Instant Pot Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup
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October 25, 2017Enjoy the seasons produce with this comforting Instant Pot Broccoli Cauliflower Cheese Soup. Great make ahead meal or quick weeknight dinner!
Tis’ the season for soup and comfort food! One of my all time favorite fall comfort food has to be Broccoli Cheddar soup. It reminds me of childhood memories of coming in from playing outside on a cool fall day to warm up to a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup. Also, there is nothing quite as comforting as a big bowl of cheesy soup!
I decided to recreate my favorite soup by giving it an upgrade with some new ingredients. Instead of just broccoli I added in another favorite fall vegetable, cauliflower. Broccoli and cauliflower have a lot in common, they are both cruciferous vegetables and are a great source of Vitamin A, C and K. They have also both been linked to improved digestive and heart health and decreased cancer risk! Oh and they taste mighty delicious, especially when covered in a cheese sauce! I also added in a can of white beans for extra protein and fiber. The beans also make this soup even creamier when pureed. To make this soup a balanced meal, add in a slice of bread for dipping!
To make this recipe even easier I decided to make it in my Instant Pot
This recipe is also a great way to get the kids involved in cooking. If they are younger have them help you add in the chopped vegetables and pour in the liquids and spices. If they are a bit older you can also have them help you chop up the vegetables and measure out the ingredients.
Another reason I love this recipe is because it’s even better the next day. So it makes for a great make ahead dinner for a busy weeknight. I don’t what it is but soup made a day ahead always tastes better the next day. Maybe it’s because the flavors had time to melt into one another or that you didn’t just spend time cooking and all you did was enjoy your meal.
- 1 head of broccoli ( about 3 cups chopped)
- 1 head of cauliflower ( about 3 cups chopped)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- 2½ cups of low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 (12 ounce) can of evaporated milk
- 8 ounces of cheddar cheese, shredded
- salt/pepper to taste
- Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion, garlic, oregano, nutmeg, cream cheese and broth to the instant pot. Secure lid. Make sure dial is set to sealed. Set to manual high pressure for 30 minutes.
- When done cooking, manually release pressure switching the dial from sealed to venting. Once pressure is fully released remove lid. Stir ingredients. Add in milk and cheddar cheese and mix until combined.
- Using an immersion blender or standing blender puree soup until desired texture. If you prefer a more chunky soup you can also leave as is.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add all ingredients except milk and cheese to large soup pot on medium high heat. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add in milk and cheese, mix to combine, puree if desired.
Slow Cooker:
Add all ingredients except milk and cheese to slow cooking. Set to low for 6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Add in milk and cheese, mix to combine, puree if desired.
