The Best Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheese Soup | Easy Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken broccoli and cheese soup? ›

Add a cornstarch slurry

An alternative to using a roux is making a cornstarch slurry. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch with a small amount of cold water until it becomes a smooth paste. Gradually add the slurry to your soup while stirring continuously. The cornstarch will thicken the soup as it heats up.

Sometimes soup just needs to simmer longer to reach the perfect consistency. Check to see if the vegetables are tender, and then taste the broth. If the soup tastes a bit watery, give it more time.

The key with any dairy-based soup is to add the dairy while it's on low heat. Cooking the cheese on high heat can cause it to separate and curdle!

The Soup setting on the Instant Pot operates by using high pressure to create a sealed cooking environment. It brings the contents of the pot to a boil, allowing flavors to infuse and ingredients to become tender. The extended cooking time helps to develop rich flavors in your soup.

Heavy cream

Use heavy cream as a keto-friendly thickening option for your soups and broths. Heavy cream has more fat than regular whole milk, so you can add it to your soup recipes without worrying about it curdling.

Mild cheddar, Colby, Monterey jack, mozzarella, Swiss and queso blanco can all work well. “The best cheeses to melt into soups are cheeses that are higher in moisture and have a lower melting point,” says Bauer. In addition to cheddar and Monterey jack, he recommends Fontina and Gruyère.

If heated too high, you risk clumping and if too low, not melting properly. With soup, you might be able to fix it with an immersion blender, or you might not. At a temperature of 150 or so, the protein bonds in the cheese break down and as a result, too much fo the moisture escapes too quickly.

Pre-shredded cheese is often coated in anti-caking agents that can prevent the cheese from melting into a lusciously creamy soup. To ensure that your broccoli cheddar soup has the best smooth and creamy texture, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself.

Melt the cheese slowly. Adding melted cheese to hot milk can cause the milk to curdle. Instead, melt the cheese in a separate bowl over low heat or in the microwave. Once the cheese is melted, add it to the milk slowly, stirring constantly.

Will cheddar cheese melt in soup? Cheddar will definitely melt here — but you'll want to start with block cheese for this cheddar potato soup. Pre-shredded cheese, though convenient, is coated with an anti-clumping agent that interferes with the cheese's ability to melt smoothly and evenly.

Why is my broccoli cheddar soup not creamy? ›

Cheddar broccoli soup should be simmered for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the broccoli to soften. Finally, it's possible that you didn't use enough fat. Soup needs some fat to smooth out the texture and help the ingredients bind together. If your soup is too lean, it will taste grainy.

Add a small amount of fresh herbs to the soup and stir until well combined. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice, vinegar, or tomatoes can also help to reduce the saltiness of soup. Add a small amount of acid to the soup and stir until well combined.

Press the Soup button. It will say Normal, 30 minutes at High Pressure. If you press the Soup button again, you can adjust the mode from Normal to Less or More (this simply changes the cooking time). Normal mode - 30 minutes at High pressure - recommended for soups with meat.

Add flour or cornflour

Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer. Cook for a few minutes to allow the starch granules to burst to thicken, and to cook out any flour flavour.

Add Flour, Cornstarch, or Other Thickener: Starches thicken soup and give it body. Whisk a few tablespoons of starch into a little of the broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This prevents the starch from clumping and helps it dissolve into the soup evenly.

Mix a small amount of cornstarch or flour with cold water to create a slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the hot soup and allow it to simmer for a few minutes until it thickens. This method is useful for adjusting thickness without altering the flavor significantly.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.