This Easy Instant Pot Panera Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup is the best, quick pressure cooker recipe that includes stovetop directions, too. This copycat recipe is actually better than the real thing. Make this dish for meal-prep using fresh or frozen broccoli.
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Since Panera first opened I have always been a fan of their broccoli cheddar soup. I can eat it year round. It doesn't have to be cold outside for me to crave a bite! I'm sharing my favorite homemade version. I prefer to make it in my Instant Pot because it gives the broccoli the PERFECT texture. I have also included stovetop instructions below.
If you are a soup lover you will also love my Instant Pot Split Pea Soup and Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Table of Contents
How to Make Instant Pot Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Gather your ingredients.
- Saute the onions and garlic.
- Add the chicken broth, broccoli, and seasonings.
- Pressure cook for 4 minutes. Quick-release the steam and add the remaining ingredients.
What Type of Cheese to Use
I like to use sharp cheddar cheese. You can use whatever cheese you wish.
Substitutions and Ideas for Additional Ingredients
- Shredded or Chopped Carrots
- Spinach
- Kale
- Celery
- Crumbled Bacon
- Sausage
- Green Peppers
- Red Peppers
How Many Carbs are in Broccoli?
One cup of broccoli has about 3.5 net carbs. 4 cups of broccoli are used in this recipe, that is divided among 8 servings.
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The low carb version of this soup has 6 net carbs per serving.
How Long Will it Last in the Fridge
It will last tightly covered for 3-4 days.
Freezer Tips
I love to use these soup freezer molds from Amazon to freeze the soup. I reheat it using the slow cook function or you can thaw and microwave. It will freeze up to a few months.
You may also enjoy my Keto Cheeseburger Casserole and Keto Peanut Butter Cookies.
Popular Keto Recipes
Keto Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
Keto Philly Cheesesteak Casserole
Keto Shrimp Alfredo
More Instant Pot Soups
Instant Pot Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Black Bean Soup
Instant Pot Chicken, Seafood, and Sausage Gumbo
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Spinach
Instant Pot Pumpkin Spice Sweet Potato Soup
Creamy Pumpkin Soup with Canned Pumpkin
Also check out our Stovetop Broccoli Cheddar Soup and Slow Cooker Crockpot Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Instant Pot Panera Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter Divided
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 2-3 garlic cloves Minced
- 2 cups stock or broth I used chicken.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets (with stems) You can use frozen if you wish, the pot may take a little longer to come to pressure.
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp shredded cheddar cheese I purchase block cheese and grate it. It melts much better than pre-shredded cheese.
Instructions
- Place the Instant Pot on the saute function. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, chopped onions, and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, broccoli florets, salt and pepper to taste to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Cook for 4 minutes on Manual > High-Pressure Cooking.
- While the soup cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Add the flour to the butter and stir.
- When the pot indicates it has finished, quick release the steam and place it on the saute function.
- Open the pot and add the heavy whipping cream and shredded cheddar to the pot.
- Scoop out a couple of tablespoons of the soup and add it to the bowl with the melted butter and flour. Stir and add the mixture back to the pot. This will thicken up the soup.
- Place the Instant Pot on saute for a few minutes until the cheese has melted.
- Serve in bowls.
Stovetop
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter, chopped onions, and garlic to a large pot or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the broth, broccoli, salt, and pepper to taste to the pot. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender.
- While the soup cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small bowl. Add the flour to the butter and stir.
- When the broccoli is tender, add the heavy whipping cream and shredded cheddar to the pot.
- Scoop out a couple of tablespoons of the soup and add it to the bowl with the melted butter and flour. Stir and add the mixture back to the pot. This will thicken up the soup.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Allow a few minutes for the cheese to melt and the soup to thicken.
- Serve in bowls.
Bryan says
I've never tried the broccoli soup from Panera even though my wife gets it all the time! I know she'd love to give this recipe a try though
Emily says
Can you use half and half in place of heavy cream?
staysnatched says
Yes you can.
Taryn says
Delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Aimee Shugarman says
This is our favorite soup, so glad you made it low carb!!
Detra says
You did it AGAIN!! Another delicious, easy and kid approved recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Marcia says
How will milk work instead of the heavy cream?
staysnatched says
It will taste different. Cream adds more flavor.
Jo says
@Marcia, and it won't be low carb
Beth says
It was even BETTER the next day!! Thank you, one of my new go to soups.
staysnatched says
I completely agree! You are welcome!
Marcia Scott says
Fantastic recipe! I subbed out xantham gum with one teaspoon beef gelatin - worked perfectly! Also added some truffle cheddar cheese - ohhh sooo good! Will definitely make it again.
staysnatched says
Truffle cheddar cheese sounds amazing! I will have to try this.
Kris says
Can this be doubled I an 8 qt intantpot?
Kris says
Can this be doubled in an 8 qt intantpot?
staysnatched says
I don't have an 8 quart, but I would assume so.
