The Broccoli Spinach Soup is a wholesome, ultra-creamy soup prepared with fresh broccoli, spinach, and cheese using an Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stovetop. It’s the perfect comfort food for any season, made in just one pot and ready in under 30 minutes. This soup is low-carb, keto-friendly.
During the winter or fall season, I love to make this Broccoli Spinach Cheese Soup. Whenever I buy a bag of organic broccoli and spinach from Costco, this becomes my go-to recipe. Perfect for cozying up on chilly days, it's incredibly yummy and filling. If you enjoy broccoli and cheese, you might also love my Instant Pot broccoli cheddar soup.
I used to prepare this recipe on a stovetop pot, but recently I have been making this soup in Instant Pot, an electric pressure cooker. I have explained both Stovetop and Instant Pot versions below.
If you are on a Keto or Low Carb Diet, check out my Keto Indian food recipes Collection.
Always use unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk for a keto-friendly broccoli spinach soup. Alternatively, you can use half-and-half milk if you prefer.
More Broccoli Recipes
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Broccoli Soup Ingredients
- Broccoli: Choose organic, fresh, and dark green broccoli with firm stems.
- Onions: are essential aromatics that form the base of the soup and add tons of flavor. I prefer sweet onions, but feel free to use any onion you have on hand.
- Garlic: Use freshly minced garlic for a burst of flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable broth. It adds a nice depth of flavor and the liquid base for this broccoli soup. However, you can even use water if that's what you have.
- Milk: I used full-fat whole milk in this recipe. You may also use full-fat coconut milk or almond milk.
- Cheese: I used mozzarella cheese. You may also use nutritional yeast or vegan cheese if you are vegan.
- Butter: To cook the onions and build the flavor in the soup. You may also use olive oil.
- Seasonings: salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
How to Make Broccoli Spinach Soup
Stovetop Pot Method
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and saute for a minute, ensuring the garlic doesn’t burn.
Add 1 medium onion (finely chopped) and saute until soft and translucent.
Next, add 1 cup broccoli florets (around 15 florets), and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup vegetable broth (or water). Mix everything well.
Cover and cook the broccoli florets until they are fork-tender, which should take about 3-4 minutes.
Then add 1 cup spinach, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup cheese, salt, and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Stir well.
Simmer for 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted. At this stage, turn off the gas and remove it from the heat.
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. ( Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender or Vitamix in batches and puree until smooth). Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Reheat if necessary and serve with additional toppings as desired.
If you think the soup is too thin, you can add cornflour slurry into the soup and boil for 2 minutes. This gives a thick and creamy consistency. I like my soup thin, so I did not add it.
Enjoy your spinach broccoli soup hot!
Instant Pot Method
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat butter, add minced garlic, and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add onion and saute till they are soft and translucent.
- Next, add broccoli, and vegetable broth (or water). Give a quick stir.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 3 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, do a Quick Pressure Release.
- Then add the spinach, milk, cheese, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir well.
- Turn on the Saute and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. At this stage, press Cancel.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. (Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender or Vitamix in batches and puree until smooth).
- If you think the soup is too thin, you can add cornflour slurry into the soup and boil for 2 minutes, this gives thick consistency. I like soup thin, so I did not add it.
- The healthy Instant pot broccoli cheese soup recipe is ready to serve.
What to Serve with Creamy Broccoli Soup
This soup is great on its own, or you can pair it with garlic bread and a fresh salad like avocado cucumber salad.
I have garnished it with some cream. Here are a few suggestions for toppings.
- Cheese
- Greek yogurt
- Croutons
- Toasted pumpkin seeds
- Slivered almonds
- Roasted veggies
- Roasted chickpeas
- Red chili flakes
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make-Ahead: This soup is a great make-ahead meal. Let the soup cool down to room temperature, and then store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days until you are ready to serve.
- Refrigerator: Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days in an air-tight container.
- Freezer: This soup freezes well. Let the soup cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag for up to 2-3 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat it on the microwave or stovetop on low heat until warm through.
Variations
- Potato: You can add diced potatoes when cooking the broccoli to give the soup a creamy texture.
- Almond: Add around 10 soaked almonds with broccoli, to make the soup rich and healthier.
- Greens: Feel free to substitute the baby spinach with other greens like kale, or arugula.
- Vegan: If you are vegan, you can substitute dairy milk and cheese with vegan alternatives. This soup tastes good without adding milk and cheese as well.
If you love Soups and are looking for more Instant Pot Soup Recipes? Here are my 30+ Instant Pot Vegetarian Soup Recipes you must try.
Broccoli Spinach Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup broccoli chopped (around 15 florets)
- 1 cup spinach (palak) chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, (around 3 cloves)
- 1 medium onion finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup almond milk or coconut milk or dairy milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup mozzarella cheese or any processed cheese
- ¼ teaspoon black/white pepper powder
- salt to taste
- 1 cup water (or vegetable broth)
Instructions
Stovetop Pot Method:
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute for a minute, ensuring the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add onion and saute till they are soft and translucent.
- Next, add the broccoli florets, and saute for 2 minutes. Add vegetable broth (or water). Mix well.
- Cover, and cook till broccoli florets are fork tender, takes around 3-4 minutes.
- Then add the spinach, milk, cheese, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir well.Simmer for 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted. At this stage, turn off the gas and remove it from the heat.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. ( Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender or Vitamix in batches and puree until smooth). Adjust the seasoning to taste.Reheat if necessary and serve with additional toppings as desired.
- If you think the soup is too thin, you can add cornflour slurry into the soup and boil for 2 minutes. This gives thick and creamy consistency. I like my soup thin, so I did not add it.Enjoy your spinach broccoli soup hot!
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Heat butter, add minced garlic, and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add onion and saute till they are soft and translucent.
- Next, add broccoli, and vegetable broth (or water). Give a quick stir.
- Close the lid securely, and turn the vent to "SEALING". Select the PRESSURE COOK/MANUAL (High Pressure) setting and set the cooking time to 3 minutes.
- When the instant pot beeps, do a Quick Pressure Release.
- Then add the spinach, milk, cheese, salt, and freshly ground pepper. Stir well.
- Turn on the Saute and simmer for 1-2 minutes until the spinach is wilted. At this stage, press Cancel.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. ( Or transfer the mixture to a traditional blender or Vitamix in batches and puree until smooth).
- If you think the soup is too thin, you can add cornflour slurry into the soup and boil for 2 minutes, this gives thick consistency. I like soup thin, so I did not add it.
- The healthy Instant pot Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is ready to serve.
Notes
Variations for Broccoli Spinach Soup
- Potato: You can add diced potatoes when you cook broccoli, this gives a creamy texture to the soup.
- Almond: Add around 10 soaked almonds with broccoli, to make the soup to rich and healthier.
- Greens: Feel free to substitute the baby spinach with other greens like kale, or arugula.
- Vegan: If you are Vegan, you can substitute dairy milk and cheese with vegan alternatives. This soup tastes good without adding milk and cheese as well.
Nutrition
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Cyndie
This is really good! I made it on the stove and used chicken broth instead of water. Also, added some half and half to the milk and threw in some extra moz cheese (just because, lol!). I'll make this again! Thank you !
Bhavana Patil
Hi Cyndie, I am so glad to hear you liked the recipe.
Barbara
surprisingly delicious! and healthy. I did substitute low sodium chicken broth gor the water. This soup is so good either hot or cold. Really pretty eith a drizzle of cream or yogurt.
Bhavana Patil
Glad you liked it.. Thanks for sharing your feedback 🙂
Snigdha
What kind of cheese did you use?
bhavana
I used mozzarella cheese but you can use amul processed cheese too.