Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a fan favorite Instant Pot soup recipe. When made right, this soup is thick, flavorful, and rich, with the perfect balance between the sharp cheddar cheese and broccoli. This Pressure Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is all of those things. We love it. I hope you do, too!
Originally published 2/9/2018
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Today’s recipe is one that speaks to so many of you. The classic Broccoli Cheddar Soup made in the Instant Pot.
It is an easy soup recipe to make, and it is creamy, cheesy, and so comforting!
Should we all sing the SNL broccoli song? Just me? I guess you have to be a goofball like me to sing “CHOPPING BROCC-O-LI!” at the top of your lungs while making this! Easily entertained, I know.
I like to use frozen broccoli because it cooks up faster and softer. If you want to use fresh, you might need to cook just a little longer.
Which Cheese is the Best for this Soup?
- To get the creamiest results, grate/shred your own cheese. The stuff in the bag has a coating on it to prevent it from sticking to itself and doesn’t melt as well.
- You will want to use a nice sharp cheddar cheese for the most flavor. At the very least, a good quality medium cheddar.
- Be sure to add the cheese when the pot’s heat is not turned on, as cheese can get grainy when boiled.
Does Broccoli Cheddar Soup freeze well?
- Yes it does! Let it cool completely before freezing it. Try to freeze in portions versus all in one big container.
- Best results for reheating is by letting it thaw first, and reheating on a med-low heat, slowly.
I hope you enjoy this pressure cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup, it’s pretty easy to make, and faster than many other recipes.
Instant Pot Easy Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Instant Pot Posole – Pork Stew
If you make this yummy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup, please leave a comment with a star rating below. I’d love to know how you liked it!
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is thick and cheesy with the right amount of broccoli. This pressure cooker broccoli cheddar soup is so delicious, you might need to make a double batch!
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 1 large Carrot, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 small Potato (optional), peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (or 3/4 tsp table salt)
- ½ teaspoon Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth, low sodium
- 1 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon (such as Better Than Bouillon®)
- 1½ lbs Broccoli Florets, fresh or frozen (chopped, about 6-8 cups)
- ¼ cup Flour
- ¼ cup Butter
- 6 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded (about 1½ cups)
- 4 oz Monterey Jack or Medium Cheddar Cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
- 2 cups Half and Half
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Gather all ingredients, and prepare all of the vegetables, and shred the cheese. It's easier if you have it all ready to go.
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Turn on the pot's Sauté setting. When hot, add the butter and olive oil. Then add the onion and cook for a few minutes.
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Add the grated carrot and the potato (if using) and cook for a minute to soften.
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Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, and garlic powder. Cook for a minute, stirring.
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Add the broth and stir.
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Add the broccoli, but don't stir. Put the lid on and lock it in place. Set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
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Cancel the Sauté function. Then press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial. Then the +/- to select 3 minutes (High Pressure).
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When the cooking cycle is finished, let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes (10 minute Natural Release). Then slowly at first, in bursts, Quick Release the remaining pressure by turning the steam release knob to the Venting Position. Turn off the pot.
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When all of the pressure is released and the pin in the lid has dropped, open the lid.
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Use a potato masher to mash up the veggies well. If you want a creamier consistency, use an immersion blender.
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Mix the flour and butter together in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 15 seconds. Then mix very well until it is smooth.
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Turn the Sauté setting back on and mix in the flour/butter mixture and stir until it starts to thicken.
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Add the cheeses and stir in. Cancel the Sauté function and add in the half and half. Stir well.
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Taste and adjust salt, if necessary.
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Serve with some nice bread.
Resources to make this recipe and more
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Shrin
Why would you add nutmeg to a soup?
Will try, but definitely won’t be adding nutmeg.
Sandy
Many cream soups and sauces are enhanced by a small amount of nutmeg. This is pretty common. Completely optional!
Melissa
I did not have onion so i substituted celery with a half tsp onion powder. Also substituted 1% milk for half and half and it was still creamy. That much half and half is fattening and will make it a paste the next day for left overs. Good recipe though!
Jennie
Sandy, thanks oodles for sharing this recipe! It was the perfect comfort food-a-licious use for scads of broccoli in our fridge
Only changes I made were substitutions based on ingredients I did or didn’t have at home…
Instead of all 2 cups of half & half cream, I used a 1.5 cup can of evap. milk, and topped up the rest with skim milk and 1/4 cup half & half.
A cup of chopped cauliflower helped stand in for some missing broccoli.
For the cheese, I had no Jack. I went instead with 1/2 cup of a shredded blend of provolone, mozza, Romano & edam, plus 2 cups medium cheddar.
Didn’t have low sodium broth, so used regular chicken stock. I compensated for potential saltiness by using unsalted butter in my thickening roux mix.
As usual with your recipes, Sandy, this one turned out great. 🙂 It was forgiving of my tweaks, and made all three of us very happy with dinner.
Yum.
Sharon
Turned out nice and thick. I only used 1 T. of butter to saute the onions and it was sufficient. The MJ cheese I used had jalapenos. I stretched some of the half and half with milk since I didn’t have enough half and half. Easy recipe.
janv.
I’m out of potatoes until the next store shop Would quality potato flakes work? Anyone tried. I would use real ingredients on the other ingredients.
Sandy
Yes, just add them at the end, a little at a time, letting it sit to absorb before adding more.
