| | | > One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa

One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa

JUMP TO RECIPE

This One Pot Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa is creamy, packed with protein and fiber, vegetarian, and ready in under 30 minutes. It checks every single box for a weeknight dinner: fast, filling, wholesome, and incredibly delicious.

If there’s one thing we LOVE in this house, it’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup. It’s creamy, cozy, comforting… and hey, it has broccoli, so it feels like a healthier choice (even if we all know it’s not exactly a salad 😂).

We used to grab Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Panera all the time, and while it totally hits the spot, I’d always feel a little guilty giving it to Shaan because it never felt filling enough. I like his meals to have a little more substance, something with grains or pasta to make sure he’s actually getting full and not hungry again 10 minutes later.

So I set out to make a version at home that I’d feel good about serving him.

What I didn’t expect?
This recipe turned out WAY too good to keep as a “toddler meal.” Dev and Chandani—who normally wouldn’t even look at quinoa—devoured it and said it’s better than traditional broccoli cheddar soup. And honestly… I agree.

You can watch me make it here. Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to tag me on @thechutneylife when you make it! Happy Eating!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • One pot = minimal cleanup
  • More protein + fiber than traditional broccoli cheddar soup
  • Toddler and husband approved
  • Vegetarian and pantry-friendly
  • Ready in under 30 minutes
  • Cozy, creamy, comfort food you can feel good about

It’s the kind of meal I make once and immediately add to the weekly rotation.

This entire recipe gets made in the Instant Pot so I love that it has minimal dish washing after, and it reheats REALLY well so you can make a batch and reheat it.

Weeknights Made Easy

Short on time but want big flavor? These tools, gadgets, and ingredients keep my weeknight meals quick, easy, and delicious.

More Instant Pot Recipes We Love

Here are some of my other tried-and-true Instant Pot favorites if you love quick weeknight meals:

Instant Pot Lasagna Soup

Instant Pot Masala Khichdi

Instant Pot Refried Beans

Instant Pot Shredded Tandoori Chicken

Toddler Friendly Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Toddler Friendly Instant Pot Veggie & Rice

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Quinoa

PRINT RECIPE PIN RECIPE
SERVES: 4
PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 5 mins
TIME: 15 mins
The Chutney Life

Ingredients


  • 1 small onion, diced

  • 1/2 cup carrot, shredded

  • 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed

  • 3 cloves garlic minced

  • 3 heaping cups broccoli, cut into bite sized florets

  • 1 tbsp butter

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 cups water or vegetable broth

  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder

  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (prferably shredded from a block- I love cracker barrel)

  • salt to taste ( I used 1 tsp salt)


Equipment



  • Instant Pot

Directions

  1. Turn the Instant Pot onto saute mode and add oil and butter. Once the butter is melted, add the diced onions and carrots and stir until slightly softened (about 3-4 minutes).
  2. Add the garlic cloves, stir until fragrant and add the cumin powder, salt, turmeric powder and quinoa and stir for 2-3 minutes until everything is well combined.
  3. Add the broth , mix again and then place the broccoli florets directly on top of the mixture (without mixing them in).
  4. Switch the Instant Pot to High Pressure mode and set timer for 1 minute. Quick Release after 5 minutes. Open the pot, switch the IP to saute mode and add in the milk. Stir and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes so the quinoa slightly thickens. Add cheese and stir until well combined. Taste for salt and add extra if needed. (The quinoa will thicken as it sits for a few minutes)
  5. If you want to make this spicy, add a few dashes of crushed red chili flakes or sriracha ! Or additionally add diced green chilis when adding the onions in step one.
  6. Serve hot and enjoy! Store refrigerated for upto 3-4 days.
HI THERE! I’M PALAK

Welcome to this itty bitty corner of my world! My name is Palak and I have, over the span of many years, fell into a romantic love affair with food. Eating it, reading about it, creating it, and of course, TALKING about it. Here on The Chutney Life, you’ll find recipes inspired by the delicious flavors of my mom’s home cooking, with a twist of my own. Thanks for visiting and can’t wait to keep sharing my story with you all!

More About Me

DON’T MISS A THING

Sign up for The Chutney Life mailing list for behind the scenes access!

LEAVE A COMMENT

Let me know what you think of this recipe!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Looks so good! Do you have any thoughts on how to make without an instant pot? I was thinking of doing everything the same, just waiting longer during Step 4 for quinoa to cook in a normal pot on the stove (so like 15 min) and then maybe adding the milk when its got 5 minutes left.??❤️

I made this for my toddler and my husband ended up eating most of it!

Have you tried it before using frozen broccoli?

Still Hungry?

Tofu Banh Mi Bowls

Turmeric Ginger Pasta

Creamy Chana Masala

Creamy Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables