3 tbsp butter

¹⁄₂ yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3¹⁄₂ cups chicken stock

4 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets

3oz (85g) block-style cream cheese, softened and cubed

¹⁄₂ tsp ground nutmeg

¹⁄₂ tsp fine grind sea salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

¹⁄₂ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups heavy cream

¹⁄₂ tsp xanthan gum (optional)

4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1 tbsp finely chopped chives

1 Select Sauté (Normal). Once the pot is hot, add the butter and heat until the butter is melted.

2 Add the onions, celery, and garlic. Continue sautéing, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

3 Add the chicken stock and broccoli florets to the pot. Sauté, stirring continuously, until the liquid begins to boil, and then press Cancel to turn off the pot.

4 Cover, lock the lid, and flip the steam release handle to the sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (High) and set the cook time for 5 minutes.

5 When the cook time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.

6 Open the lid and add the cream cheese, nutmeg, sea salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.

7 Select Sauté (Normal). Let the soup come to a boil and then slowly add the cheddar and Jack cheeses while continuously stirring. Once the cheese has melted, select Keep Warm and stir in the heavy cream.

8 Add the xanthan gum powder (if using) and stir until the soup thickens.

9 Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top each serving with ¹⁄₂ tablespoon crumbled bacon and ¹⁄₂ teaspoon chives. Serve hot.

tip Xanthan gum is added as a thickening agent and can be omitted from this recipe.

You can use frozen broccoli florets in place of fresh florets.

Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup with Bacon