Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Servings: 10 servings (10 cups total)
Calories: 251cal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced or diced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups broccoli florets chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup carrots grated, about 2 small/medium carrots
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese or mild, freshly shredded
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté and add 4 tablespoons of butter. Melt, and then add the onion and sauté until fragrant (3-5 minutes).
- Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken stock, broccoli, carrots, sea salt, and ground pepper.
- Cover the Instant Pot and lock the lid in place, make sure the vent is set to seal, select High/Manual pressure to 1 minute cook time.
- Once the instant pot is complete, slowly release the pressure. In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.
- Change the setting back to Sauté and slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the pot, stirring regularly and allow it to come to a boil.
- Place the Instant Pot to Keep Warm, and slowly add the half-and-half, then the cheddar cheese and stir until it melts. Shut off and serve.
- Garnish with additional cheese, fresh black pepper, and little bits of broccoli if desired.
Notes
- You can easily substitute with frozen veggies in this recipe without worrying about thawing them first. This saves you even more time prepping and cleaning up but may make your soup a tad more watery.
- Both mild and sharp cheddar work well in this soup, but realistically, you can use any kind of cheese you prefer. I always suggest shredding your cheese straight from the block as the pre-bagged shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents which prevents the cheese from melting and can also cause the texture to be grainy.
- You can substitute the half and half with heavy whipping cream if needed.
- If you like your carrots to not be as prominent, shred them finer on the grater. Carrots will add texture and color to this soup, but you can omit them if you prefer or substitute them with additional broccoli.
- Blitz the soup with an immersion blender if you prefer a smooth consistency.
- Store cooled leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat the soup over medium-low heat on the stovetop until heated through. You may want to add a dash of chicken stock or water to help loosen it up.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (1 cup) | Calories: 251cal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 349mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2864IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 230mg | Iron: 1mg
