This easy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup is loaded with veggies, is SUPER CHEESY and needs just a handful of ingredients you will already have on hand. Ready in only 20 minutes it makes the perfect midweek bowl of comfort.
It is nearly the end of October and I am STILL waiting for it to get cold enough for soup weather! I have been putting on boots and sweaters in the hope that my enthusiasm for icy winds and rain (you can take the girl out of Ireland, but you can’t take Ireland out of the girl…) will corral the cool air out of hiding. But this Northern California heat is sticking around for a while yet it would seem.
Never one to be put off by a bit of sun, I am whipping up the soups left right and center around here (much to my daughters dismay). Especially seeing as 4 out of the 5 of us have developed sniffles and sore throats over the weekend. What is the point of a cold if you can’t get all snuggly in front of the heater with a cup of tea and a box of tissues?
Tell me about that cheese!
If you are an Instant Pot fan (and how could you not be?) then you are going to just love this Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup. It literally takes 20 minutes from start to finish, tastes all kinds of amazing when paired with a loaf of fresh country bread and some creamy butter, and gets your body all nicely loaded up with lots and lots of veggies. And cheese. There is quite a bit of cheese in there too. sorrynotsorry.
Once you have tried out (and love) the Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup then you should definitely check out these other Instant Pot creations for quick and easy weeknight meals you can get on the table in less than 30 minutes:
I also love this recipe from Beyond Mere Sustenance: Instant Pot Salmon and Rice with Lemon Caper Chimichurri. I love hearing from you so be sure to pop back and leave a comment to let me know what you thought of this tasty little number. Happy Eating!
This easy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup is loaded with veggies, is SUPER CHEESY and needs just a handful of ingredients you will already have on hand. Ready in only 20 minutes it makes the perfect midweek bowl of comfort.
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 6 cups broccoli florets
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (or sub more milk instead)
- salt and pepper to taste
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Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and add the butter. When the butter is melted stir in the onion and carrots and cook about 2-3 minutes, or until the onion is translucent
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Stir in the garlic and flour. Cook for 1 minute and then stir in the broth. Continue stirring until no flour lumps remain.
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Add the broccoli to the pot, pop on the lid, and set Instant Pot to cook at High Pressure for 8 minutes.
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At the end of 8 minutes, do a quick release of pressure, open the lid and turn the pot off. Add in the paprika, and dijon and stir until incorporated.
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Stir in the cheeses, mixing well until fully melted. Once melted add in the milk and cream, season to taste.
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Optional: at this point I like to take half the soup and blend until smooth and creamy and then add it back to the pot, it makes for a thicker soup.
To make on the stove: Follow the first two steps in a large saucepan, and then bring to a simmer and cook until the broccoli is very tender. This should take about 30 minutes. Once tender, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the spices, herbs, cheese, milk and cream to serve.
I got my first-ever burn notice with this recipe. After 3 attempts (ok, so I didn’t actually completely scrub the pot in between) I did eventually salvage it by deciding it was cooked enough and just proceeded from there, and it was in fact delicious, but I’d like to know what I did wrong in the first place so I can avoid it next time.
Once I added the flour it was a VERY thick roux – almost a solid lump. I’m pretty sure that’s when the flour stuck and began to burn. Any thoughts about what I should have done differently?
I changed up the cheeses and seasonings (only had mozarella, so went with that, and then added a bunch of smoked paprika and chipotle bacon spice to make up for the more mild cheese), but my changes were after the burn notice, up to that point I’d followed the recipe as written.
Hi Robin, sorry you had that problem. I have never had that happen before and I have made this soup countless times! All I can think is maybe there wasn’t enough butter at the start so the ingredients (mainly the flour) became a little burnt to the bottom and then got too hot? Maybe next time try mixing the flour with some of the broth until smooth before adding to the pot? Hope that helps.
Oh I like broccoli, would like to have this soup, this such a healthy and instant dish. Many thanks.
No worries, enjoy!!
Just made this, used cauliflower and broccoli. Added wochestershire, a little oregano, basil, thyme, and chilli . I used low fat old cheddar. It’s definately not the best choice as it makes the texture a bit grainy, even if you blend it. Next time I’ll use regular cheese.
Donna, thank you! I love a good soup and this looks delicious. It is definitely one of my favs!
Oh good, I am so happy to hear that Alyssa!!
Donna, thank you! Beautiful soup! This is one of my faves and this one is just so amazing!
Oh yay, I am so glad you enjoyed Olga, we love it too!
I love it!! Such a really amazing meal!
Perfect dinner for a busy weeknight! Looks so warm and comforting!
Our supper last night, and so very very good. The only addition I made was a couple of dashes of tobasco. My daughter wanted it a bit thicker and would like for me to add some rice. Thanks for a great meal.
