Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Soup, family friendly high fiber high protein one pot cozy meal that comes together in no time!
I love me some hearty soups during colder months. And its a huge plus if it is easy to make using just one pot. Broccoli Cheddar soup is packed with fiber but also comes with extreme amount of fats. I like my meals balanced. Like this recipe, it is packed with fiber, protein, carbs, fats. Instead of just adding veggies and cheese to this soup, I like to add protein pasta as well. It makes it so filling and well balanced.
Pasta soups are hands down my favorite ways to eat lot of veggies, some carbs, protein and fats. This Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Soup holds all the OG flavors without loading it up with extra cheese and heavy cream. I like to substitute heavy cream with mix of protein milk and cottage cheese. While adding protein pasta adds that touch of protein and fiber with carbs. It makes this soup a complete meal, filling meal!
I am sure when you read cottage cheese, you might feel intimidate by the thoughts of texture. But trust the process here. Blending it with milk makes it super smooth, creamy and rich without using any heavy cream. And it adds cheesy flavors to the soup without adding tons of cheese. I do add freshly shredded white and yellow cheddar because let’s be honest. It wont be broccoli cheddar without adding any cheddar. But balancing the amount out with cottage cheese makes it healthier without compromising the taste!
As I mentioned above, I like my meals balanced and filling. And this is just that. Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Soup is cheesy, creamy and packed with all the nutrients. I highly suggest you give this a try. I promise this will end up on your weekly menu during colder months. My Loaded Veggie Tortellini Soup – Instant Pot is just as good with completely different flavor pallate. I suggest you give both these pasta soups a try. Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots if you end up making it and liking it. I would love to get your feedback on my recipes!
Happy & Healthy Eating!
Broccoli Cheddar Pasta Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Salted Butter
- 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- ¾ cup Diced Yellow Onion
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 small Diced Jalapeno
- 6 cup Broccoli Florets, cut in small sizes
- 2 cup Shredded Carrots
- 8 oz Choice of Pasta I used Brami Fusilli High Protein Pasta
- 4 cup Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Freshly Shredded Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese I used Cabot Creamery block
- 1 cup Freshly Shredded Extra Sharp Yellow Cheddar Cheese I used Cabot Creamery block
- 2¾ tsp Salt 1 tsp while cooking onions + 1¾ tsp with other seasonings
- 1 tsp Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- ½ tsp Paprika
- â…› tsp Nutmeg Powder
- 2 cup Fair life 2% Milk can be sub with regular whole milk
- 1 cup Good Culture 2% Cottage Cheese can be sub with heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch only if you like your soup extra thick
Instructions
- Put Instant Pot on saute mode. Add in butter and EVOO.
- Once the butter melted, add in diced onion, jalapeno and minced garlic with 1 tsp of salt. Mix well and cook until onions become translucent.
- Add in dry uncooked pasta. Mix well and dry cook for a minute or so.
- Add in vegetable broth, bring it to simmer while keeping IP on saute mode.
- Once broth starts to simmer, sprinkle all shredded carrots on top of pasta, DO NOT STIR.
- Then evenly sprinkle in broccoli florets on top of carrot layer, DO NOT STIR.
- Close the lid and seal it. Put IP on high pressure. The cook time will differ based on cooking instruction on the pasta box. If you are using Brami Fusilli High Protein Pasta as mentioned above, its original cook time on the box says 10-12 minutes. In Ip it takes half the amount of time from what box says. SO that would be 5 minutes on high pressure in IP.
- While IP is cooking on pasta, blend cottage cheese and mix into smooth liquid. Keep it aside.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for same amount of time as IP cook time, which is 5 minutes for Brami Fusilli High Protein Pasta. Release rest of the pressure manually.
- Once all the pressure is released and valve is unsealed, open the lid. Put IP on saute mode.
- Add in cottage cheese & milk liquid along with 1¾ tsp of salt and other spiced listed above. Stir everything well.
- Then slowly start to add shredded cheese, little bit at a time while stirring it constantly. Once all the cheese is added, give it a good stir and let the soup simmer for another 2 minutes.
- The longer this soup sits the thicket it gets. IF YOU LIKE YOU SOUP EXTRA THICK, mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 2 tbsp of water. Mix it and add this slurry slowly into simmering soup while stirring constantly for additional 1-2 min.
- Serve it while its hot with choice of garlic bread or breadsticks!
This turned out great. I used banza pasta so only 3 minutes of cook time and the taste was amazing. I’m looking for high protein vegetarian recipes that the kids love and this recipe definitely delivered! Thank you