Vickie Buck
I made the Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup yesterday. The soup was delicious!! I did add a few Petite Gold Potatoes, unpeeled, chopped into eighths. I used a 2 pound bag of fresh broccoli florets, I try to use what I have on hand since I don’t get to the store for grocery pick up very often these days. I did use an Immersion Blender. Thanks for the great recipe, really good.
Kim
Sandy, Do you have an Instant pot cauliflower cheese soup recipe as well?
Sandy
Yes! Replace the smoked cheese with your favorite: Smoky Creamy Cauliflower Soup
Jennifer
Absolutely DELICIOUS!!! By far the best broccoli cheddar recipe I have tried. Definitely add the potato for a thicker/creamier texture; highly recommend! My family gobbled everything up the same night the soup was made. Thanks for the recipe Sandy!! 😁👍
Barbara
Loved this! I did not have enough broccoli for 6 cups so I added cauliflower and it worked. Just got your cookbook today so I am marking all the recipes I have tried and loved. Thank you so much!!
Sandy
That’s great, Barbara! Thank you!
Jane
I shall definitely be making this soup again and again! Delicious and easy! I’m not great with an instant pot but I was with this recipe. My husband who DOES NOT like broccoli soup, said yes to this. Thank you!
PattiAnn
Hi Sandy,
Great recipe as usual. But here is a tip I learned for thickening soup. Use instant potato flakes. Works great and tastes better than a flour or cornstarch roux. Just stir a couple of tablespoons in at the end of the cooking time till you get the consistency you want. (This way you can leave the potato out of the recipe too)
Happy cooking!
PattiAnn
lottidah
Hi I am trying to make this recipe and hit a roadblock. I’m sorry this is probably really stupid but how do you chop frozen broccoli? Did you thaw it, chop it, then refreeze it?
Sandy
I would just toss it in as is. You can blend it after it cooks and has cooled down a bit.
Kaye M.
Will this work, as is, in the 3 qt. Mini? If not, can everything be halved. Actually, would prefer halving everything, if possible. Since someone indicated the soup should not be frozen, and there is just me, I just can’t see doing a full recipe!
Sandy
Yes, you can halve the recipe for the Mini. Keep the cook time the same.
Mark Story
Sandy,
I need to triple this recipe because I’m cooking for a bunch of guys tonight. I have 2 IP’s (6qt and 8qt). I have 2 hours to get this on the table. How do you recommend I proceed?
Thanks,
Mark
Sandy
Do a double batch in the 8 qt and a single in the 6 qt. Cook times stay the same. Good luck!
Kerri
Hi there, as a new instant pot user, can you fit a double batch in the instant pot? Thanks !
Sandy
HI Kerri, I would try 1 1/2 batch, then see how much that makes.
Trisa McConkey
I uswd squash instead of carrot and potato. Excellent!
Joella
It was delish…my roommate & I both loved it. I used fat free Half and Half and it turned out great.
Olga K.si
Thank you so much for this easy recipe of such delicious soup. I made it twice, with and without potato – first time with broth left over from cooking chicken with veggies in intapot, and second time with chicken broth. They both turned out great, but classic version with chicken broth and without potato was our favorite.
Sandy
That’s nice! Thank you for your review!
Zaynab
Absolutely delicious and perfect for a cold winter day!
Jenny
Delicious – easy to make! I added a little paprika and a parsnip but otherwise kept everything the same. My kids loved it 🙂
Sandy
That’s great! Thank you for your review!
Jayde Ward
Very good . First time using the instapot ever and it was very descriptive. Wasn’t confused at all.
Sandy
Thank you, Jayde! Glad it worked for you!
Tiffany
This was delicious! I included the potato and felt like I could just use whole milk instead of half and half for a slightly lighter version. Five stars!
Sandy
Thank you, Tiffany. I’m glad you liked it!
Sandra Fritsch
This sounds delicious but because of the ingredients I am wondering if this soup freezes well. I am alone but love broccoli cheese soup and would love to try this recipe.
Sandy
I’m not sure. I haven’t tried freezing it.
Ashley M.
Sandra,
Because of the half and half, it will probably not freeze well. However, you can make the base and freeze, then add the butter, flour and half and half when re-heating. You can also use almond milk and skip the roux. It is not as thick and creamy, but is safe to freeze and still delicious.
Meaghan
This is a great recipe!! My family loved it!!! Thanks for sharing!!
Sandy
Hi Meaghan! So glad you all liked this soup! Thanks for your review!
MelanieCR
This soup is absolutely delicious! Used both the potato and the roux and it was so hearty, creamy and filling. Whole family demolished it in two days.
Sandy
That’s great, Melanie! Thank you for letting me know! I’m glad you liked it!
Robyn
Just to be clear….we mash up the broccoli as well?
Sandy
Yes, just mash up what is in the pot, and mash is as much as you like.
Valerie
I made this soup today for the first time when I realized I had left over broccoli. I had been sick and couldn’t face broccoli, but I couldn’t waste it.
I am so glad I made it. It was delicious – absolutely perfect even to the salt and pepper amount. I didn’t have to adjust it at all.
Thank you so much for posting this.
Sandy
Hi Valerie! I’m glad you are feeling better. Also glad that this soup was something that could use up that broccoli, and your tummy could tolerate. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Brenda
This is so good! The soup is creamy and thick (I didn’t add the potato). My family loved it, even my picky 5 year old ate his! Thank you for a great recipe!