Thanks so much for taking the time to pop in and let us know how you enjoyed the soup! A dash of Tabasco sounds delicious, I always add some chili flakes to mine, I like a little bit of a kick!
Can you tell me how much one serving of soup is? Thank you! This is one of our favorites and we make it often.
Hi Natalie, I haven’t measured it exactly, I will next time I make it. I usually count one serve as a bowl which is just over a large ladle full. Hope that helps!
This is really comforting!
What size is one serving of this soup?
Hi Natalie, I haven’t measured it exactly, I will next time I make it. I usually count one serve as a bowl which is just over a large ladle full. Hope that helps!
New to the Instant Pot cult since Christmas. I have tested many different soups including broccoli cheese because it is my favorite. This soup was spot on with ingredient amounts, thickening agents (I dislike using cornstarch and water because it makes soup more like a jelled mass but perhaps my issue…) I added a 1/3rd less cheese because I have found many recipes try to overcheese these types of soups when from an Instant Pot and and perhaps doing so from a thickening standpoint. The 20 minutes leadoff was a little off from the perspective of cutting up veggies etc but from dicing onion to serving it was only 35 minutes so very good for an Instant Pot recipe that was extremely tasty, vegetarian and the way I like it.
Thanks for taking the time to pop in and let us know Denise!! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
By far, my most favorite IP broccoli cheese soup yet!
You nailed the ratios perfectly.
Pinned ..and will be using this from here on out.
Thank you.😁
Oh yay, I am so glad it worked so well for you, we love it!!
Looks great…only I’m dealing with one child who’s non-dairy. What do you think if I used cashew/almond milk and then add the cheese after for the rest of us? Anyone?
Cashew or almond milk would work just fine (I use pistachio milk in a similar soup and it works great: https://www.wholefoodbellies.com/cream-of-broccoli-and-pistachio-soup/). I haven’t tried making this version without the cheese but you could always scoop some out for your child and then add the cheese for everyone else. Adding a little bit of nutritional yeast to your child’s soup will give it a hint of a cheesy flavor without the dairy too! Good luck 🙂
Great recipe, but it really bugs me when the prep time is how long it would take for a professional to do. There is no way a beginner or amateur can grate all that cheese and cut all those veggies in 5 minutes.
I get where you are coming from Emmie, I used to get so annoyed at this when I first started cooking. I am usually in the kitchen with at least 2 of my 3 kids (4yo and 6yo) in the kitchen ‘helping out/bickering’ and I always time how long it takes me to do it with them. I feel this gives a more realistic indication of time. Perhaps just add a couple of minutes, it shouldn’t take much longer.
Surprisingly good. I used an immersion blender and just blended it right there in the pot. Next time I will make it with a little spice, maybe some cayanne or sriracha sauce.
Ooh I like the idea of adding a wee bit of spice, yum!
I just finished making this soup and it’s delightful! My one year old couldnt eat enough! Neither could I. It’s so easy and yummy!!!
Well if it won over the 1-year old that’s a big achievement!! Thanks for taking the time to pop back and leave a comment, that made my day 🙂
Wow, this was delicious!!! It’s my first recipe in the instant pot, and I’m definitely making it again.
Oh yay, that makes me so happy Rachel! Congrats on your new instant pot 🙂
looks great! I love that
I loved that when I met it in the first time
This is the first time I’ve seen Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup. It is amazing.
This is the first time I’ve seen Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup. It is amazing.
First soup I made in the Instant Pot, turned out delicious!
Yay, I am so glad you loved it!!
Hello!
If I were to half this recipe, how long should I cook it for?
I haven’t tried halving it, but I am assuming the same time would work just fine!
How big is a serving? I’ll be making it this week and am wondering if I should double it. If I doubled it, would it fit in my 6 qt pressure cooker?
A serving is about 2 cups. I have a 6qt and I wouldn’t double it, maybe an extra half of the recipe would fit in there just fine.
Love the dijon in this! Looks like a perfect fall weeknight recipe. I LOVE cheddar soup.
Me too 🙂
I love making soup in my Instant Pot. Thanks for a great recipe that my family loves!
It makes the whole process so much easier right!!
So yummy! I made a few changes- arrowroot flour instead of ap (I’m trying to reduce gluten) less cheese, and left out the cream. Thanks for recipe!!!
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know! I actually have some arrowroot in the cupboard, I will have to try that next time to change things up!
I loved this recipe!!! Excellent flavor…….my 10 year old would like me to thicken up. Can I add more flour to this recipe?
Hi Sheryl, thanks for popping in and letting me know you loved it. To make it a bit thicker I would add a flour slurry – adding flour straight to the hot soup will leave you with clumps. Mix some flour and a little bit of cold water, whisk until combined and then add that to the soup and heat through. That should thicken it up nicely.
You should’ve written in the recipe to get the soup cool before adding the cheese. My cheese seized up and clumped. Recipe is a FAIL
I’m sorry this happened Leone, I never cool my soup before adding the cheese and have never had this problem (and I have made the recipe multiple times, as have other people which you can see in the comments). Maybe it’s the type of cheese you used? If you bought pre-shredded cheese it has a lot of added ingredients which may have led to the clumping.
I wanted to add that I used pre-shredded cheese and didn’t have the clumping issue—I added slowly and stirred. This soup turned out great!
Thanks Rachel, glad it worked out with the pre-shredded cheese as well!!
Let the soup cool? Then add the cheese? Seems counterproductive. I used a combination of pre shredded and cheese I shredded myself and it turned out great. This “seizing up” sounds like a user error to me. Maybe they tried using low-fat cheese? I did add a few dashes of seasoning salt to increase the appeal for my husband and stepson. But I liked it best exactly as you listed! Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for popping back and letting us know it worked for you as well Kerrie, I appreciate it 🙂 You may be right about the low-fat cheese! Very welcome.
Wonderful made for my family everyone loved it
I am so happy to hear this 🙂
Great recipe . Did change a few things though. On my instant pot , I don’t not have a sauté so I just put all the veggies in it and cooked for 10 min . Used my vita mix to blend , put back in pot and added cheese . Ground up 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and added to thicken instead of flour . Didn’t add milk ,cream or spices .
Tastes awesome
Ooh I like the chia seeds idea!!
This is so good. No bad reviews proves it!! Thanks for the guidelines. Although everything is better with bacon – I might try adding some next time. This will become my go-to quick soup recipe. Sharp cheddar, marble cheddar and Parmesan were all I had on hand so I added all of them. Outrageously good!!
Oh I am so glad to hear this Sandra!! It really is such an easy flavorful soup (and my kids definitely prefer it with bacon these days!)
If I used frozen broccoli are there any adjustments to time or liquid amount I should make?
I haven’t tried it with frozen broccoli, but I would just use the same instructions, I can’t see there being any difference. Enjoy 🙂
This turned out wonderful! I really didn’t make any major changes other than, maybe, adding a bit less cheese, skipped the paprika (I was out) and used horseradish mustard. It was wonderful! I used my immersion blender to puree it a bit and that made for a great, just slightly chunky, texture. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
YUM!! I need some of that horseradish mustard, sounds amazing!
I have made broccoli cheese soup on the stovetop for a long time. Still trying to sharpen my instant pot skills. Found your instant pot recipe and made it today. I made a few adjustments by adding celery. Before adding the flour, I deglazed with 1/4 cup of vermouth. I followed the recipe until time to add cheese. I used Queso fresca cheese because it is a smooth melting cheese (and I live in Texas and had it on hand) also used Monterey jack. Added a dash of Smokey paprika, dried thyme, dried basil, grated nutmeg and just a fEW red pepper flakes instead of hot sauce. Used an immersion blender for half. It was delicious. Thanks for the recipe, it is definitely worth making again. Creamy and delicious.
You know what, a few people have mentioned adding celery, and I am pretty sure I add it to EVERY single other soup I make, so I might have to try that next time!! So glad you enjoyed, and those additions/variations sound just fantastic 🙂
I made this last night with soymilk only (no cream), sharp cheddar, and white medium cheddar because that’s what I had on hand. I was surprised how good it turned out! It tasted like a restaurant soup. I didn’t blend it because I liked the consistency once I mashed the broccoli down a little. It was the perfect way to use up a whole lot of not-so-fresh veggies hanging out in the fridge.
I wonder if this would be just as good using some of the broccoli trunks as well as the florets? I typically don’t buy precut so I like to use all of it.
Oh yay, I am so glad you enjoyed Al!! And I am glad it worked out without the cream. Full disclosure I ALWAYS include the broccoli trunks! I hate food waste so I tend to just give them a bit of a trim to get rid of the gritty ends, chop them up into little disks and throw them in. They work out just fine, just a little bit more toothsome than the florets.
This was SO yummy!
I made two modifications: I only did 5 mins in the IP and it was more than enough. I also used 4 total cups of cheese because all I had on hand was mexican blend cheese.
It was all DELICIOUS and even picky toddler gobbled it up!
Thank you for the recipe!
Yay for feeding the picky toddler 🙂 Thanks so much for letting us know how much you loved it!!
I’ve made this 5 times and I love it! Best soup I’ve ever made in my life. I’m making it for Christmas Eve and Day. I’m trying out smoked gouda for Christmas!
Oh yay I am so glad to hear this!!! Ooooh the smoked gouda will take it to a whole other level – YUM! Hope you had a lovely Christmas 🙂
Where is the recipe?
