Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup–reminiscent of Panera Bread’s broccoli cheddar soup this pressure cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week.
Get the SLOW COOKER version of the recipe here
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
YUM is all I can say about this broccoli cheddar soup. The vegetables are quickly pressure cooked in the Instant Pot and then the creamy and cheesy goodness is added in to the pot to produce a soup that will knock your socks off. This Instant Pot broccoli cheddar soup is amazing served in bread bowls or served with some crusty bread…or just some crackers on top.
Some notes about the recipe:
Better than Bouillon Chicken Base*: I don’t always have a carton or can of chicken broth in my pantry but I always have Better than Bouillon in my fridge. I buy the big jars at Costco…they are so much cheaper. Then when a recipe calls for a cup of chicken broth I simply add in one cup of water and one teaspoon of the chicken base.
Broccoli: I chose to go with fresh broccoli for this recipe. You could totally go a lot heavier on the broccoli if you like to have broccoli in every bite. I just used the florets but if you like the stems you could dice them up and throw them in as well.
Carrots: I used only 2 carrots for this recipe but again, you could totally throw in a third carrots if you like to have more vegetables. I chose to cut my carrots up matchstick style which took a while but you could also just used grated carrots or diced carrots.
Sharp Cheddar: I love that sharp cheddar can bring so much more flavor to a dish than mild or medium cheddar. Don’t worry it’s not overwhelming. I used an entire 8 ounce block of cheddar. I grated my own. I don’t like to use pre-grated cheddar for soups because it has that weird powdery substance on it. What is that stuff anyway?
More recipes you’ll love…
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pizza Soup
Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup
What Pressure Cooker Did You Use?
For Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*. I also own the 6 quart Instant Pot IP-LUX60 V3 Programmable Electric Pressure Cooker.* They are both great pressure cookers! The first one I mentioned has a yogurt making function but other than that they are fairly similar. The price difference between the two is about $20. I recommend buying the Duo.
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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 minute (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 21 minutes
- Yield: 6 1/2 cups of soup 1x
Description
Reminiscent of Panera Bread’s broccoli cheddar soup this pressure cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 or 3 celery ribs, diced
- 2 or 3 carrots, match-stick style or grated or diced
- 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh broccoli florets
- 3 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups of water and 3 tsp of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base)
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 (8 oz) block of sharp cheddar, grated
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Optional: cornstarch and water
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute function (“more”) and melt the 1 Tbsp of butter. When the butter is melted add in the diced onion. Saute for 3 minutes.
- Add in the celery, carrots, broccoli and chicken broth.
- Cover the Instant Pot and lock the lid in place. Make sure valve is on “sealing.” Set the manual button (or pressure cook button) to 1 minute.
- While the pot heats up and reaches pressure melt your 1/4 cup of butter in a glass dish in the microwave (you can also melt in a pan on the stove). Slowly whisk in the flour until a creamy mixture is formed. Set aside. If desired (to speed up the process) you can also heat up the milk at this time. Grate your cheddar and set aside.
- When the timer beeps indicating the time is up on your Instant Pot let the pot sit there for 5 minutes and then move the valve to “venting.” Remove the lid when you can.
- Turn the Instant Pot back to the saute function. Whisk one cup of the broth from the soup into the butter and flour mixture. Then add that whole mixture into the pot. Stir until the soup thickens. Stir in the milk, until it heats through (this is why heating it beforehand can speed up the process). Stir in the cheese, until it melts. Stir in the salt and pepper. If you want a thicker soup you can mix 2 Tbsp of cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of cold water in a small bowl and then stir the cornstarch slurry into the pot. This will produce a nice, thick soup.
- Ladle into bowls and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Although I personally haven’t tried freezing this soup, I believe that it would freeze well.
Notes
I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo 60 7 in 1*
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup of soup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 630 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Protein: 16 g
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Hi Karen,
I wanted to ask if you thought frozen broccoli would work in this recipe? If so, would you use the same cook time?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Ken
Yes I think it would be okay. You can just keep the same cooking time.
I made this tonight. Doubled it. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! Thank you for the great and flavorful recipe 😍
★★★★★
You’re so welcome Rona!
Not alot of flavor. can mostly taste the carrots
★★★
I didn’t like it at all.
I adore broccoli and cheddar soup, but rarely make it. This was my first time using the saute button on my Instant Pot. It was a fun recipe to make, very “no fuss, no muss.”
I was thrilled with how my soup turned out, so thick and creamy (I did add the opt. cornstarch and water). I used whole milk and 4 ounces cheddar cheese. In past recipes I have had trouble with my soup curdling, but no worries with this recipe.
Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Thanks Amy for the nice review and the 5 stars! I’m so glad that you liked it.
This is a super fast, delicious recipe!! The only thing I add was 1/2 tsp of dry mustard with the flour. Thanks for this delicious recipe!! 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks for the 5 stars Stephanie!
This is my third time making this soup!! Does it freeze well?? I want to double it and freeze some
★★★★★
I haven’t ever tried freezing it (doesn’t ever last that long). But I think it would be *okay*
This was ridiculously easy and equally delicious. I’ll definitely add this to my rotation. My kids loved it too and they are quite picky.
★★★★★
Thanks Molly!
This recipe is so good I’ve made it a dozen times! Today I doubled the batch in the 8qt. 🤞 it comes out as good as the other times and I added cauliflower this time
★★★★★
Thank you so much Samantha!
OMG so good and so filling!!! So easy to make.
Things I did differently based on comments/reviews:
1) added minced garlic with the onion
2) used sweet yellow onion
3) veggie broth (my bf is vegetarian)
4) entire 12oz bag of EXTRA sharp cheddar I stead of 8oz sharp cheddar
5) used 1c heavy cream & 1c water instead of 2c milk
6) added the optional corn starch and water slurry to thicken the soup
7) after pouring into bowl, I topped it off with a small dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions and red chili flakes.
Yummmmmm!!!!
★★★★★
I added 2 cloves of minced garlic after the onions were done. Also added 1/2 tsp. dry mustard and a few shakes of Hungarian paprika. Added a bit of garlic powder once done. It was good served with Italian flatbread.
★★★★★
Yum! That sounds awesome!
Great!
★★★★★
Thanks Melony!
This broccoli and cheese soup is amazing I’ve made it twice in 3 days really hits the spot here in Florida when it went into the 30’s we actually had frost I’ve shared this recipe with my daughter in law and my church group.
★★★★★
Wow that’s unusual for Florida! Stay warm!
Nice base but pretty bland. Added a good amount of garlic, salt and pepper, and some red cayenne pepper to spice things up!
★★★
Mine was really bland too. I came to the comments to see what I did wrong.
★★★
So easy and yummy
★★★★★
Thanks Katherine! So glad you liked it!
Wow! Made this in half hour, finishing last step on stove because I only had my 3 qt available.. made exactly! Full of flavour .. great recipe!
★★★★★
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the 5 stars.
Looking forward to making this today – I have yet to try one of your recipes that I don’t like. But as a busy mom with too little time when I make food I like to make ALOT. Do you think a double recipe will fit in a 6 quart IP? Thanks!
Yes I think that it will! The broccoli shrinks down a lot so it will seem very full but it should be fine.
Absolutely the best ! Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
You’re welcome! So glad you loved it!
Absolutely love this recipe! My 6 year old daughter will not touch any veggies, but will devour this soup! Also, yes it does freeze well! I make 2 batches at a time, so I have plenty in the freezer for cold days 🙂
★★★★★
That is so awesome!
I normally don’t waste time commenting but I think this soup deserves stars and reviews because it turned out perfect.
I added extra seasoning with white pepper on top of black pepper and salt, and further added middle eastern style crushed red pepper on each bowl while serving. It was perfect. Thanks.
★★★★★
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and review! I appreciate it.
how would you double the recipe?
★★★★★
double ingredients, keep the cooking time the same
I thought this recipe turned out fantastic. I did add the cornstarch to thicken a bit. Thanks for a good one!
★★★★★
Thanks for the 5 stars Ann!
I made this soup 4 times now, everyone loves it!!
★★★★★
Thanks Cheryl! I’m so glad to hear it!
I have a general question about using Better than Bouillon. Your directions sound like you just add the water and the teaspoon of bouillon to the instant pot. I thought I had to make it separately, meaning, a bowl with the appropriate amount of water and mixed up BEFORE I added it to the instant pot ( more dishes!)
I like your way better, if I understand it correctly!
Yep that’s right. No need to dissolve it. It will dissolve great in the pot.
Since I’m a low carber it would be most helpful if you could expand your nutrition information to include the amount of dietary fiber so I can calculate the net carbs.
The only things with fiber in this recipe are the vegetables. This is literally low carb 101 you should be able to calculate this yourself. Come on now.
Love all your recipes and have tons of them saved! I’m wondering why you didn’t use the “soup” selection for this soup? I have not used it yet and haven’t seen any recipes using it.
You can use soup button if you’d like! I have recently discovered it and this recipe is older so that’s why it’s not in this recipe 🙂
A winner! Easy and so yummy. As healthy as it can get for broccoli cheddar. I made it for my neighbor and she requested the same recipe a few days later. Definitely a keeper
★★★★★
Thanks so much Tanna!
So delicious. My 1st time making soup in the Instant Pot. I’m a little afraid of the IP, but your recipe and instructions gave me confidence to try. I baked homemade bread as well. Perfect for a cold winter night. Thank you Karen.
★★★★★
Wow sounds like a perfect meal!
Best brocoli cheddar soup. Easy recipe and has already become favorite meal.
★★★★★
YAY 🙌
Great recipe! We loved it! If I wanted to make it in a larger quantity for us to use for a fundraiser, think I would need to do anything different, except multiply the recipe? For instance, this recipe makes 6 1/2 cups. If I have an instantpot that holds up to 2 gallons, could I multiply this recipe by 4 and cook as it says? Or do you think there would need to be changes?
★★★★★
You just need to make sure that you have at least a couple of inches at the top of the pot so that it can reach pressure. The pot will take a long time to come to pressure because it will be so full.
Great, simple recipe! Will definitely be my go-to broccoli cheddar recipe.
*Did not add corn starch (would have used hand blender if anything, but didn’t need to) – it was a perfect, thick consistency as is.
★★★★★
Good to know! Thanks Lisa!
I just finished making this and it’s delicious. I didn’t really change anything other than using my own chicken stock so I had to salt it accordingly.
I definitely recommend this it’s so easy and I’ll be making this again. Thanks for all you do.
★★★★★
You’re welcome Ricardo!
I’m thinking about making this and I’m just curious… why can I not just pour the flour directly into the soup? Or pour it on whilst the onions are cooking?
Because the flour will burn to the bottom and cause the burn error to come on: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/the-instant-pot-burn-message/
Thank you! I figured there was a reason but I couldn’t figure it out.
I don’t usually comment on recipes, but I really liked this. I usually save my peeled broccoli stems for broccoli soup, so I had two stems plus a head of broccoli. It was just right and not too cheesy that way. We also kept it vegetarian with water and some poultry seasoning instead of chicken broth. Nice pantry meal!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it! And I like your tips. Thanks!
There is a Vegetable Better then Bouillon that you could substitute for the chicken flavor.
Added a tablespoon of sour cream for a little more flavor. Amazing recipe though
Sour cream is always welcome!
First off, this soup is DELICIOUS! and so very easy to make!
My only complaint is it looks like the milk curdled a bit … would heating the milk up before adding avoid this?
Thank you for an easy but very tasty soup recipe!
Yes that’s a good idea. Do that!
It’s a really good base recipe and easy to change. A little bland for my tastes so I added about 50% more cheese, doubled the salt and added garlic powder, then thickened with instant potato flakes instead of cornstarch as I wanted to sneak in more veggies. Turned out great though, thanks!
★★★★
Love the potato flakes idea!
Made the recipe exactly as written except cut back on the cheese as we prefer more broccoli flavor with just a hint of cheese. It’s a keeper! It didn’t take long at all!
★★★★
Great! Glad you made it work for you!
It must make your head spin, here one person adds 50% more cheese then the next one (me) cuts it by 50%! OTOH, it shows it’s a great recipe and amenable to custom changes. Once again, thanks!
haha! It is quite funny the different responses. But I’m glad people can make it work for them.
Made this tonight and it was SO good!! Tasted even better than Panera’s! Will be using this recipe often!
★★★★★
Thanks Zara!
Great recipe, but it definitely needed more salt, 50% more cheese, and some garlic powder. Once those changes were made, it was delicious. And honestly it was better for lunch today after it sat in the fridge overnight. I was surprised at how long it took to cook, I think it took 90 minutes start to finish.
★★★★
When you say it too a long time to cook are you saying it took over an hour to come to pressure, cook and then release pressure? If so I’m wondering what kind of pot you use? And perhaps you put the delay start button? It shouldn’t take that long.
Good foundation. It was bland though so I added more cheese, including a tiny bit of extra sharp and some celery salt.
★★
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It turned out be exactly like Panera broccoli cheddar soup. The whole family loved it, even my picky eaters. I didnt have vegetable or chicken broth so I just used water. It still tasted great! Thank you
★★★★★
So glad! We love this one too!
Happy to leave a five star review for this recipe! The only changes I made were to add a little ground nutmeg at the end and increase the cheese a bit more for our liking. I made a double batch and am really happy that I did because it went over great with all four kiddos, even the one who is not the biggest broccoli fan. Side note simply because I think my Google search implied this recipe takes 21 minutes… I work quite quickly in the kitchen and this still took about an hour start-to-finish for two dinners worth of soup, which is still totally acceptable to me. Thanks for this recipe!!
★★★★★
Glad you all liked it Hillary!
Wow, excellent recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. This is just like Panera bread 🙂
I’ve passed this on to my family members. Now it’s their turn to try to make it!
★★★★★
So glad to hear you like it. Thanks for sharing the love!
I’ve made this twice and it’s amazing! I’ve used fresh and frozen broccoli. Both turned out a great soup! It’s now a family favorite.
★★★★★
good to know! Thanks Leslie!
I love this soup it’s a staple in my house now it reminds me of the soup I used to get for my lunch at work
★★★★★
Can you use heavy whipping cream in lieu of milk? Or in addition?
yes you could do that!
Soup was okay but lacked flavor. Ended up adding black and white pepper as well as garlic powder and twice the amount of cheese. Will also add more broccoli next time as it cooks down lot!
★★★
This recipe is super easy to make (I used the cuisine art food processor for the chopping). I used mostly olive oil instead of butter. All fresh veggies. Ive not used the microwave to thicken the mild as she described. It worked great. I happened to have a chunk of cheddar with bacon in it-quite a nice decision!
★★★★
Glad you enjoyed it Pam!
Please make these recipes print out on one sheet of paper
Do you use the print recipe button? You can adjust your settings on the box that pops up to print 2 pages on 1 paper.
Can you use velveeta cheese instead tyia
I think that would be tasty!
Hi,
I just wanted to double check that this only makes 6.5 cups of soup?
It makes probably about that much to 1 cup more. It doesn’t make a ton and it goes fast!
Just purchased my first Instant Pot. This was the 2nd recipe I made and… holy smokes… It. Was. Amazing!!!! Just like Panera! I can’t tell you how excited I am!!! For whatever reason, I have never been able to make a good Broccoli Cheddar soup, but this was fantastic!! Thank you so much for the great recipe!!
