Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This best Broccoli Cheddar Soup is an easy, rich, healthy, delicious soup prepared with minimal ingredients in under 25 minutes in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and is Low Carb, Keto Recipe. This is a Panera copycat broccoli cheddar soup recipe, and I will promise you will love this.

With the colder weather moving, a nice warm creamy soup full of fresh broccoli and cheese is great comfort food for dinner. Adding this soup to a bread bowl makes it even more fantastic. It’s So delicious, I promise you! 

This Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe has made the rounds around social media, so I wanted to try it at home. It took me a few tries to get the right consistency and flavor. I have added milk instead of heavy cream, which would reduce the calories in the soup and make it even healthier.

For the Keto Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe, use only heavy cream, coconut milk, or unsweetened almond milk for this recipe. Do not use dairy milk for the keto diet as it is high in carbs. Also, skip carrots for the keto diet. Check out my Keto Indian Food Recipes Collection.

Today I have prepared this dish in my electric pressure cooker, Instant Pot DUO60 6 QT. You can use any equivalent electric pressure cooker like Mealthy Multipot.

And for those of you who do not own an Instant pot, I’ve also included directions to make this on the stovetop in a large pot as well.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
• How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Instant Pot
• Stovetop Pot Method
• Serving Suggestions
• Make Ahead & Storage
• Tips to Make the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Variations for Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Recipe FAQs
• More Broccoli Recipes
• More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
• Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

• Panera bread copycat recipe
• Thick, rich, creamy, and easy to prepare.
• Warm and comforting.
• Ready in 30 minutes.
• One-pot recipe.
• Perfect for parties, get-togethers, or holiday meals.
• Vegetarian, nut-free, and can be made Low carb, Keto-Friendly

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients

Let's first gather the ingredients required to make this broccoli cheese soup recipe.

• Butter: use butter for sautéing, This will make a simple roux with flour. You can also use olive oil.
• Yellow onion: are essential aromatics that forms the base of the soup and adds tons of flavor. I prefer to use sweet onions (yellow onions) for soups but feel free to use any onion variety you have on hand.
• Garlic: Freshly minced or finely chopped garlic tastes the best.
• Broccoli: Choose organic, fresh, and dark green broccoli with firm stems. Chop broccoli florets into small pieces. You can use frozen broccoli as well, But fresh is better than frozen.
• Carrots: grate them using a box grater. You can skip as well.
• Vegetable broth (or water): Use low-sodium vegetable broth. It adds a nice depth of flavor and the liquid base for this broccoli cheddar soup. However, you can even use water if that's what you have.
• Flour: This helps to thicken the soup. I prefer to use whole wheat flour as a healthy alternative or regular all-purpose flour (maida).
• Cheddar Cheese: I have used sharp cheddar cheese, You can also use mild or medium cheddar. I prefer grating my own cheese from a block than using a pre-grated one. Increase or decrease the cheese according to your preference. Extra sharp white cheddar also works well.
• Milk: I used whole milk in this recipe. You may substitute with heavy cream or half and a half for ultra-thick, rich, and creamy broccoli soup!
• Herbs & spices: I used dried thyme, You can add any seasoning of your choice.
• Salt & pepper: to taste.

How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Instant Pot

Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Melt butter, then add minced garlic, diced onions, and saute till the onions turn soft and translucent.

Add in the flour and saute for a minute constantly until it is cooked. Don't burn the flour.

Then add shredded carrot, chopped broccoli, salt, crushed black pepper, vegetable broth (or water), and give a 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 2 minutes.

When the instant pot beeps, Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, and then do a quick pressure release. Open the lid.

Blend (optional): At this point, you can blend some of the soup using an immersion blender until smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, puree in a blender once slightly cooled. 

NOTE: I didn't puree the soup since I added small pieces of broccoli before pressure cooking, and I like the soup to have a chunky texture.

Lastly, select "Sauté" mode again. Add in the milk (or heavy cream or half and half) and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Adjust the salt and pepper at this stage. Let the soup simmer for 2 minutes.

Instant pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is ready to serve. Garnish with some steamed broccoli for some crunch.

**Broccoli Cheese Soup usually becomes thick during cooking or storing. If it gets too thick, simply thin it out with a little water or vegetable broth.

Stovetop Pot Method

• In a large saucepan, Melt butter, once it’s melted, add minced garlic, diced onions, and saute till the onions turn translucent.
• Add in the flour and saute for a minute constantly until it is cooked. Make sure not to burn the flour.
• Then add shredded carrot, chopped broccoli, salt, crushed black pepper, vegetable broth (or water), and give a stir.
• Then bring to a simmer and cook until the broccoli is very tender. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
• Once tender, stir in the milk, cheddar cheese, and stir for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is melted. Simmer for another 2 minutes. Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this Homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup for lunch or a quick, easy weeknight meal with crusty bread and fresh salad on the side.

You can also serve it with Crispy Sweet Potato Fries and Sriracha-Mayo dip on the side.

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: You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an air-tight container.
• Freezer: Soups with dairy don't freeze that well. However, if you have leftovers, divide them into individual portions and freeze them in freezer-safe zip-lock bags for up to three months.
• Reheating: You can reheat in the microwave or stovetop on low heat until warm by often stirring to avoid curdling. To reheat the frozen soup, thaw overnight in the fridge and then heat it in the stovetop pot stirring it continuously.

Tips to Make the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• Make sure to chop the broccoli into bite-sized pieces, it helps to cook evenly.
• The Soup usually becomes thick while cooking or storing. So simply thin it out with vegetable broth, milk, or water.
• Use high-quality, sharp cheddar cheese to make Panera-style Broccoli cheddar soup.
• Shred your own cheese. Avoid buying pre-shredded cheddar cheese, as it doesn't melt smoothly in the soup.

Variations for Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• Cheese: I used sharp cheddar cheese in this recipe. If you like, you can also add ⅓ cup of parmesan cheese to add more flavor to the soup.
• Milk: I have made this soup with whole milk, in place of heavy cream or half and half. It is a bit thinner in consistency but doesn't compromise on the taste. 
• Gluten-free: To make this soup gluten-free, skip the all-purpose flour. To thicken, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. You may also add cream cheese to thicken.
• Adding Roux after Pressure Cooking Cycle: You can also avoid adding cornstarch or flour to your recipes at the beginning of pressure cooking which can cause your food to burn. So mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water, and add to the soup after adding the milk and cheese after pressure cooking. Mix through well and allow to thicken.

Recipe FAQs

More Broccoli Recipes

• Broccoli Spinach Soup
• Tandoori Broccoli
• Potato Broccoli Stir Fry
• Roasted Broccoli
• Steamed Broccoli
• Broccoli Paneer Mayo Sandwich
• Steamed Broccoli

More Instant Pot Soup Recipes

• Creamy Tomato Soup
• Creamy Tortellini Soup
• Lentil Soup
• Cauliflower Soup
• Broccoli Spinach Soup
• Cream of Asparagus Soup

If you love Soups and looking for more Instant Pot Soup Recipes? then here are my 15+ Instant Pot Vegetarian Soup Recipes you must try.

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