Instant Pot Broccoli Cauliflower Soup Recipe

When the weather gets cold, the nights get longer, and the food gets, well, more delicious. Why? Because late autumn and winter is soup season, that's why. And if you're looking for a perfect recipe to make during those colder, darker days, you just found it.

"This is the season for soup, and this recipe is a comforting, warming bowl of goodness," says chef and recipe developer Ting Dalton of Cook Simply. She adds: "Not only is it vegetarian, but it's also a healthy meal for lunch or a light dinner." Oh, and one more thing Dalton adds? "What I love about this recipe is the hardest part is preparing and chopping the vegetables."

That's right, the chopping is the challenging part here, provided you have a trusty Instant Pot, that is. For if you do, beyond that, it's simply some stirring, a bit of blending, and just a few minutes of waiting as that can-do cooker does all the cooking for you. So, if you have many mouths to feed, whether as part of a holiday feast or a chilly winter weekend afternoon, let's get cooking.

If your kitchen is usually well-stocked, or if you have been stocking up for the holidays, chances are you have everything needed for this soup already. If not, any decent grocery store will have you covered. You'll need vegetable oil, an onion, minced cloves of garlic, vegetable broth, broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, curry powder, shredded cheddar cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

"Have other vegetables to use up? Thrown them in," says Dalton, adding: "Carrots would work well here, as well as spinach."

First things first, chop those veggies and measure the oil and broth. Done? Good, that was the hard part.

Now press the "sauté" button on the Instant Pot and add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and cook it for three minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Then add the garlic and cook for one minute, and then add the curry powder and cook for another minute. "If you'd like to add a bit more spice to this, you can use hotter curry powder or add another teaspoon," Dalton says. "I like to add just a hint of curry, as I think it works really well with the creamy cauliflower flavor."

Add the broccoli and cauliflower to the Instant Pot and stir well, combining them with the onions and garlic. Next, pour in the vegetable broth, then put on the lid and set the Instant Pot to cook at high pressure for eight minutes.

At the end of those eight minutes, let the Instant Pot release naturally, then open the lid and turn the Instant Pot off. Now add in the cheese and stir, combining everything well until all the cheese has melted. Then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Next, using a stick blender, blitz the soup until it's smooth and creamy. If you don't have a stick blender, you can carefully pour the soup into a food processor or blender, working in batches. "If you'd like more of a chunky soup, then only blitz half, and combine it with the rest," Dalton says, adding: "Although I do think it works really well as a smooth, creamy, thick soup."

Now serve the soup in bowls with a sprinkle of croutons or fresh bread on the side — a small serving is a great starter, while a large serving is surprisingly filling. And if you have some leftover, Dalton says: "You can refrigerate in a suitable container for up to four days. You can also freeze it for up to three months."