Cheesy Broccoli Soup

My reclaimed produce box from Hungry Harvest last week had lots of broccoli in it, and it's been pretty chilly... perfect soup weather! Last time we got this much broccoli, I made broccoli soup and it was a huge hit. This time, I was lucky enough to also get carrots and onions, so I made a super easy cheesy broccoli soup again. It's one of the few recipes where I actually prefer using American cheese because of how it melts into the soup. However, if you aren't an American cheese fan, then a mild cheddar cheese works well too. Given how simple and flavorful it is, I couldn't resist sharing the recipe. We've had it multiple days in a row, and are still not tired of it- definitely worth making a big batch =)

Ingredients

1 lb broccoli, cut into large pieces

4 garlic cloves

1 medium onion, cut into quarters

2 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

4 cups vegetable broth (you can substitute with water + 1 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp ground black pepper if you don't have broth)

12 oz cheese (sliced American cheese works best, but you can also grate a block of cheddar. Do not use pre-shredded cheddar)

Notes

I have two sets of directions below- one for for the Instant Pot and one for stove top.

Adaptation 1- If you don't have an immersion blended, you can chop all the veggies very small so that they fall apart more easily as they cook.

Adaptation 2- If you aren't going for quick, you can mince the garlic, dice the onions, and grate the carrots. Before Step 1, you can saute these in 1 tbsp of butter in the pot until they brown slightly. Then, continue with Step 1.

Instant Pot Directions

1. Put the broccoli, garlic, onion, carrots, and vegetable broth directly into the Instant Pot pot.

2. Set the Instant Pot to “High” pressure for one (1) minute. Turn the pressure valve to “Sealing” and start the Instant Pot. When the Instant Pot beeps that it’s done, use the quick pressure release method until the pin drops.

3. Once the pin drops, open the Instant Pot lid. Blend the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Blend it until there are no big pieces of vegetables left.

4. While the soup is still hot, stir in the cheese a little bit at a time until all of it is incorporated. For American slices- add 2 slices, stir until it melts in, then repeat until all the cheese is added. For grated cheddar- add a handful, stir until it melts in, then repeat until all the cheese is added.

5. Serve hot!

Stove top Directions

1. Put the broccoli, garlic, onion, carrots, and vegetable broth directly into the a large pot.

2. Bring the vegetables and broth to a boil over medium heat. Once it's boiling, turn down the heat to low to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Blend the soup directly in the pot using an immersion blender. Blend it until there are no big pieces of vegetables left.

4. While the soup is still hot, stir in the cheese a little bit at a time until all of it is incorporated. For American slices- add 2 slices, stir until it melts in, then repeat until all the cheese is added. For grated cheddar- add a handful, stir until it melts in, then repeat until all the cheese is added.

5. Serve hot!