Hey Donna, it’s under the photos and above the comment box. You would have had to scroll past it to write a comment 🙂
I just got an instant pot and knew I needed to make a broccoli soup… yours looks incredibly delicious! Guess what we’re having for lunch? Thank you!
Haha hope you love it!! We are a wee bit obsessed with our Instant Pot 🙂
Delicious and easy. I added celery. This was definitely successful! Great flavor and consistency. Will make again. Thanks for sharing!
Yay, so glad you loved it 🙂 And I need to try adding some celery next time, always looking for ways to add more veggies!!
Can leftovers be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing it yet, but if I was going to I would make sure to blend the whole thing completely first otherwise you may end up with some soggy broccoli, and no one wants that 🙂 Let me know how it goes if you try freezing!
Flavor was delicious, but I used coconut milk rather than regular milk and even after blending half, and adding it back to the pot, the soup was a little watery. I think next time I’ll just use coconut cream instead and hope it turns out a little thicker.
I am glad you loved the flavor! Sorry it turned out watery, we have never had that problem! Definitely try something a little thicker next time and see if that makes much of a difference.
Add potato to make thicker
New to your blog but already in love! This soup was so yummy. My 2 yr happily ate hers. Win! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh yay I am glad you (and your 2 year old) loved it!! It’s always a keeper if you don’t have to fight the littles to eat it 🙂
I assume subbing a gf flour should be just fine, right?
I haven’t tried it but I assume it would be totally fine. It’s such a small amount and it’s really just for thickening up the soup, so you shouldn’t have any problems at all! Enjoy
Wondering if anyone has frozen this soup?! Just made a batch and it’s delicious now I’m
Curious how I could preserve its deliciousness(it will be difficult I’ll to save any!)
Hey Chelsea, I have frozen it a couple of times. It doesn’t turn out as good as the just cooked version once thawed, but it is still delicious!
Fantastic!!! Wow!
When it comes to cheesy soups, I can’t control myself!! Especially when it’s so easy to make, can’t wait to make it
Oh I am the same, I end up having two or three bowls!
OMG I love my instapot and I can’t wait to try this recipe!
It is the best for easy weeknight meals!!
This looks delicious! I could imagine a bowl of this soup with a hunk of bread or a salad.
So good with fresh bread!!
LOve a good bowl of soup and addition of cheese would be so yumm! Instant pot makes life easy 🙂 lovely recipe.
It makes like SO easy!!
Soups like this are fantastic! So comforting!
Definitely a big bowl of comfort 🙂
I am in love with my Instant Pot and my daughter is in love with broccoli cheese soup!! And you used dijon mustard….my absolute favorite ingredient ever! This looks amazing and I cant wait to try it!
How good is dijon mustard!! We love it and always find excuses to add it to everything 🙂 What is it with kids and broccoli and cheese soup? Mine aren’t the biggest soup fans around, but if theres broccoli and cheese in there they are all over it!
I still don’t have an instant pot, but I think it’s almost time! This soup is probably the first thing I’d make in my instant pot!
Oh it’s time!! They are so handy for quick and easy midweek meals, I use mine for everything 🙂
what a comforting soup….i have been using instant pot a lot more now and i am adding this to the list.
Thanks Dixya!! I think once you get the hang of the Instant Pot it quickly becomes your best friend for quick midweek meals 🙂
I just got an Instant Pot for my birthday and was looking for a broccoli and cheese soup!
Oh yay, perfect timing!! Enjoy your new Instant Pot, we are big fans around here!
Love this soup! I have been on a big soup kick lately (my kids – not so much!). This looks delicious! Wish I had an instant pot so I could enjoy this!
My kids are kinda ‘bleugh’ about soup these days as well, I don’t know why because two weeks ago soup was their favorite thing ever? Serving lots of fresh bread for dipping helps around here 🙂 You have to get an Instant Pot, such a life saver during a busy week with little ones running around
It’s definitely soup time here! Windy, cloudy and cold, this soup would be the perfect dish for tonight’s dinner. It looks comforting and so delicious!
Oh I am jealous of your weather – we were early 90’s again today…in October!!! I am still persisting with the soups though, we should totally be able to eat soup by Halloween!
I am yes for anything cheese but I love how awesome this sounds. Broccoli carrots sounds so amazing. The color is so pretty too. My kids would love this. Saving for later. yum.
Its a great way to get extra veggies in the little ones, although mine are all about the bread accompaniment these days 🙂
It just finally turned cool here – and I have broccoli I need to use Real Soon Now. I was thinking about soup – and then your recipe came along! Just right!
Perfect timing!! I am so jealous of your cooler weather, we just had a trunk or treat for my daughters school and it was 90!!!! We had to take her witches stockings off mid event because she was overheating!