Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

THE BEST INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is filled with hearty veggies and a good helping of cheese. I can almost guarantee it will be on the best Instant Pot recipes you cool all week. Pure comfort food all season long!

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup has become one of the most popular dishes we have made in our Instant Pot. It has tons of great reviews on Pinterest with thousands of repins.

And, it is an easy and delicious Panera copycat broccoli cheddar soup!  It’s a family loved pressure cooker recipe, indeed.

Made with loads of delicious ingredients including matchstick style shredded carrots, celery, diced onions, a healthy helping of fresh broccoli florets (you can also use frozen if needed) and lots of flavorful sharp cheddar cheese.  In my opinion, a combination of sharp and mild cheddar really helps bring the flavor to life.  

We have severed this amazing broccoli cheese soup recipe for large parties, office pot lucks, for football tailgates and so much more!  There hasn’t been anyone that does not love this broccoli and cheddar soup, y’all. It’s absolutely delicious and the perfect easy dinner or lunch.  I can’t wait to hear what you all think!  

In this delicious soup recipe post, we will cover the following. Feel free to use the links below to navigate the post.

Please note: A Lily Love Affair is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for websites to earn advertising revenues by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

KEY INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP INGREDIENTS

CHEDDAR CHEESE

For this recipe, I love to add both mild and sharp cheddar cheese. In my opinion, the sharp cheddar cheese really gives it that added bit of flavor without being overpowering.

Also, when possible, I prefer to shred my cheese from a block as opposed to using packaged cheddar cheese. I find shredding cheese by hand helps the cheese melt better with less clumping.

However, I have made this Instant Pot broccoli cheese soup with pre-shredded cheese and it’s still easy and delicious. Did we mention it tastes identical to Panera broccoli and cheese soup?

BROCCOLI

I chose to use fresh broccoli florets but you are welcome to use frozen broccoli if you prefer. The only thing to note is it may take the pressure cooker a bit longer to come to pressure if you’re using frozen broccoli florets.

Some also prefer to cut their broccoli florets into smaller pieces, but I find larger pieces work well, too. You are also welcome to increase the amount of broccoli in the recipe if preferred.

CARROTS

Similar to broccoli, feel free to shred your carrots matchstick style on your own or use fresh, pre-packages shredded carrots. Either will work great in this broccoli cheese soup recipe.

Similar to the broccoli, feel free to add more than the recipe recommends if preferred.

HOT SAUCE

I know what you may be thinking, hot sauce in broccoli cheese soup? Yes, and honestly, it really adds some incredible flavor to his recipe. Don’t worry, you cannot taste the hot sauce at all.

I chose to use Lousiana, but you can also use Frank’s RedHot or any other you might prefer.

HALF AND HALF

We like to use half and half, however, if you prefer you can also use heavy cream. If for some reason you prefer to use milk you can do so. However, you may need to thicken the soup a bit more with cornstarch slurry or flour.

SEASONINGS

We add Italian seasoning, garlic pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes for added flavor. If you don’t have garlic pepper, feel free to replace with regular pepper or black pepper.

Similarly, you are welcome to omit the red pepper flakes if preferred. A small pinch gives the recipe some great depth and flavor.

VEGETABLE BROTH

If you do not have vegetable broth on hand you can substitute with chicken broth or chicken stock, too. We have also used water and a chicken or vegetable bouillon cube. All options are delicious!

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP

Ready to make this delicious Panrea copycat broccoli cheese soup recipe? Let’s do it!

First, start by turning on your Instant Pot and select the ‘Saute’ mode. Add butter, carrots, celery, onions and salt and saute until the vegetables are slightly softened about 5 minutes.

Next, add the broccoli, vegetable broth and secure the lid onto the Instant Pot. Press the ‘Cancel’ button to reset the cooking program, then select the ‘Pressure Cooking’ or ‘Manual’ function. Now, set the cooking time to 1 minute on high pressure.

While the soup is cooking, stir together the half and half, cornstarch, garlic pepper, Italian seasoning and hot sauce in a mixing bowl until well combined. Then set aside.

When the timer beeps, quick release pressure or ‘Venting’ to release steam fully.

Carefully open the Instant Pot lid and press the ‘Cancel’ to reset the cooking program. Next, select the ‘Saute’ function and stir in half and half mixture. Add cheese slowly and continue to stir until all ingredients are fully combined and cheese is melted.

Add in any additional cheese or seasonings to taste. Let the soup come to a simmer for about a minute or two to help thicken.

Press the ‘Cancel’ button to turn off the Instant Pot. Taste and add any more seasonings, hot sauce, red pepper flakes as needed. Serve warm and enjoy!

LOOKING FOR OTHER DELICIOUS INSTANT POT SOUP RECIPES?  HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR FAVORITES: 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT INSTANT POT DID YOU USE?

We use the Instant Pot Max Multi-Use 6-Quart Pressure Cooker. This vegetarian soup recipe will work well with any 6-quart or 8-quart recipe. If you only have a 3-quart, feel free to reduce the recipe by half.

CAN I USE FROZEN BROCCOLI?

You most certainly can! We have used both fresh and frozen broccoli florets and both turn out great. The only thing to keep in mind with frozen broccoli is it may be harder to cut down if you prefer your broccoli cheddar soup with limited broccoli stems.

HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP THICKER?

To thicken your broccoli soup, make a quick roux using equal parts butter and flour that is sauteed into a thick paste. You can also make a cornstarch slurry or flour slurry using equal parts water and cornstarch or flour. I typically start with one tablespoon of each, whisk them together until well combined, and add into your soup mixture well.

HOW LONG IS COPYCAT PANERA BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP GOOD FOR?

Broccoli cheese soup will typically keep well for us to three days in the refrigerator. However, as we mention below, we do not recommend freezing broccoli cheddar soup as the dairy in the recipe can separate.

CAN YOU FREEZE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP?

As we mentioned above, we do not recommend freezing broccoli and cheese soup. The dairy has a good likelihood of separating if frozen.

HOW TO STORE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

To store this copycat Panera broccoli cheese soup, store it in an air-tight container or Ziplock bag for up to three days in the refrigerator.

DOES BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP REHEAT WELL?

If you have leftover broccoli and cheese soup, reheat in a pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave.

If you choose to reheat your soup on the stovetop, do so by keeping the flame low and stir often. If you prefer to reheat in the microwave, place your bowl covered in the microwave and reheat in 20-second increments. Remove from the microwave, stir and reheat for an additional 20-seconds or until it has reached your desired temperature.

IS COPYCAT PANERA BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP KETO FRIENDLY?

This copycat Panera soup recipe has nearly 25+ net cards which will absorb all of the macros in a keto diet, if not more.

Because this recipe is also made with cornstarch and carrots, it is not keto-friendly. If you want to make this recipe keto-friendly, feel free to omit the carrots and replace the cornstarch with xanthan gum. This soup recipe is still delicious with these easy substitutes!

WHAT GOES WELL WITH BROCCOLI AND CHEESE SOUP?

The pairings for this delicious soup recipe are ENDLESS! Here are just a few of our favorite things to serve with broccoli and cheese soup.