When I see Broccoli Cheddar soup on any menu, it’s always a solid – “YES, PLEASE” from me. I used to make the dairy-packed, cheesy pot of gold all of the time, but after my husband and I discovered his dairy-intolerance, it wasn’t a staple in our house anymore.
Until this recipe.
This Whole30 Panera-Copycat Broccoli Cheddar is about as close as you can get to the real deal. If you’re making it in the instant pot, it cooks in MINUTES.
It couldn’t be easier!
Don’t forget to pin this recipe on Pinterest to save for later!
Print Recipe
Whole30 Panera-Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup {Instant Pot & Stovetop versions}
To the instant pot, add onions, broccoli, riced broccoli, carrots, broth, and seasonings.
Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.
Once the timer goes off, do a quick release of the pressure.
In a blender, combine the cashews with at least half of the broth and most of the butternut squash and big broccoli florets until very smooth. (it took about about 30-45 seconds in my Vitamix) It's ok if there are still some chunks of onions, broccoli, and squash left behind - whatever your preference!
Add the cashew mixture back to the instant pot and stir to combine.
On saute mode, cook for about 3-4 minutes or until the soup has thickened up.
If the soup is not thick enough for you, mix a couple tbsp of water or broth with 2 tbsp of arrowroot. Add this slurry into the soup and cook on saute mode for another few minutes while stirring constantly. The arrowroot will thicken the soup even more!
If you can tolerate dairy, feel free to mix in a little handful of shredded cheddar cheese. Either way, you're going to get all of that good creamy, slightly cheesy flavor of that favorite soup!
Stovetop directions
In a large soup pot over medium heat, saute diced onions in 1 tbsp of oil for 5-8 minutes until slightly softened.
To the pot, add the squash, broccoli florets, riced broccoli, carrots, broth, and seasonings.
Stir, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the veggies are very soft.
Remove as many of the big veggies as you can along with about half of the broth and add it to a blender with the raw cashews.
Blend the cashews, veggies, and broth for about 30-45 seconds or until it's completely smooth.
Add the cashew mixture back into the soup pot.
Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
If the soup is still not thicken enough for you liking, follow the directions in step 7 from the Instant Pot instructions.
This soup is my new favorite! Butternut squash is everywhere it seems like…and currently, on super-sale in my grocery store.
…meaning, when this girl see veggies on sale, she buys a ton!
This Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup takes MINUTES to cook. When I say minutes, I mean less than 10 minutes. However, you could definitely make it on the stovetop or in your crock pot too (see recipe notes for directions!*).
I just can’t get enough of it! It’s currently my GO-TO for soups and is SO versatile! It’s a great starting point for pretty much any soup! I’m using it to make a low-carb Cheeseburger Chowder for lunches this week – stay tuned for that recipe! It’s totally kid-approved and super comforting!
This soup may be dairy free, but is still so creamy! If you can tolerate some cheese, it’s even better with some shredded cheddar sprinkled on top …or better yet, cheddar AND bacon! It would make a great creamy vegetable medley soup or a veggie-packed take on a Cheesy Broccoli. Seriously, the possibilities are endless!
Print Recipe
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup {w/stovetop option}
Once the soup is finished cooking, do a QR (quick release).
Allow the soup to cool slightly and then add the contents to a blender and puree until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
Return the soup to the instant pot if it needs to reheat some. I use the saute mode and it heats up in now time! If your soup is too thick for your liking, feel free to add a bit more broth at the end and whisk together!
Sprinkle with toppings of choice! My favorites are green onions and bacon!
Recipe Notes
*Stovetop directions:
Saute onions, potatoes, and squash in a large soup pot, over medium heat, for about 5-8 minutes or until soft.
Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
Cover and let simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are extremely tender and falling apart.
Puree with an immersion blender or allow the soup to cool and puree in a blender.
Crockpot directions:
Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Once the veggies have cooked until very tender, puree with an immersion blender or allow a bit of cooling and then puree in a blender.
** If using frozen squash, note that the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure will increase but a few minutes.
My favorite way to make cheese sauce involves cashews, however, there are some allergies out there that do not permit eating those. So I wanted to come up with a comforting, cheese-like sauce anyone could enjoy!
I like to mix this with cauliflower rice or paleo pasta for a “Mac ‘n Cheese” inspired meal!
It’s even delicious as a soup! (Mind you, I LOVE SOUP!) There is no guilt involved in eating this sauce because it is PACKED with veggies. It’s a great way to sneak in a new vegetable that your kids may not normally want. They won’t even know that they are eating a….SQUASH! That’s right! The main ingredient in this “cheese” sauce is a vegetable! The color it adds is amazing! I swear, the cheddar-cheese color of this sauce makes it taste even cheesier!
My instant pot comes in super handy with this recipe! It cooks the squash in less than 5 minutes! CRAZY! If you haven’t heard about the Instant Pot craze…get on it! It’s my favorite appliance! SO WORTH EVERY PENNY!
Disclaimer: THIS IS NOT AN ACTUAL CHEESE SAUCE. IT IS NOT GOING TO TASTE THE SAME. However, to those with dairy intolerances or those who just want to eat better, it is delicious and nice way to change things up!
Cook your squash however you prefer! See recipe notes for different cooking methods.*
To a blender (you could use an immersion blender too!), add your cooked squash and remaining ingredients.
Blend until smooooooth!
Recipe Notes
*
You can cut the squash in half (long ways), remove the seeds, and roast it in the oven for 30-45 minutes at 400 degrees, or until soft. Then scoop out the insides of the squash and add it to your blender.
You can peel it, remove the seeds, chop it into 2 inch chunks and boil it until it's soft.
OR You can cook it in the Instant Pot, like me! I peel it, remove the seeds, chop it up into chunks and cook it for 4-5 minutes on HP. It comes out perfect!
Tip: I cook the other half of the squash at the same time. Then, I freeze the cubes for smoothies later! OR you could double the recipe for more "Cheese" sauce!