★★★★★
So glad to hear it! Good job!
Tips for doubling this??…I made it and it was gone in flash!! So yummy for fall days!! I have an 8qt!!
Just double all ingredients and keep the same cooking time!
If I double the recipe will it still fit in a 6 qt. Instant Pot?
Yes, because a quart equals four cups. She said this recipe is about 6.5-7.5 cups. That doubled would be no more than 15 cups, and the six quart model is equivalent to 24 cups. Hope that helps!
How would you adjust this recipe for frozen broccoli? How much of it? Thanks!
Add the same amount and keep the cooking time the same. Should work great.
I just made this. My husband is not a fan of this kind of soup, but he loved it! It is one of the best soups I’ve had and was so easy to make. Thank you, thank you, thank you 😊
★★★★★
Ahhh, thanks Sheryl! So glad he liked it!
This recipe was easy to follow and tastes fantastic.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it Gary!
This was delicious. I added garlic salt and cayenne pepper when I began the pressure cooking cycle. I also cut back small amount on the cheddar cheese and added cream cheese.
Those changes sound terrific!
Has anyone tried this recipe with almond milk? I don’t have milk on hand. I have 35% whipping cream…🤔
I just used almond milk in it today! It worked out just fine. Tastes great!
Good to know! Thank you.
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Great recipe for IP. I will share my tip for thickening soups. I have startec using instant potatoe flakes instead of flour or cs. The potatoe flakes and an extra bit of flavor too.
I totally need to try this!
Yes! I do this in zupa toscana soup too! Thickens up nicely without adding flour!
Is it possible to uses gluten free flour for this soup??
I bet you could Ann!
I made this today and I love it! Just wondering if this freezes well ?
Another reader said, ” For the ones who wondered about freezing, I ALWAYS freeze it so I can have a lunch later in single bowls. It thaws odd but once heated, the consistency is normal again.”
I used gluten free flour and it turned out great !
Yes I have used G F flour in cooking soup before and it was very yummy indeed just get King Arthur All Purpose Gluten free or Bob’s Red Mill brand of all purpose unless you can get a great recipe for making your own all purpose Gluten free flour blend.
Natamycin is the weird powdery stuff on pre-shredded cheese. I feel you are wise to avoid it. It is an anti-fungal drug, in the same family with antibiotics like erythromycin. It’s preventing the cheese from molding as quickly to give it a longer shelf life. Ingesting it can upset the normal flora balance in the digestive tract and make us more susceptible to infections. Yikes! Worth it to shred your own cheese!!
And thanks for this recipe, I just had the commercial version and really want to try it out for myself. I know your tastes run like mine so I’m confident it will be a hit!
★★★★★
Interesting. I thought the powder was cornstarch. Moot because I’m an autoshredder.
Cool! Thanks for sharing that info! I definitely love the taste of cheese grated right off the block better so I will continue to do that!
That’s strange… I’d never heard that before…ever! Here in Canada, every single package I’ve looked at the ingredients list for has shown pre-grated cheese here to contain “cellulose”, which is vague-speak for ‘sawdust’… (ugghhh). As far as I knew, I was under the impression that the same applied for pre-grated packaged cheese in the US as well… (and pretty much everywhere else in the world that sold this stuff). This is the first I’m hearing of anything otherwise. In fact, I recall even reading articles about this… several times, even…. which is also why I’d stopped buying/eating it after learning about it years ago!
https://www.eater.com/2016/3/3/11153876/cheese-wood-pulp-cellulose-lawsuits
AMAZING! Made this soup yesterday & it was OFF THE CHARTS delicious! Made it for Mom, who loves the Panera Bread broccoli/cheese soup but can’t get to the restaurant right now to get it. I must confess I added yellow squash/zucchini because I have a load of it in the freezer from spring garden this year, and she loves my squash soup as well. It was a huge hit and with winter on the way, it will be a huge hit over & over again! Thank you oodles for sharing these wonderful recipes you come up with. You make my day.
★★★★★
Yum that sounds great! And what a nice daughter you are.
Just YUM! Will be making this again and again.
Thanks Teresa! So glad you liked it!
I have made this a bunch of times now! The first time i stuck to the recipe but now I add more onion, celery, and carrot, at least double. I dont eat enough veggies so this is a good way for me to add more to my diet. Previously I have topped with spring onion, smoked chicken, or pork when I had left overs in the frigde. I have also added cayenne pepper, chili powder, and paprika for my spice loving boyfriend. Twice I have used homemade stock which is amazing if you have the time or have it onhand. Thank you for sharing this!
★★★★★
I love your creativity! Sounds like a wonderful version!
Made this yesterday and it is delicious!
★★★★★
Glad to hear it!
WOW! This recipe is FABULOUS! When my husband first tasted it, he rolled his eyes into the back of his head, looked at me and said: “This soup is to die for!” I agree. When I googled “Broccoli Cheese Soup” recipes, this was the first to appear, but I researched several more before going back to this one. This recipe appealed to me because all the others called for heavy cream, cream or half and half and this recipe called for milk ~ which I had on hand at the time. I made the recipe nearly exactly as posted with a few tweaks based on others’ comments but my tweaks were VERY MINOR: I added a bit of mustard powder, garlic, cayene pepper, chopped jalapeno, (we like spicy) cauliflower and, because I had it on hand, a small amount of chopped green cabbage. I think this recipe is perfect the way it is written but one can be as creative as they like, as well, and it still turns out fabulous. By the way, this is my very first review ever!
