Who doesn’t love a warm soup in the winter?
I’m a lover of all soups. They’re so easy to make, and they reheat so well as leftovers.
I wish I didn’t love creamy soups as much as I do, but there’s just something amazing about melted cheese. In both of my pregnancies when I was superrr sick, I could always eat melted cheese (mostly on fries, but if someone had offered me this soup then maybe with broccoli).
Broccoli Cheddar Soup my go-to order at Panera every time! Chunks of carrot and broccoli in a cheesy broth is my kind of heaven.
And you guys — I think I made one that’s even BETTER than Panera!
And do you want to know the best part? It’s made in the Instant Pot!
The Instant Pot is one of my FAVORITE kitchen tools. Here’s why:
- By the end of the day, I’m whooped. I love being able to dump a bunch of ingredients in and have dinner ready in a few minutes.
- I have made really, really great recipes in it!
- It makes the most tender, juicy meats
- Meals are made MUCH quicker
- You can put meat in frozen (HUGE BONUS FOR ME! I can never remember to pull meat out)
- IT’S DISHWASHER SAFE!!!! (it’s always a huge bummer to have to hand wash a ton of pots and pans after you eat dinner)
If you don’t have an InstantPot, that’s totally fine! Keep reading for stovetop instructions.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make this on the stovetop?
You sure can! Follow all of the steps aside from programing the pressure cooker — at that point you’ll just let the soup simmer until the broccoli is soft.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Sure! I use fresh when I make it, but frozen broccoli won’t change the recipe.
What kind of cheese should I use?
I use a sharp cheddar and pepperjack. I like a tiny bit of kick, so that’s why I use pepperjack, too. You can use whatever cheese suit your palette, but to make it broccoli cheddar, you should mostly use cheddar.
It is REALLY REALLY important to grate your own cheese. The first time I made this I skipped that step, and unfortunately the soup doesn’t turn out quite right. Shredded cheese from the store has a coating on it so it doesn’t clump. It doesn’t melt as well as cheese that you grate from a brick. I used the largest side on a box grater. It really adds a minimal amount of work for the difference it makes in the soup!
Does the kind of broth I use matter?
Not really. I would stay away from beef broth, but any other broth should taste just fine.
Mustard? Really?
Yep! One time, a really really long time ago, some cookbook I read somewhere said to add a squirt of yellow mustard to melted cheese recipes (mac and cheese, soups, etc.). I have followed this advice ever since, and I have no idea where it came from. The mustard adds a tiny bit of tang and amplifies the color. I love it!
If you hate mustard, leave it out! No harm done.
Can I use cream instead of Greek yogurt?
Sure! You can also use half and half. The soup may not be as thick, but it won’t affect the flavor.
Check out this Instant Pot recipe: Two Ingredient Instant Pot Salsa Chicken
Serve it warm with a piece of crusty bread to dip in all the cheesy goodness.
I hope you love it! Let me know what you think.
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Select saute mode on your pressure cooker. Melt butter in pressure cooker, and then add chopped onion. Cook until soft, around 3-5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional one minute, stirring so the garlic does not burn.
Stir in 5 cups of vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, salt and pepper.
Lock the lid into place and make sure the vent is set to seal. Put to high pressure for 1 minute.
When the cooking time ends, do a quick release of pressure. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
In a separate bowl, whisk together additional ¼ cup of vegetable broth with ¼ cup of corn starch until there are no lumps.
Set the pressure cooker to sauté mode and allow soup to bubble. Slowly add cornstarch/broth mixture. Continue stirring until soup comes to a boil and thickens.
Turn the pressure cooker off. Add Greek yogurt and mustard, stir to combine.
Add cheese one handful at a time while stirring to prevent clumps.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.
Ingredients
Directions
Select saute mode on your pressure cooker. Melt butter in pressure cooker, and then add chopped onion. Cook until soft, around 3-5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional one minute, stirring so the garlic does not burn.
Stir in 5 cups of vegetable broth, broccoli, carrots, salt and pepper.
Lock the lid into place and make sure the vent is set to seal. Put to high pressure for 1 minute.
When the cooking time ends, do a quick release of pressure. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
In a separate bowl, whisk together additional ¼ cup of vegetable broth with ¼ cup of corn starch until there are no lumps.
Set the pressure cooker to sauté mode and allow soup to bubble. Slowly add cornstarch/broth mixture. Continue stirring until soup comes to a boil and thickens.
Turn the pressure cooker off. Add Greek yogurt and mustard, stir to combine.
Add cheese one handful at a time while stirring to prevent clumps.
Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.