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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Instant pot broccoli cheddar soup is a creamy, comforting soup made with broccoli, cheddar cheese, broth, cream, and a blend of seasonings. This easy-to-make recipe is perfect for a cozy dinner or lunch and can be customized to suit your taste preferences. With the instant pot, this soup comes together quickly and effortlessly, making it a great option for busy weeknights or meal prep.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1 cup sliced carrot
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • about 5 cups chopped broccoli (12 oz. bag of florets, chopped)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 8 oz. heavy cream
  • 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded + more for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  1. Set the instant pot to the sauté function.
  2. Add butter and olive oil.
  3. Add onion, celery, and carrot to the pot along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
  4. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 8-10 minutes.
  5. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, mustard powder, paprika, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper to the pot.
  6. Cook, frequently stirring for 1 minute.
  7. Sprinkle veggies with flour and cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
  8. Add a few large splashes of broth and deglaze the pot scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom.
  9. Add broccoli, the remaining broth, bay leaves, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  10. Seal the lid on the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 2 minutes. Manually quick release the pressure.
  11. Stir in heavy cream. Then add cheddar cheese and vinegar and stir until the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  12. Garnish with shredded cheddar and enjoy!

Equipment

Notes

  • Cut your broccoli into uniform size pieces. I recommend bite-size pieces. This will ensure that the broccoli doesn't get overcooked and comes out perfectly tender with just a bit of a toothsome bite.
  • Be sure to do a quick release (or manual release) and not a natural release. The quick release means the pressure is reduced quickly and the cooking process slows. If you allow the pressure to release naturally (called a natural release) the soup will continue cooking that entire time and the broccoli will end up being mushy.
  • If you're looking for a blended broccoli cheese soup, you can *carefully* blend the soup in batches in a high-speed blender or with an immersion blender. CAUTION: Keep in mind that whenever you're blending hot liquids, you need to leave somewhere for the steam to escape. Most blender lids have a detachable circular lid in the center for this. Remove the small circle (not the entire lid!) and cover the lid with a clean kitchen towel. Then carefully blend, only filling the blender about halfway with soup. This will allow the steam somewhere to go but the kitchen towel will prevent the soup from splattering all over the kitchen. If you are blending a hot soup, please re-read this section as it can be extremely dangerous to blend hot liquids without the proper guidance.

Nutrition

Keywords: instant pot broccoli cheese soup, Panera broccoli cheese soup

Find it online: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/instant-pot-broccoli-cheddar-soup/