★★★★★
Thanks for taking the time to review it Peggy! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
Great broccoli cheddar soup! I added double the cheese, 2 more cups of chicken broth, double the celery, double the milk, added 3tsp of corn starch/h2o, and a package of bacon crisped in the oven and put on top after wards. Everyone liked this soup!
★★★★★
I like the sound of your version Kyle!
How can i make this gluten-free?
Perhaps use almond flour in the place of regular flour?
You can use a bit of Xanthan gum. A little goes a long way. Try a tsp first mixed with cool broth. If thick soup desired repeat until thickness desired.
Why bother making it that sounds horrible if it’s not real thing it’s no good
Made this exact recipe, super fire. Just saying.
Are you a 13 year old living in your mother’s basement?
Why bother rating if you haven’t even tried it? Try it and then tell others how awesome it is! Copycat recipes are the thing since a lot of places are going under or not selling items we like anymore.
Yummy!😋 I purchased a 8 qt Zavor back in the fall and simple recipes help me while still learning! ❤️Thank you!
You’re welcome Tammy! 😊
I loved, loved this recipe! I used Skil milk,light butter and fat free cheddar cheese to make it a healthier soup. It was absolutely todie for. Thank you!
★★★★★
Awesome! Glad your healthier version worked out well Penny!
I made this for my family of 7 and scaled it up just a bit to accommodate our needs. I added 1/2 t. mustard power, paprika, and 1/8 t. hot sauce to cater to our tastes. The end result was fantastic. It was thick enough, just the right amount of cheesy-ness, and had a good mouth-feel. Thank you!
★★★★★
Awesome! Love to hear this Adorisa! 👏
Would this still be as good with veggie broth instead of chicken? Or what could I add to make up for the flavor loss? Thank you!!
Sure you could totally do that!
How did this turn out? I’m a vegetarian and really want to try it!
This was amazing. We had veggies that needed some help (broccoli being the main one). We followed the directions as stated and turned out delicious. Thank you.
★★★★★
You’re welcome!!
Just made this, and it is really good! I used cashew milk. I had a lot of broccoli to use up. I waited to add salt, and didn’t need any, probably because i used chicken bouillon mix for the chicken broth. I am keeping this recipe, it’s a winner!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it Juli!!
This is the first recipe I tried with my instapot. It turned out amazing. Thank you for the easy to follow directions.
★★★★★
You’re welcome Kelly! I’m glad you liked it!
Amazing! I did make a bechamel instead of just a roux and then heating the milk, and I added some garlic to the onions, and I blended it smooth. So amazing
★★★★★
Sounds fantastic!!
This is exactly what I wanted followed the recipe exactly with one addition, diced ham. Perfect.
★★★★★
Great addition!!
Just made this tonight – delish! The only thing I changed was I used 1.5 cups whole milk and 1/2 cup of half and half. Next time I’ll leave my broccoli flowerettes a bit larger, they kind of disintegrated. Didn’t affect the flavor, though! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Glad you liked it!
Tried this one tonight. I actually added 1 diced raw chicken breast (added after about 30-60 seconds of the onion sautéing) so did 4 min instead of 1 Pressurized to be safe. Did think it was a bit thinner than my preference, so think I’ll try again either without chicken or maybe a bit less broth-or maybe more flour/corn starch, but I always feel like that’s cheating.
Was still amazing, frozen leftovers so I can have it again.
Hi Kari, next time if you add chicken you could reduce the broth amount by a bit since it releases some moisture too 🙂
Delicious! I think the recipe is perfect as written except that I did add a little crushed red pepper (certainly not necessary–just personal preference for a little heat). Otherwise, no changes needed to ingredients or technique!! Thanks ,Karen, for another great recipe!!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Mindy! Glad you liked it 🙂
the nice thing about a recipe like this is its adaptability. while I make it as stated I also play with it. my favorite version requires doubling it (my pressure cooker is 8qt., no problem). i use no chicken broth or other stock, I use Irish stout beer instead (a good bock beer or red ale works as well), I use a sweet onion instead of yellow, and instead of sharp cheddar only I go sharp cheddar and pepperjack, 50/50, and half and half or heavy cream instead of milk (would love to try goat’s milk sometime but $$$). I also in the last bit of cooking add 1/4 cup of chopped green onions or chives for appearance and a bit more bite. add hot sauce to taste.
you would be amazed at the variety of flavors you can achieve just varying the type of onion (or shallots), the blend of cheese you use, using vegetable or onion or beer in place of the ubiquitous chicken broth, etc. heck, try serving it with rye croutons in place of the oyster crackers.
★★★★★
I love all these ideas!!
Super easy and yummy. We only had beef broth so I used that. Was really yummy! I did the veggies for two minutes since we like them a bit more mushy. Thanks so much!!!!!
★★★★★
Your version sounds awesome Liz! Glad it was tasty 🙂
Thank you for this excellent recipe! I’ve made this soup so many times. I discovered it last year around the holidays when I had an unused veggie tray that I needed to do something with. Your recipe was perfect! The veggie tray also had cauliflower florets, so I added those too – about 2 cups – in addition to the broccoli. This is a regular soup in my rotation. Excellent for work lunches and for sharing with family members who don’t cook much anymore. Oh, I use 1 tsp black pepper and sometimes use some of the Costco shredded Parmesan in addition to sharp cheddar. Thank you!
You’re welcome Brenda!!
Just trying it today. I plan to use 1% milk and maybe use the cornstarch. What is the best method to warm up a batch next day?
I would just use the saute setting to warm up the next day. Stir often so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom.
Thai was great! Thanks!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it! Thanks for the 5 stars 🙂
This looks delicious & I can’t wait to try it! I just got my Instant Pot at Christmas, so I’m a newbie. I typically use unsweetened almond milk for everything, do you think that would work in this recipe?
Sure you could try it. Probably won’t be as creamy but it’ll work!
With the flour I think it will be fine. I made this yesterday and used my instapot for the first time. Delicious !!
Yum! Great with a crusty loaf of sourdough! Better yet, in a sourdough bread bowl!
★★★★★
Yes to that idea! Sounds so good 🙂
Could I use frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh?
Yes I believe that would work just fine!
Will a double batch fit in the Instant Pot?
Yes I believe it would!
This recipe is so delicious! I hit it with my stick blender for just a couple seconds after adding the milk, before adding the cheese. Turned out super creamy and delicious! Definitely adding this to my rotation. Thanks Karen!
★★★★★
You’re welcome Sydney! I’m so glad you liked it.
Yum! This was so tasty! Even my toddlers ate it all up. Super easy and fast. Great recipe, we qill be making this often!
★★★★★
Glad you all liked it! That is always a great feeling.
Loved this. Would suggest to do the flour/butter on the stove, had a slight raw flour taste just using the microwave. Will definitely make again. The hubby keeps “testing” it.
Thanks for your feedback Amy! Good tip on the stove.
Since I hadn’t found this instant pot version before I found this one, I just used a regular one and adapted as this one did.
However, I used the saute function for the onion, carrots and a clove of garlic and added the flour and butter (roux) in before adding the chicken broth and milk to brown up the flour for that original flavor. Tasted so good!
Sounds awesome!
Great recipe! I added some minced garlic once the onion was done cooking. The husband did request that I add bacon next time. That should be a yummy little twist!
★★★★★
Bacon is always a good plan 🙂
I did this once too! Lol.
★★★★★
This recipe is soooo good! I make it just as it’s called for and it’s delicious! And it’s so easy too! Love that we have leftovers so we can have it again! I also made this for a dinner club I go to once a month and it was the hit of the party! Had a send everyone the recipe so they could make it at home. Thank you! So glad I found this recipe!
★★★★★
I’m so glad to Melissa. Thanks for being here!
First time I’ve ever made this soup, learning the Instant Pot. I loved this, it was SO good! Thank you. 🙂
★★★★★
Yay!!! Congrats on your first recipe.
Love this recipe! It’s the perfect base! I added garlic with the onion & a tsp of smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp of cayenne & a dash of everything but bagel seasoning [it surprisingly goes well in a lot of random recipes!] I also added 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. it tastes exactly like Panera’s maybe even better!
★★★★★
Interesting about the bagel seasoning. I will have to try that.
This is just like I would make on the stove top but easier!!! Now I have another recipe for my Instant Pot. I made it to your specs except for the vegeies. I always eyeball and to my liking. We like it thicker, so I did add more flour and some milk to thicken it. Next batch will be doubled. For the ones who wondered about freezing, I ALWAYS freeze it so I can have a lunch later in single bowls. It thaws odd but once heated, the consistency is normal again. Thanks for posting this.
★★★★★
Thanks for the info on freezing. That is helpful.
Good to know! Thanks!!
★★★★★
Idk what I did wrong but the soup tasted very sour.
★★★
Was your milk expired?
I forgot to add the broccoli when I began to pressure cook the broth and veggies (started preparing the recipe after a full day at work) but steamed it separately and it was fine. Really good with fried onion pieces on top 🙂
★★★★★
Good job!
I forgot too and realized it when it beeped for the natural release. Then added it back in and pressured like the recipe called and 5 min release. It was fine in case you do it again. LOL
That would actually be better if you like the chunks of broccoli. I pressure cooked mine like it said, but the broccoli all fell apart. It was still just as good tasting, but I think I’d like it better with the broccoli florets whole. Next time!🥦
We would give this recipe 10 stars if we could…wow it was awesome!!! The two of us ate probably 3/4 of the recipe. We will grill some steaks tomorrow and have the rest of the soup as a side – we decided crumbled bacon will be a delicious garnish. I’ll definitely make this again.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you loved it Tina!
Karen I want to make this tonight! Could I double the recipe and it fit in my 6 quart instapot?
★★★★★
I’m not 100% sure that it will all fit in there. But I think it would.
This was such a fast & easy recipe, not to mention absolutely delicious! I made it for my family & they loved it! I added some red pepper flakes for a little kick, it came out amazing!!
Thanks for making cooking easy & delicious! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Awsome recipe. First time and this is the best!! Thank you so so much!!
★★★★★
Yay! So glad you liked it Paul!
Wow ! I’m an avid Panera broccoli cheddar soup buyer and mostly because my 3 year old toddler is obsessed with it. Finally got tired of buying the soup and decided to look up a recipe to make it on my own. So glad I came across this recipe. It taste just like the Panera version of this soup and my toddler was a happy camper. I will be making this soup in batches from now on and freezing some to reheat at a later time. Thanks a bunch for this lovely recipe! 🙂
★★★★★
Oh that is awesome!!
How great! So glad both of you like it!
WOW! What a spectacular recipe. Very good taste and silly simple to make. Thanks for sharing!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Leesa!!!
Wow that was amazing! Thank you
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Ghea!
Made this many times and family gobbles it up. Could I replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian dish without compromising taste?
★★★★★
Sure.
I don’t have an instapot is there an alternative for a crockpot?
Yes! Here is the slow cooker recipe: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-panera-broccoli-cheddar-soup/
I’m planning on making this soup this week. Does it matter what kind of milk? We only drink skim and I am planning my list for the week.
You can add skim. It won’t be as satisfying but still will be tasty.
I’ve tried many different broccoli soup recipes and have been disappointed so I was a little hesitant to try another, but after reading the reviews I had to give it a shot.
I was NOT disappointed. This is by far the BEST and easiest broccoli cheddar soup recipe I’ve made to date. I made the recipe as is and wouldn’t change a thing. I truly feel shredding your own cheese makes a significant difference. Thanks for the recipe!!
★★★★★
Wow this was a nice comment to read! Thanks Becky!
Oooooh this was good! I used half and half and 2% as that’s what I had and added a little Velveeta. Hubby loved it and I bet it’s going to be even better tonight. I paired some crusty french bread with it – I’ll be making this again and again? Any idea if it will freeze well? I did grate my own cheese, if that makes a difference vs. the pre-grated.
Love your recipes – I check your website every day to see what’s new!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it and I love the idea of velveeta! I haven’t tried freezing this recipe. I am not sure how it would work.
This soup was delicious. I used 1 can of condensed milk and added enough water to make the 2 cups called for in the recipe. I also added some garlic. Very easy to make. This soup will be in my soup rotations!! Thanks for publishing. It was a big hit!!
★★★★★
So glad you liked it Dawn! Thanks for being here.
Made this last night it was so delicious ! I had leftovers and tasted even better the next day ! Thanks this recipe is a keeper!
★★★★★
Nice! So glad you liked it!
Delicious! Did just as the recipe said and came out great! Had it for dinner and put the rest in storage containers for lunches this week.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it Janine!
I made this last night and followed the recipe exactly as written (including the corn starch slurry). The soup turned out perfectly!!! My whole family enjoyed the soup! We ate it along with a side salad. Thank you for an awesome recipe! I will be definitely make this again !
★★★★★
HOORAY!
I made this soup for the second time today. It’s so quick and easy to do. The first time I used chicken broth and today I used veggie broth. Both times it turned out great! My husband is not a big fan of cheese so I didn’t add as much as called for, then topped my bowl with extra cheese. My picky husband went back for seconds. This recipe is a keeper in our book! Thank you!
★★★★★
I love hearing this!
This was really good! I made it a while back and we enjoyed it. This time I added a little garlic while cooking the onion, then diced about 3 medium potatoes into little pieces. Just changed the cooking time to 3 minutes to accommodate the potatoes but that was more than enough really. The potatoes were a great addition and made it feel like a hearty meal soup.
★★★★
Sounds great!
I made this exactly as described last night and it came out amazingly well. It was creamy and paired beautifully with a crusty piece of bread for a winter dinner.
★★★★★
So glad you liked it!
I’m always iffy on broccoli cheese soup recipes but this is amazing! I grated my own cheese and used a whole head of broccoli (including stems). I made it exactly as written, but I had one small piece of velveeta cheese and I added it just to use it up. So very good! I will most certainly be putting this on my rotation. Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
Excellent recipe! I altered the recipe just a bit–4 cups of broth, rather than 3 cups. I replaced the milk with 1C of heavy cream and 1C whole milk.
★★★★★
Whole family loved it!!
★★★★★
Awesome – this is like my 4th time using IP- I successfully have made rice, hard boiled eggs, lentil and ham soup and marinara and this broccoli cheese soup! I unsuccessfully made chicken with rice and mushroom soup 🙁 ..but oh well I am still learning 🙂
I actually had some steamed veggies from yesterday that I threw in there and used a little bit of heavy cream with water in replace of 1 cup of milk and it turned out wonderful. My kids love it! I added the cornstarch too so it was nice and thick! Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Karen, your recipe is my very first to try the Instant Pot. It is really good. I chopped the broccoli too fine and will leave in larger chunks next time. I can’t believe how fast the pot sauteed the onions and the the soup was so easy to make.
★★★★★
When do you mix in the other 2 cups of chicken broth? Recipe says to mix in one cup from the soup to the flour and butter mixture..
Step 2: Add in the celery, carrots, broccoli and chicken broth.
This is ALL the broth.