Peggy says
Delicious. I added a few shakes a ground Nutmeg, only because it was a tip from a Rachel Ray show. Will be making this again. Thank you
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I love your additions.
Djancar says
I made this exactly and got 4 x 1.5 cups servings out of it which with my ingredients is 13 net carbs. So am I to half those servings ? That is such a smallllll bowl for such a tasty soup. How big are your servings?
staysnatched says
I divide the soup equally into glass Tupperware containers. The recipe makes 8 servings. I also pair this soup with a protein. I don't eat it as its own meal, so it does not feel like a small serving to me.
Jennifer says
@staysnatched, Hi, it would be so helpful if you could put the portion size per serving for your recipes in the info section. There is so much info already there, but the nutrtional info doesn't make any sense without this crucial piece. I've noticed it's not present in any of the recipes I've looked at on your site. It just means I have to make the recipe and guess. Thank you!
staysnatched says
You don't have to guess because you could measure it out and record the measurements if you wanted the information. Thank you!
H says
What is the serving size?
staysnatched says
Hi there. It's documented in the recipe card above this comment section.
Jennifer says
@staysnatched, I think this person means how large is one serving?? 1 cup? 1/2 cup??
I don't see that posted anywhere.
Amber says
I make this every week! It’s our absolute favorite. Thank you!
staysnatched says
That's awesome! It's a favorite in our home, too!
Lori says
Great recipe, easy to follow. I loved it! I am new on the Keto diet and have been craving some soup so this was perfect! Thanks for the recipe!
Anonymous says
Got my Instant Pot today and this was the first recipe I tried. I used half and half instead of heavy cream, it turned out sooo good! Thanks for the recipe, my husband loves it.
Kristin R Richards says
This soup was amazing. Made in the instant pot, only switched up chicken broth instead of the stock. Plan to make a double batch next time. Thank you for sharing!
staysnatched says
So glad you enjoyed it! You're welcome.
Katie says
Hello!
I’m new to Instand Pit recipes. If I wanted to add chicken, at what point/how long would I pressure cook it in the pot?
Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you!
staysnatched says
I would cook the chicken separate from the soup, as chicken breasts require a 10 minute cook time with 10 minutes of natural steam release vs quick release. Cook the chicken first and remove it from the pot. Then cook the soup. While the soup cooks, shred the chicken. When it's finished, add the shredded chicken to the pot with the dairy ingredients.
Rich R says
Can you use cream cheese to thicken
staysnatched says
Yes you can.
Marlene says
Thank you for this recipe, I’ve been looking for a good Keto broccoli cheddar soup recipe and this is it! Of course I tweaked it to my personal taste but it would be amazing as written. I made this as a full meal so I cooked chicken breasts, sprinkled with salt, pepper and garlic powder, I removed the chicken and diced it. In the pan I cooked the chicken I added the onion and garlic and two chopped jalapeños . I followed the recipe as stated but then added two extra cups broth. I don’t have an insta-pot but it worked beautifully on the stove top.
My husband and I will add this recipe to our Keto menus.
Again many thanks!
staysnatched says
I love your modifications! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Rebekah says
Will this work if doubled in the 6quart instanta?
staysnatched says
Yes, you can double the recipe. You will have to check if the sizing of your pot will be ok.
Kristina says
If I use frozen broccoli do I still set the cook time for 4 minutes.
staysnatched says
You can start with the same time. The pot will likely take longer to come to pressure.
Anonymous says
This was great! Thanks!
Kristi says
This was great! My daughter also loved it. Will add to my recipes! Thanks for sharing!
Keri Horn says
What’s the net carbs for one serving
staysnatched says
It's noted at the top of the post.
Vic says
This soup looks so yummy! I can't wait to try this someday! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Shane says
Nice post! I like this recipe, it's very healthy and easy to do. Thanks for sharing!
staysnatched says
I'm glad yo like it!
Darlene says
This recipe is so good! Made this for my family and even my pickiest eaters loved it. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
staysnatched says
Awesome! It's such a great soup! I make it often.
Shannan says
This was delicious and so easy to make!! Thank you for the recipe! Can you tell me what each serving size is? I see net carbs and reference to a bowl of soup but all my bowls are different sizes! Is it based on roughly a cup?
staysnatched says
I suggest you measure them out and divide them up accordingly, you can use a measuring cup even if you have different sized containers/bowls.
Katie says
LEGIT!!!!! So so good!!!! I’m so glad I decided to make this tonight! I absolutely loved how easy it was. And boy did that xanthan gum thicken it up just perfectly!!! Brandi is my fav top chef!! So glad I she made this! Happy Fall ya’ll!
staysnatched says
Thank you so much! I appreciate that!
sado says
nice post
Fitoru keto says
This soup recipe looks so simple and elegant. I can't wait to try this someday. Thanks for sharing!
Kelley A Switzer says
Do you think if I doubled the recipe it would fit in the 6 qt instant pot?? Thanks in advance!!!!
staysnatched says
Maybe. You can always try it and test it out. If the broth exceeds the max line on the Instant Pot then decrease the amount in the recipe.
