Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup - Panera Copycat
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a quick and easy recipe for Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup featuring perfectly cooked broccoli in an irresistibly rich, thick broth that is loaded with cheese.
3cupslow-sodium chicken stock or vegetable brothdivided
½teaspoonkosher saltplus more to taste
½teaspoongarlic powder
½teaspoon black pepper
4cupsfresh broccoli floretsabout 1 head of fresh broccoli
2tablespoonscornstarch
2cupshalf and half
2cupssharp cheddar cheesegrated
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Add in the olive oil and butter and let the butter melt. Once the butter has melted, add in the onions and carrots and saute until the onions just begin to soften. This should only take 3-4 minutes. Hit cancel on the Instant Pot to turn off the saute function.
Add in 2-¾ cups of the chicken broth (the remaining ¼ cup will be used later to dissolve the cornstarch) and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. Add in the salt, pepper, and garlic powder, stirring to incorporate.
Add the broccoli florets to the inner pot. No need to stir in the broccoli.
Place the lid on the inner pot and be sure the venting knob is pointed towards sealed. Set the cooking time to zero minutes. Hit manual or pressure cook and use the +/- buttons to adjust until it reads "0."
Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release for exactly 5 minutes, and then do a quick release of the remaining pressure. To do a quick release of pressure, use a long wooden spoon or spatula to knock the venting knob from the sealed to the venting position. Stand back, so as not to burn yourself.
Once the pressure has been released, open up the inner pot and turn the Instant Pot back to saute. While the soup is heating, mix together the remaining ¼ cup of broth with the cornstarch until the cornstarch is fully dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the broccoli soup, whisking often, until the soup has thickened slightly. You can expect the broccoli to break down when stirred. This will take just a few minutes. Once thickened, turn the Instant Pot off by hitting cancel.
Stir in the cheese and half and half. Place the lid back on the inner pot and let it sit for 3-5 minutes, allowing it to heat through and the cheese to melt.
Once the cheese has fully melted, serve the Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Video
Notes
Broccoli: While you can substitute fresh broccoli for frozen florets, I much prefer the taste and texture when using fresh, not frozen broccoli. (The cooking time will not change if using frozen florets.) When chopping the head of broccoli, it is best to remove most of the stem from the broccoli, only leaving the florets.Cheese: Be sure to grate the cheddar yourself rather than using bagged shredded cheese to ensure an even, smooth melt. Half and Half: To lighten things up while still keeping this soup creamy, you can use whole milk in place of half and half. Alternatively, you can use heavy cream for a really rich soup.Notes on Carrots & Onions: If you are short on time, skip sauteeing the onions and carrots. Instead, omit both the oil and butter from the recipe and add the finely minced onion and carrots to the inner pot right before adding the broccoli.Storage: Store leftover cooled soup in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This recipe does not freeze well due to the cream.