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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Zucchini Soup…that’s better than Panera! It’s cozy, but healthy, easy, and so delicious. Grab a couple heads of broccoli, some zucchini, and sharp cheddar cheese, add everything to your instant pot (or slow cooker), set the timer, and in under thirty minutes you’ll have the creamiest, most delicious bowl of cozy broccoli cheddar soup. Trust me, this will become a new fall favorite.
September rolls around and like clockwork, I’m making broccoli cheddar soup. Except this time I’m making it in the instant pot, and making it healthier (and creamier!) with all the end of summer zucchini. I might even dare to say that this is one of the better bowls of broccoli cheddar soup I’ve ever made.
And you guys, I LOVE broccoli cheddar soup.
I’m sure a lot of us have a similar story to tell, but as a kid, going to Panera Bread and getting the broccoli cheddar or chicken noodle soup served in a bread bowl was one of my favorite things that mom and I would do on a chilly, rain/snow Ohio day. It was always such a treat. I loved not only the soup, but also just the outing with my mom.
The struggle of getting mom one on one, with five brothers always lurking was real. So these girl’s day only outings were always extra special, and I think that’s another reason why I love broccoli cheddar soup so much.
In addition to soup, mom would also get a whole bunch of the cinnamon crunch bagels to bring home for the boys, which I kind of loved too. That crunchy topping was the best, right?!
Anyway, the point here is that I love a good bowl of broccoli cheddar soup. And while a bread bowl is nice, this soup is honestly the best ever, with or without the bread bowl…
But, I do have a bread bowl recipe (haven’t made these in SO long, but they are SO good, and easy) on HBH. So you know, if you’re feeling it, you should probably make a few bread bowls in addition to this soup. Wow, that’d be extra good.
Moving right along.
If you hadn’t noticed, I’m loving using my instant pot right now. It makes weeknight cooking so quick, easy, and stress free. Judging from the amount of people making and loving this corn chowder, it seems that you guys are into the instant pot too. Cool. This is good!
Many more instant pot (and slow cooker) recipes coming this fall!
Details.
This recipe includes most of the ingredients found in traditional broccoli cheddar soup, but I added zucchini for creaminess and opted out of using any flour or heavy cream. The zucchini breaks down while cooking, and later gets pureed. This leaves the soup lusciously creamy and thick without having to use any cream or flour. Which of course also makes the soup healthier and even gluten free.
Love this!
As with most instant pot recipes, you’ll just be adding everything to the instant pot, setting it, and letting it do its thing. You do need to purée the soup, but if you have an immersion blender that’s very helpful here. If you make a lot of puréed soups, I recommend this immersion blender.
I finished the soup off with a few handfuls of sharp cheddar cheese and plenty of fresh thyme from our summer bounty of herbs. Perfection.
It’s a pretty simple and straight forward recipe, but I really can’t express enough just how delicious it is. If you love cheesy soup, that’s kind of healthy…ish, you have to make this. Perfect for all the chilly nights ahead.
And for those of you who do not own an instant pot, I’ve also included directions to make this in the slow cooker as well. Additionally, you could just as easily make this on the stove top in a large soup pot! As always, just do what works best for you!
If you make this instant pot broccoli cheddar soup, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Zucchini Soup
Servings: 6 6
Calories Per Serving: 1141 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
- kosher salt and pepper
- 3 cups low sodium veggie or chicken broth
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2-3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Set Instant pot to sauté. Add the butter, olive oil, and onion, cook 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the carrots, zucchini, thyme, nutmeg, cayenne and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Pour in the broth. Add the broccoli and bay leaves. Cover, select the manual setting, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.2. Once done cooking, use the quick release function and release the steam. Carefully remove the bay leaves and discard. Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until chunky smooth (not totally puréed). Return to the instant pot.3. Set the Instant pot to sauté. Stir in the milk and cheese, and cook 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh thyme. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker
- 1. To the slow cooker, add the butter, olive oil, onion, carrots, zucchini, thyme, nutmeg, cayenne and large pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Pour in the broth. Add the broccoli and bay leaves. Cover, cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 4-6 hours. 2. Once done cooking, carefully remove the bay leaves and discard. Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until chunky smooth (not totally pureed). Return to the slow cooker and turn the heat to high.3. Stir in the milk and cheese, and cook 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh thyme. Enjoy!