E Claywell says
Thank you so much!!! This is the best recipe ever!! I missed soup so much, and this is by far my favorite!!!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Krista says
I'm new to Keto and I don't have Xanthan gum on hand. Can I use ground flax seed or almond flour to thicken? If so how much would you recommend? Thanks!
staysnatched says
I have not tested this and would not use these in soups because of the consistency. You can start with a teaspoon and continue to add more if necessary.
Synnova says
I've made this soup so many times because it is so tasty and HITS THE SPOT! Trust, this is always a rotation in my house for an easy, quick and delicious meal.
staysnatched says
This is one of my favorites!
Lila says
Omg i loooove this recipe!!!!!! So glad i found the copycat panera bread broccoli cheddar soup. It makes a good amount of portions so i froze the rest and enjoy them whenever i want.
staysnatched says
I love freezing this!
Amanda says
I have made this recipe several times, and I happily keep coming back to it. Homerun, Brandi! This recipe is perfect. Thanks for sharing it with us 🙂
staysnatched says
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
LaKenya says
Made this exactly how you instructed and hunny when I tell you it’s so delicious!!!! Whew Chile, I’m licking the bowl. Thank you for this bomb recipe!
staysnatched says
ha ha! Love it!
Candice says
I can not find xathan gum what can I use instead to keep it keto friendly?
staysnatched says
Almond flour, but I'm not a fan of the consistency, that's why I use xanthan gum. I see that xanthan gum is available right now on Amazon.
Lauren says
Admittedly, I am a huge fan of Panera, but I have never had their Broccoli soup. After making this dish several times, I will never order panera's. This recipe is quick and so tasty. You can eat it over the course of a full week, the cost to make it is low, and the family loves it. I can truly eat this monthly. I will sometimes cut up chicken and add it, but totally not necessary. I highly recommend you make this dish
staysnatched says
I do that with chicken, too!
Brittany says
Absolutely love this recipe. I’ve made it so many times! I even purchased the souper cubes to freeze it when I make it. Panera who????
staysnatched says
haha! Yes Panera who?! So much better.
Trista says
One of my all time favorite meals. I make this regularly and freeze individual portions. I never get tired of it, and my coworkers always tell me how good it smells.
staysnatched says
I love to freeze this dish!
Eunice says
Another good one! I made it dairy free and it was still good. I just never have enough left to freeze for lunches because I eat the entire batch!
staysnatched says
haha! It's just that good.
Debbie says
We love this soup, I make it all the time. (I love soup, even in the summer.) And it’s so quick and easy to make. If you like broccoli cheese soup, you have to try it!
staysnatched says
It's definitely my favorite!
Mallory says
This was my first time using an Instant Pot and the directions in this recipe were so clear! It took less than 10 minutes to cook this and it tasted delicious. Won’t be going back to Panera for broccoli cheddar soup anymore now that I can make it at home!!
staysnatched says
Congrats on your first recipe!
Melissa says
Can I use Guar Gum instead of Xanthan Gum?
staysnatched says
I've never used that, so I'm not sure. If you have substituted it in the past, I assume it would be fine.
Melissa Palozie says
I will give it a shot and let you know. I'm pretty sure Xanthan and Guar gum have the same measurements in recipes. I'm new to Keto and Guar gum was cheaper. LOL
Lisa says
Made this tonight and it was delicious! The only thing I changed is I used flour to thicken and added a couple of potatoes. No longer keto but not an issue for me and it was so good!
staysnatched says
I'm glad it worked for you!
Érica says
This is one of my favorite items at Panera and this recipe is just as good!! I don’t have an instant pot so just made it on the stovetop, and it worked very well. Besides the few minutes it takes to shred the cheese this recipe is super quick! Will definitely be making it from now on instead of buying.
staysnatched says
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Cat G says
Yum going to make this later today. All I have is a box of store bought chicken broth. Can I use instead of stock? I’m not sure I understand the difference between the two?
Thank you
staysnatched says
You can if you want. Stock is traditionally used in soups because it's made from the simmered bones and has more health benefits.
thankins says
This was one of the first receipts I used with my new Ninja Foodie and it is wonderful! Directions easy to follow, quick to prepare and cook and was delicious! I used chicken broth as I didn't have any stock but used a good grade of extra sharp cheddar that I shredded. Will definitely be on my top 10 list for the fall and winter months.
staysnatched says
I love to hear that. I'm glad you enjoyed the soup!
Kelly M says
This soup was absolutely delicious. I didn't have the zantham gum so I used flour instead as the recipe indicated. But I will order some for next time. The instructions you provide in your recipes are so detailed. Thank you!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Lindsay says
This soup was awesome & sooo sooo easy to make!! Going to be in the normal rotation. Thank you 🙂
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Jill says
This was quick and easy soup. Great for long days when you just need something quick.
staysnatched says
Yes! I love that about it. Glad you enjoyed it.