The easiest Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup made in under 10 minutes! A great recipe to make on chilly nights when you want a fast, nourishing, and easy weeknight meal. Bonus, this soup is low carb and naturally gluten-free.
Turn on the Instant Pot to Saute (press the saute button on the front of the pot). Once hot, add the butter.
Once fully melted, add the onions and carrots. Cook until the veggies begin to soften, stirring every so often, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, oregano, pepper, and paprika. Press the cancel button to turn off the heat.
Add the chopped pieces of broccoli (fresh or frozen) and cover everything with chicken broth.
Secure the lid on the Instant Pot. Position the steam valve on top of the lid so it’s set to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to Manual, High Pressure for 5 minutes.While the soup cooks, shred the cheese.
Perform a quick release: After the cook time is complete, the Instant Pot will beep. Immediately perform a quick pressure release by moving the steam valve on top of the lid from Sealed to Venting. Steam will immediately begin to spew out of the valve (watch your hand). If the steam sputters, close the valve (moving it back to Sealed) and let it rest before opening again.
Once the pressure has been fully released (steam is no longer spewing from the valve), remove the lid and stir in the cream.
Gradually stir in the cheddar cheese to melt. Don’t add the cheese all at once; instead, add handfuls at a time, whisking the soup after each addition.
To thicken the soup, make a cornstarch slurry (or arrowroot starch slurry) by mixing together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or arrowroot starch) and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Stir the mixture into the soup. It will take the soup a few minutes to thicken. If needed, use the saute mode to bring the soup to a slight boil, whisk and cook the soup until it reaches your desired thickness.
Add a pinch of nutmeg (optional) and serve. Some folks also add a dash of hot sauce or extra shredded cheese to each bowl before enjoying. Or add homemade croutons on top, which soak into the cheesy broth and soften after a few minutes–perfection.
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Notes
Broccoli Tip: Buy a 16-ounce bag (1lb) of pre-chopped fresh broccoli florets. Chopping the veggies is the most time-consuming part of this recipe. Alternatively, pre-chopped frozen broccoli may be used (no need to adjust the cook time).A Note About Adding The Cheese: Don’t add the cheese until after the soup pressure cooks, then add the cream, THEN the shredded cheese. By the time the cheese is added, the soup should have cooled down a bit. Add the cheese handful by handful; not all at one time. Whisk the soup with each addition of cheese, making sure the cheese fully melts into the soup. If you need to turn on the saute mode to help the cheese melt, do so. Also, don’t use pre-shredded cheese that contains anti-caking ingredients (read the ingredient list). It’s best to shred your own cheese for this soup. The anti-caking ingredients may prevent the cheese from fully melting in the broth.