Stove Top
- 1. In a large soup pot, melt together the butter and olive oil. Add the onion, cook 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the carrots, zucchini, thyme, nutmeg, cayenne and a large pinch each of salt and pepper, cook another 5 minutes. Pour in the broth. Add the broccoli and bay leaves. Cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the broccoli is tender.2. Carefully remove the bay leaves and discard. Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until chunky smooth (not totally puréed). Return to the pot. 3. Stir in the milk and cheese, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 4. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh thyme. Enjoy!
Notes
*Some people have had issues with their cheese not melting into the soup. This is because there is no flour in the soup. I don't have any issues with my cheese not melting into the soup or curdling, but if you are having trouble, add 2-3 tablespoons flour during the last minute of cooking the onion in the very first step. This will help to bind the soup together.
This was so good. A little lighter texture than others I’ve tried, which I liked a lot. The cayenne adds the perfect amount of kick at the end.
Hey Kelsie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was a good throw into the slow cooker meal that I could fix and forget for lunches this week. Overall I’d say a little too much cayenne and not enough salt. I mixed the cheese in a little at a time while I stirred continuously to avoid the curdling others described. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Caitlin! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
Don’t make this without the flour. Cheese curdles every time. And you end up with a warm milky, mushy mess. I’d pick another recipe next time.
Hi Colin! I am really sorry this did not turn out well for you. Is there anything I can help with? xTieghan
Such a cozy meal! Super easy, minimal steps, which is great for dinner after a busy day. Next time I’ll pull out some broccoli before I use the immersion blender so I have a few chunks left for serving.
Thank you for trying this one! I am really glad you enjoyed it! xTieghan
This is my favorite soup! I’ve made it countless times, and am so thrilled with how healthy it is. (I omit the milk and just add a full carton of veggie stock, 4 cups instead of 3). So creamy and delicious and healthy.
I am so happy you have been loving this recipe, Jenn! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Instapot version is so quick to throw together! Delicious too, I didn’t modify anything. Thanks for a fabulous recipe.
Thank you Beth! I am really glad this recipe turned out so amazing for you! xTieghan
I love every single recipe of yours I’ve made. This one has to be one of my favourites! It’s so so tasty, yet simple and quick to make. Thanks for sharing!!! Xoxo
Thank you Jamey! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
so easy to make in the instant pot! and so tasty, thank you!
Thank you Bella! xTieghan
Made this once and my children 11 and 14 have been begging for it ever since. Making a double batch tonight. So excited!!!! Love the kick from the pepper.
Thank you so much Heidi! I am really glad this soup turned out so well for you all! xTieghan
Just made this! Perfect fall weather soup! Mine came out creamy! I didn’t have carrots on hand so omitted it. I also used oat milk instead of regular milk. Came out great! Thank you!
Thank you so much Victoria! I am really glad this soup turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Just made this, super easy. It came out perfect. followed recipe and decided to add the flour after the onion. It came out creamy and not watery at all. Also, my cheese melted perfectly – had no issues. I used the stove and cooked for 50 minutes. I have an instant pot, but really like cooking on stove if I have the time. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks again! You are feeding my husband, mother (who is staying with us during pandemic) and me very well this Fall/Winter!
Aw I am really happy you all have been enjoying my recipes! Thank you so much!! xTieghan
This soup was delicious, thank you so much for sharing. Love the little kick sent from the cayenne. I didn’t have a blender so I just removed the squash and kind of mashed it, but worked great! Thanks, looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Thank you for trying this Corey! I hope you continue to enjoy my recipes! xTieghan
Delicious and easy! Can’t wait to make again.
Thank you Elise! xTieghan
Creamy and delicious, especially paired with some fresh-baked break. I didn’t have much broccoli, so I supplemented with cauliflower, and I used 1% milk since it’s what I had on hand. Still came out great.
Love to hear that! Thank you Phebe! xTieghan
Yum! The taste of broccoli cheese soup but not as heavy. I cut the cayenne in half because I like the depth of flavor it adds but didn’t want it too be too spicy. I used an immersion blender directly in the pot which was super easy and had no problems with clumping cheese but I did add it a handful at a time to make sure it incorporated. Thanks for this yummy recipe, will definitely be making this again!
Thank you so much Jennifer! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan