Okay, This Soup is Basically My Sweater Weather Mood

I have to be honest, soup season is my happy place. But broccoli cheddar in the Instant Pot? That’s my personal cheat code for looking like a genius with minimal effort. The first time I made it, the power went out with like three minutes left (classic). Whole house smelled like melted cheese and steamed broccoli for hours—kids still talk about it, mostly to remind me I overcooked the rolls, but hey, the soup was a hit.

Why You’ll Love This: (And Maybe Make It Way Too Often)

I pull this out when I’m tired, freezing, and not in the mood to hover over the stove for ages (also, it makes excellent leftovers, though they never last). My family is weird with veggies—broccoli in particular gets side-eye—so I blend it up a bit extra for my youngest and boom, suddenly everyone’s on board. Plus, it’s fast—sometimes suspiciously so. I do, occasionally, mutter at the pot when it won’t seal right, but that’s just part of the adventure, isn’t it?

What You’ll Need (with a Few Substitutes)

3 cups broccoli florets (fresh or those frozen bags—no judgment, I use both. Stems are fine too, just chop ’em small)
1 small onion, diced (yellow—or honestly, red if that’s what’s rolling around the drawer)
2 big carrots, sliced (or a couple handfuls of that pre-shredded stuff, works fine)
3 cloves garlic, minced (or a squirt from the squeezy tube, who’s counting?)
4 cups veggie broth (chicken is fine if you’re not strictly veggie)
1/2 teaspoon paprika (smoked, if you like extra coziness. My grandma swore by regular, but I sneak in smoked anyway)
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder (when I remember—but you can totally skip it)
Salt & pepper (taste as you go, really)
1 cup half-and-half (or full cream for decadence, or even milk if you’re feeling lighter)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (pre-shredded’s easy, but grating your own melts better, supposedly. Sometimes I don’t care though)
Optional: dash of nutmeg, or a spoonful of Greek yogurt for tang

How I Actually Make It (Don’t Stress the Details)

Sauté party: Hit sauté on your Instant Pot. Drizzle in a little olive oil, toss in onions and carrots. Let them soften 3-4 minutes – this is when the house starts to smell inviting. Throw in the garlic for the last minute or so. If you get distracted (guilty!) and things look dark—just keep going unless it’s actually burnt.
Everything but the cheese: Add broth, broccoli, paprika, mustard powder, and some salt and pepper. Give it a good stir. Put the lid on, set to sealing (arguably the hardest part, ha!), and cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Quick release when it beeps—I always jump at the steam, you’d think I’d be used to it by now.
Blending time: Now, this is where I grab an immersion blender and make it as smooth or chunky as you want. It’s your world. If you’re using a regular blender, let things cool a bit first (I once painted my kitchen with soup… would not recommend).
Cheese & cream go in: Stir in the half-and-half and cheese; let it get all melty and creamy. Actually, I find it works better if you add cheese in batches instead of all at once, otherwise you get little cheese lumps. Taste it—don’t skip this step! It’s supposed to taste like a cozy afternoon.
One more thing: If it’s too thick, splash in some extra broth or milk. If it’s too thin, well, simmer on sauté a few minutes and/or add a shade more cheese.

Notes: Stuff I Learned the Hard Way

Going light on salt sounded smart until I realized the cheese is kinda salty. Now I season at the end, mostly.
Freezing works, but the texture can get a little weird on reheat. Still totally edible (I do anyway).
If you want extra richness, throw in a small potato—it thickens things up nicely, but then tastes less ‘cheesy’ somehow? Your call.

Variations I’ve Actually Tried (and One I Won’t Again)

Swap in cauliflower for half the broccoli—much sneakier veggies, mildly different flavor but not enough to freak out my kids.
Add cooked bacon bits at the end for that ‘fancy café’ vibe (don’t judge me, but it’s really good).
I tried doubling the cheese once… never again, it turned into a gloopy dip situation. Too much of a good thing, I guess!

The Gear (and What I Do When I Can’t Find Stuff)

Instant Pot or any other pressure cooker (mine is scratched up, still works fine)
Immersion blender. If you don’t have one, just use a regular blender—work in batches, cover the lid with a towel (seriously, soup can go everywhere, ask me how I know)
Wooden spoon or spatula—mine has one corner chewed up by the dog, works just fine

Where to Store It (& My Honest Truth)

Tuck leftovers into an airtight container in the fridge, it’ll last 2-3 days—though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! You can freeze it in a pinch, but it does separate a bit when you reheat, give it a fierce whisk or just embrace it.

How I Serve It (the ‘Optional But Not Really’ Bits)

Spoon it into deep bowls, add a little extra cheese on top if you’re feeling extravagant. Crusty bread or garlic toast is basically mandatory with us. If I’m feeling fancy (not often), I sprinkle on chives or a crack of black pepper; my partner crumbles potato chips over his—each to their own.

Pro Tips (From My Mess-Ups to You)

Don’t try to rush the sauté step—it actually matters. Once I dumped everything in at once, and it was edible but bland.
Let the soup cool a little before blending (trust me, soup facial is not rejuvenating).
Adding cheese too fast means clumps, not the end of the world but a tiny bit annoying.

FAQ: The Real Questions Folks Ask Me

Can I make this dairy-free? Sure, use a plant cream and any meltable vegan cheese. It’s, um, different, but still pretty decent. Maybe add a touch more salt or mustard for tang, though.
Does this freeze well? Sort of! The flavor’s still good, the texture just separates after thawing. I usually just do it fresh unless desperate.
Do I really need to blend it? Nah, but then you’ve got chunky soup. Sometimes I half-blend and like it both ways.
Could I add chicken? Absolutely. Leftover roast chicken gets tossed in at the very end more often than I’d admit. Makes it stretch further too.
What if I don’t have an Instant Pot? Well, just use a pot on the stove. Simmer covered 15-20 min till veggies are soft, then go on the same as above. It’ll turn out just lovely; you might have to keep a closer eye on things so it doesn’t stick though.

And that’s it! For real, it’s the coziest, cheesiest, and laziest broccoli cheddar soup I know. (And if you spot a cat hair in your bowl, blame the kitchen helper, not the chef. Just kidding. Probably.)