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Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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This broccoli cheddar soup is a quick and tasty recipe that’s made completely in the instant pot. Perfectly tender broccoli is suspended throughout a lusciously cheesy soup base to create this rich, creamy, meatless meal!

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One of my favorite ways to enjoy broccoli is in this broccoli cheddar soup! This 25-minute instant pot meal is rich, savory, and creamy—the ultimate comfort dish. Anytime I find myself with an extra bag of frozen broccoli, I combine it with some chicken broth, onion, milk, and cheddar cheese to make this hearty broccoli cheddar soup. A warm and steamy bowl full of this broccoli soup brings some joy and sunshine to even the gloomiest days. 

This broccoli cheddar soup is a great meal to serve to guests, bring to a new mom or sick friend, or freeze and save for a rainy day. This soup is great on its own, as is our Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, or you can pair it with some toasty bread, a bright and fresh salad, some steamed rice, or even some sweet potato fries to turn it into a well-rounded meal! You can even toss in some shredded or grilled chicken to take this dish from light lunch to a hearty dinner. 

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We Love This Recipe Because It’s…

  • Hearty, cheesy, warm, savory, and comforting
  • A quick 25-minute lunch or dinner
  • A yummy way to sneak in some extra veggies
  • Easy to serve to a crowd or freeze and save for later
  • Super rich and creamy
  • A cost-effective, meatless meal

Ingredients:

Broccoli-Cheddar-Soup-Ingredients
  • 3 Tbsp salted butter
  • 2 large carrots, diced (about ¾ cup diced)
  • ½ white onion, diced (about ¾ cup diced)
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups frozen broccoli cuts
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

How to Make Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

  • In the pot of your pressure cooker, sauté the onion and carrots in the butter until soft.
  • Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until it evenly coats the vegetables.
  • Add the chicken broth and frozen broccoli, making sure that the broccoli is fully submerged in the liquid.
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  • Add the lid to your pressure cooker and cook the broccoli mixture on high followed by a quick release.
  • Remove the lid and gently whisk in the milk and cheddar cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese is completely melted.
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  • Add salt and pepper to taste, serve, and enjoy!
Broccoli-Cheddar-Soup-done-cooking

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my broccoli cheddar soup not creamy?

If this broccoli cheddar soup gets too hot, the cheese can curdle and separate. This will leave you with a soup that is watery and grainy. This is why it’s essential to add your cheese at the end of the cooking process. 

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What cheese is best for soup?

If you don’t want to use cheddar cheese in this creamy broccoli soup, pick a cheese that is smooth and melts well! Shredded Monterey Jack, Havarti, and Gouda would all work nicely.

Can you make this broccoli cheddar soup with chicken?

Absolutely! To do this, add some precooked shredded or cubed chicken at the same time you add your broccoli. The chicken should warm through nicely and add some extra protein to this soup.

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How to Store and Reheat Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

If you have any leftover broccoli cheddar soup, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. I recommend reheating any chilled soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Be sure not to let this soup get too hot and feel free to add some extra chicken broth or milk if necessary.

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How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup on the Stovetop

No pressure cooker? No worries! You can still make this savory and cheesy soup on the stovetop!

  • In a large pot over medium heat, cook together the onion, carrots, and butter.
  • Once the vegetables are soft, add the flour and stir well.
  • Add the chicken broth and frozen broccoli and bring the mixture up to a simmer. Cook until the broccoli is fork-tender.
  • Remove the soup from the heat before whisking in the milk and cheddar cheese.
  • Once all the cheese has melted, season this broccoli cheddar soup with salt and pepper, serve, and enjoy!
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Expert Tips and Tricks

  • I recommend serving this soup with some crackers or toasted French bread. You can also garnish your broccoli cheddar soup with some extra shredded cheese.
  • This is a thick and creamy broccoli soup! If you like your soups a little thinner, I recommend adding an additional ½ cup of chicken broth.
  • You can use fresh broccoli in this soup instead of frozen. This will not change the cooking time.
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More Recipes:

Yield: 6 (3/4 cups)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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This broccoli cheddar soup is a quick and tasty recipe that’s made completely in the instant pot. Perfectly tender broccoli is suspended throughout a lusciously cheesy soup base to create this rich, creamy, meatless meal!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp salted butter
  • 2 large carrots, diced (about ¾ cup diced)
  • ½ white onion, diced (about ¾ cup diced)
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cups frozen broccoli cuts
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
  • Ingredient Notes
  • Broccoli—Frozen florets.
  • Cheddar Cheese—I like the bite of a good sharp cheddar, but any shredded cheddar cheese will do.
  • Onion—A white onion will be most mild, but you can also opt to use a yellow onion.
  • Carrots—Peeled and diced.
  • Chicken Broth—Adds a ton of salty, comforting flavor.
  • Milk—Whole milk will add richness.
  • Butter—Salted.
  • Flour—Thickens this rich and creamy soup.

Instructions

  1. Place your butter, diced carrots, and diced onions in a pressure cooker pot and turn the pot to the sear/sauté function. Cook the carrots and onions until the onions begin to turn translucent (about 5 minutes). 
  2. Whisk in the flour until it evenly coats the veggies.
  3. Add the chicken broth and broccoli cuts to the pressure cooker pot and stir until the broccoli cuts are almost entirely or entirely submerged in liquid.
  4. Cook the broccoli mixture on high for one minute, followed by a quick release. 
  5. Once all the pressure has been released from the pressure cooker, whisk in the milk and cheese until the cheese is completely melted.
  6. Salt and pepper to taste, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

  • The cook time could be changed to 1 minute since that is the amount of time the pressure cooker is set to. I listed 13 minutes since that considers the pressure cooker coming to pressure and releasing all its pressure (about 6 minutes each).
  • Serve this soup with saltines or French bread with butter.
  • You can use fresh broccoli as well. Get a fresh head of broccoli and cut it into small chunks. You will still need 4 cups of chopped broccoli, but one head should be enough.
  • You can store this broccoli in the fridge for up to five days before it goes bad. 
  • This soup tends to thicken as it cools and will be a little bit thicker reheated in the microwave. If you like a thinner broccoli cheese soup, you can add ½ cup of chicken broth to the recipe.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 609Total Fat 41gSaturated Fat 23gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 13gCholesterol 131mgSodium 1298mgCarbohydrates 27gFiber 5gSugar 11gProtein 35g

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