Broccoli Cheese Soup is a family favorite recipe and has never been easier than in the Instant Pot! This light and delicious soup is made with simple ingredients giving it great flavor!
A new spin on an old favorite soup. Light and delicious and so fast in the pressure cooker!
It makes it possible to whip up any time you are in the mood.
And like our Cauliflower Cheese Soup (also an Instant Pot recipe) it’s the right balance of vegetable and cheese flavors!
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe
This easy soup recipe is a favorite for many reasons. It’s actually a light soup.
It’s not a super thick cheesy broccoli soup. It has a thinner texture and light flavor that’s slightly sweet from the broccoli.
It’s a delicious and fast recipe made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
Making it in the Instant Pot speeds things up!
If you love making seasonal recipes this one will become a favorite!
Recipe Ingredients + Notes
Olive Oil – used to saute the onion in the Instant Pot.
Onion – onion is a must in soup to develop great flavor! Sauteeing in the Instant Pot gives a more mellow flavor and saves time.
Garlic Clove – just one clove adds natural flavor to the soup base without making it super garlicky.
Broccoli Florets – the star of the recipe! Just the florets are used.
If you want to use the stems too try Spiralized Broccoli Stem Carrot Slaw with Dried Cranberries or Broccoli Stem Slaw.
Broth – I use low sodium Chicken broth for this recipe. It adds a homey flavor and makes the soup base delicious.
Heavy Cream – there is only 3/4 cups of heavy cream in the soup. It adds a creamy touch without making it heavy or overly rich.
Shredded Cheese – Cheddar cheese or mozzarella are suggested and each add wonderful flavor.
Salt & Pepper – these are added at the end to allow you to ‘season to taste’. I recommend Kosher Salt which is a less salt tasting salt.
Supplies Needed
This recipe was developed with a 6-quart Instant Pot.
An immersion blender (also called a ‘stick blender’) is used to puree the broccoli after cooking. It’s a perfect tool for making soup.
The blender portion is a disk is at the end of a long stem. This allows it to be submerged in a pot of soup to puree ingredients.
It can be used to selectively puree too. So if you want soup that is semi-chunky the blending is easily controlled unlike a regular blender.
Variations
Use any type of onion. We chose yellow onion but you could use a sweet onion. White or red onions will work too. Even shallots would be delicious.
Try different cheese. This broccoli soups is delicious with sharp cheddar. Mozzarella is another great choice for a completely different taste. Try your favorite cheese!
Switch up the broth. Low sodium chicken stock is delicious in the soup. To keep it vegetarian use vegetable stock. Regular and unsalted broth can also be substituted. The soup is salted to taste at the end.
Use Half-and-Half or Whole Milk. There isn’t much cream in this light soup but if you want to lighten it up substitute one of these instead.
Use frozen broccoli. If substituting frozen broccoli cook for 10 minutes instead of 5 minutes.
Add toppings! Roasted broccoli, a generous sprinkling of shredded Parmesan cheese or a dollop of sour cream are all great choices.
Add favorite spices. The light flavor of the soup can be pumped up with favorite herbs and spices!
How to Make it – Step-by-Step
STEP 1: Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE. Heat the olive oil and add the onion (photo 1). Cooking stirring periodically until the onions are translucent (about 4 minutes).
Add the garlic clove and sauté an additional 1 minute (photo 2).
STEP 2: Add the broccoli florets and the broth (photo 3). Stir to combine. SEAL the Instant Pot and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes (after cooking: photo 4).
Do a QUICK RELEASE after pressure cooking to release the pressure.
STEP 3: Use an immersion blender to puree the broccoli florets (photo 5). Add the cream and cheese; stir to combine (photo 6-7).
Time Saving Tips
Use pre-shredded cheese. This will save the shredding time. It can be purchased in the dairy section of the grocery store already prepared.
NOTE: There is an anti-caking agent added to prepared shredded cheese. This stops it from sticking together but it can be slower to melt.
Consider a brand like Tillamook’s farmerstyle thick cut cheese which melts the same as home shredded cheese.
Use prepared broccoli florets. They are sold prepared in bags with grocery store produce. All you need to do is measure them out and add to the Instant Pot.
Frozen broccoli can also be used as mentioned above.
Storing Leftovers
Allow the soup to fully cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
How to Freeze Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Soups with much dairy in them can be tricky. They can curdle and separate after freezing. Here’s how we do it:
Allow the soup to cool completely.
Put it in a freezer safe container. Leave 3/4-inch space between the top of the soup and the top of the container. This is called ‘head space’ and allows for expansion when frozen.
A freezer safe plastic bag may also be used (squeeze out as much air as possible).
Place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight.
Reheating the Soup
Reheating the soup properly makes a big difference in the texture. Use this method for either chilled or thawed soup.
Reheat the soup over low heat on the stove top whisking or stirring often to achieve the best texture. It can also be microwaved over lower heat.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Broccoli Salad recipe
- Lemon Garlic Broccoli
- Broccoli Sausage Pasta Salad
- Spicy Garlic Sriracha Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Spicy Instant Pot Potato Soup
Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK , TWITTER , INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST !
Recipe
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Olive oil
- 1 Yellow Onion sliced
- 1 Garlic clove minced
- 5 cups Broccoli florets
- 3 ½ cups Chicken broth
- ¾ cup Heavy cream
- ¾ cup shredded mozzarella cheese or cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set the instant pot on the SAUTE setting. Add the olive oil and onion and cook until translucent, approximately 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic clove and saute for 30 seconds more or until fragrant.
- Mix in the broccoli florets and broth and stir to incorporate. Close the lid and valve and set on HIGH PRESSURE for 5 minutes.
- Manually release steam and open the lid and valve.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the broccoli until evenly combined.
- Stir in the heavy cream and cheese and stir to incorporate.
Notes
● You can also use frozen broccoli. Cook - from frozen - for 10 minutes instead of 5. The end result is really similar and just as delicious.
Cathy says
Love how creamy this is!
Kevin says
Oh my! This is a great lunch option and I cannot wait to make it again!
Beth says
My family and I love this soup! So delicious and so easy! I will definitely be making this again!
Catalina says
My kid loves broccoli soup. I am sure he will love this version too! It looks amazing!
Lindsay Cotter says
So comforting and delicious! This will be on repeat!
Vikki says
mmm this looks so tasty and colorful, can’t wait to taste!
Amanda says
I have always wanted to try this kind soup, thank you for sharing!
Erin says
This Broccoli Cheese Soup is couldn’t look any more perfect!
Beti | easyweeknightrecipes says
Such an incredibly delicious soup! I am loving everything about it! YUM!