B - Creamy Broccoli Soup

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B is for broccoli.  I've been making this soup since my kids were toddlers.  It's a favorite, requested regularly enough to be a family comfort food.  This can be made on the stove top, in the instant pot, or a combination of the two.  When I steam fresh broccoli in the instant pot for the perfect tender but still firm texture that we prefer, I use 1 minute at pressure and quick release.  My pot is about 10 years old now and it used to be zero minutes and quick release.  I have found that it has lost a little oomph over the years.  But as it's still going strong, I am not willing to spend money on replacing it!
 
I don't understand why it's so hard to find a 1 lb pkg of frozen broccoli nowadays.  When I first started making this, it was easy to find a 16 oz package!  Maybe I need to try other grocers... Note: Chopped broccoli is mostly stems and will yield a soup with a lighter green color.  Fresh will be more vibrant just because there will be more florets than frozen.
 
When I make this soup, I usually grab a frozen 2 cup portion of broth straight out of the freezer and just chuck it in once the onions are softened.  I still have a good 8 cups of turkey broth from Thanksgiving!  And since we love this soup so much, the original batch that I made when my girls were little, is barely sufficient to feed all four of us, definitely no leftovers, so I usually make a batch and a half or just pad the amounts all around.  Yes, there have been times when it has turned out a little more soupy and less creamy than usual when I deviate, but a little potato starch in water can fix that!  (Honestly, I have started using a potato starch slurry to thicken my stew instead of flour and water and I like it better!)

 
I have made this twice this week and the kids keep complaining that I need to double or triple the recipe so that there are leftovers!  This last batch was frozen chopped broccoli, hence the lighter color.  But hey, I found some early chives coming up in the garden!

Creamy Broccoli Soup
Serves 4 as a starter, 3 as a main

16oz frozen broccoli florets, (fresh is fine too, about two big heads/crowns) 
1½ tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced, or a good spoonful of jarlic 
2 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk or half 'n half
1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
dash of Tabasco or hot sauce 
½-¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese

I make it one pot style but you can also cook the broccoli separately while making the rest of the soup and then combine and blend.

Saute onion in butter until tender, then add flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the broth and milk to the pot, stirring to dissolve the flour. Add salt and pepper, cook and stir for 5 minutes, then add broccoli and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes until broccoli is tender. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor on lowest speed to leave some texture. Add Tabasco and cheese and cook for 1 minute until cheese melts.
 
Instant Pot directions: 
Start the Instant Pot in SAUTE mode and melt butter in it. Add diced onions and minced garlic, and saute until the onion is translucent. 
Add broccoli and broth and season with salt and pepper.  Press Cancel to reset the controls.  Close and lock the lid with the vent in sealing position. 
Set the Instant Pot on MANUAL or pressure cook mode at high pressure for 0-1 minutes.  (We prefer toothsome broccoli to mushy broccoli, so we tend to use the zero time, especially for frozen, chopped broccoli.  You can always cook it a few more minutes at the end.)
Quick release the pressure.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor on lowest speed to leave some texture.  Add the flour to the blender while processing.  Return soup to the instant pot on SAUTE setting and add the milk, cheese, and Tabasco.  Cook and stir until thickened slightly.  Adjust seasoning and serve.
 
Here are some more letter B recipes: 

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