After the soup is cooked you use the flour/butter mixture to thicken the soup. So you still a cup of the cooked soup into the flour mixture and then stir it all back into the pot.
Make sense?
My first IP meal was a success. Thank you!
★★★★★
I do shift work and prepare meals days in advance. I ran out of time, (Don’t we all?), I luckily had most of the ingredients on hand. On a Lark I gave it a shot. Great stuff. Will go to this again and again. I had to cheat and use buttermilk because that was all I had. Can’t wait to do it by the book.
Thank you so much for this recipe – it is delicious!!!!! I used low-fat milk and low fat cheese and it came out perfect. I used the food processor to “pulse” the brocoli for a few seconds as well as the onions and celeri – the texture is perfect!!! So far, this is our favorite soup. Thanks again!!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked it Carol!
Thank you so much for this scrumptious recipe, Karen! Like one of the other commenters, it was my third time using my IP and I am so happy with how this soup turned out. Because I decided on a whim to make this and didn’t have enough whole milk for two cups, I did 1 C whole and 1 C 2%, so it wasn’t as thick as it would have been with whole milk. BUT! To make up for that, I just did another butter-and-flour mixture and worked it into the soup, and it thickened right up. So, so delicious, and perfect for a lazy night in!
Good call on the butter and flour 🙂
this was very good. I omitted celery and used coconut milk b/c i didn’t have enough regular milk and no celery, and put some shredded mozzarella on top. The kids liked it!
★★★★★
Stumbled upon this recipe by accident. Needed something quick and easy –this fit the bill. I cut the recipe in half as it is dinner for 2. It ‘was’ DELICIOUS! Will put this in the dinner rotation. Do you have the nutritional information?
I just updated the recipe with nutritional info.
Do you know the fiber content? I’m doing Keto and using net carbs which are the total carbs less the fiber grams.
I like it because it’s heavy on the broccoli and carrots!
★★★★
There is 18 grams of fiber in the entire recipe.
Very good! I think I will cut back on the celery next time, we tasted to much of it. I might also try it with half and half as I like a creamier soup. But this was a great starter recipe and can easily be adjusted to each one’s taste buds! Thanks for sharing!
★★★★
You’re welcome and your changes sound great!
Just made this tonight for dinner. My husband is a broccoli cheddar soup fanatic and he loved it! So easy to make! I made it with frozen broccoli and a bag of carrots that was already cut into small matchsticks. This will definitely be making it onto our fall/winter rotation!
★★★★★
Good idea on the carrots! That saves a lot of time 🙂 I’m so glad you both liked it 🙂
This recipe is awesome! I’m so particular about my broccoli cheddar soup and it definitely gets my seal of approval! My son who is autistic and very picky even loved it, though to be fair, broccoli is one of his favorite foods. Thanks!
★★★★★
Oh I’m so happy. Isn’t that great when you find a recipe that everyone loves?
Can i skip the carrots or are they crucial?
you can skip them
I can’t have flour or cornstarch because of the carbs. Do you think I could run the immersion blender through it to thicken it up a bit? Thank you Karen for any input you can offer. Your recipe sounds delicious. I really hope I can try it!
You could try that. I am not sure that would thicken it much. Could you use potato flakes to thicken or does that have too many carbs?
@Norma,
I always add broccoli stems (peeled) to my broccoli soup because IMO they have more flavor than the florets. If you use a lot of them an immersion blender will do decent job of thickening the soup. I cook the soup a little longer (about 5 minutes) because the stems are more woody than the florets, and I’ll toss in some potato flakes at the end if it wants a little more thickening. Just remember that the cheese will also thicken it a lot.
★★★★★
You could use arrowroot powder to thicken as well! This is good for low carb cooking.
Made it and man! I’m the Mother of the Year!! So easy and so fast! I’m loving the IP cooking your recipes, Karen!
Thank you!
★★★★★
Oh I’m so glad Shirley. Thanks for your nice comment 🙂
Hi, , I don’t understand how the pressure builds up in only 1 minute. Is that a typo?
Thanks!
no typo! The pressure will build for a while since the pot will be quite full. The whole time the pressure is building the food will be cooking. and then it’ll cook under pressure for just one minute.
It was the third time I have used by Instant Pot. This was easy and tasted fantastic. I steamed some broccoli afterwards and added some larger chunks.
I’m so glad you liked it Christine! The more you use your instant pot the more you will like it!
This is absolutely amazing! It is coming in super clutch for Lent this year. We doubled it, and it came out perfect. This recipe requires a lot more prep than a lot of recipes, but I would say it is worth it.
★★★★★
Hi Samantha, so glad you liked it! Sometimes the prep is annoying, I admit, but in the end it’s worth it.
How would you suggest doubling this? Are there certain ingredients you wouldn’t double? How long to cook? Thanks
Hi Samantha, just double all the ingredients and keep the cooking time the same. Good luck!
I made this and it was delish! I did however also add about 5 large mushrooms and instead of all broccoli I added 12 oz of frozen cauliflower. Instead of the flour I used cornstarch slurry, light cream and milk, and added a Tblsp of Dijon mustard. Ok so I changed a lot but I used this as my guide and it was fantastic!
Hey Dawn, I’m not offended! I’m glad you found a way to make it that works for your. That’s what it is all about!!!!