without adding too much fat or calories. You could also use whole milk if you don’t have heavy cream. While you can use skim milk, I don’t recommend it as the cream really makes this instant pot broccoli soup recipe shine!

A little bit of salt and black pepper to taste. If you want more of a kick, add some crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce. Don’t forget the chopped parsley for a fresh garnish!

🍽 Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Cutting Board
• Chopping Knife
• Immersion Blender or Regular Blender
• Ladle and Wooden Spoon

📖 Variations

Make it Vegan: All you need to do to make this soup vegan diet friendly is to use vegan cheese shreds in place of the regular cheese, and full fat coconut milk or almond milk in place of the heavy cream.

Slow Cooker Version: Prepare this instant pot cream of broccoli soup in the slow cooker by adding the onion, garlic, carrots, broccoli, vegetable stock, salt, and pepper to your slow cooker. Set to low, and warm for 4 hours. Blend with the immersion blender, then stir in the cheese and cream.

Stove Top Version: Sauté the onions and garlic over medium heat until translucent. Add the carrots and broccoli and sauté an additional three minutes. Add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until broccoli is soft. Blend with the immersion blender, then add the cheese and cream.

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Press the saute button on the Instant Pot – set it to medium heat. Add olive oil, chopped onions and the minced garlic to the pot. Sauté for 3 minutes, or until onions are soft and translucent.

Step 2: Add the chopped carrots and broccoli florets. Stir to combine. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3: Add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Secure the Instant Pot lid. Set valve to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Allow to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then turn the valve to vent to quick release any remaining pressure.

Step 5: Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth, or leave a few chunks of broccoli if you like a chunkier texture.

Step 6: Stir in the cream and cheese.

Step 7: Ladle the instant pot broccoli cheese soup into serving bowls. Top evenly with 1 tablespoon of cheese per bowl and chopped parsley. Enjoy!

❓Recipe FAQs

👪 How To Serve

• Crusty Wheat Bread
• Garlic Bread
• Whole wheat Pita and hummus
• Light green salad with vinaigrette dressing
• Whole wheat bread bowl

🧊 How To Store

Refrigerator: Allow leftover soup to come to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freeze: Allow the soup to cool. Transfer to a freezer safe container. Label with the contents and the date. Keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. You can also store this soup in freezer bags, and freeze it flat to save space.

Reheat: Transfer soup to a saucepan. Warm over medium heat until thawed and heated through.

💭 Expert Tips

• For best results, use fresh organic broccoli since that will have the brightest broccoli flavor. But if you can’t find fresh broccoli, you can use frozen broccoli as a backup!
• Use an Immersion Blender for easier clean-up, or a stand blender if you do not have one. I highly recommend getting an immersion blender for soups. It saves time and you still get a nice and creamy soup!
• Add cheese a little at a time and be sure it is well incorporated before adding more.
• Top with cheese and parsley.

🍲 More Instant Pot Soup Recipes!

• Tomato Soup
• Instant Pot Dal
• Lentil Curry
• Vegetarian Chili

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