Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta is a creamy, cheesy pasta dish made with tender broccoli, cheddar cheese, and simple ingredients. Everything cooks right in the pressure cooker for an easy family dinner or side dish.
This is one of those easy recipes I turn to when I need something comforting without much work. The broccoli cooks right with the pasta, and the cheddar makes it extra creamy.
Why I Love This Recipe
- One-Pot Recipe: Pasta and broccoli cook together.
- Creamy Cheddar Sauce: Rich, cheesy flavor in every bite.
- Easy Ingredients: Made with simple pantry and freezer staples.
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Pasta: Use 1 pound of your favorite short pasta.
- Water: Helps cook the pasta in the Instant Pot.
- Frozen Broccoli: No thawing needed.
- Butter: Adds richness to the sauce.
- Milk or Half-and-Half: Makes the sauce creamy.
- Cheddar Cheese: Use shredded cheddar for a rich, cheesy sauce.
- Black Pepper & Garlic Powder: Add simple seasoning.
- Salt: Enhances the flavor. Start with less and adjust to taste.
- Cayenne Pepper: Just ¼ teaspoon, optional, for a little heat.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta
Add the Ingredients: Place the dry pasta in the Instant Pot. Pour in 4 cups of water, then add the butter and frozen broccoli.
Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes. Carefully perform a quick release.
Make the Sauce: Switch to Sauté on low, if available. Stir in the milk or half-and-half, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and optional ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
Add the Cheese: Gradually stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until melted and creamy. Turn off the heat and serve warm.
Tips I Found Helpful 💙
- Use Short Pasta: Penne, rotini, or elbows work well for this recipe.
- Keep Broccoli Frozen: Add it straight from the freezer. No thawing needed.
- Shred Your Own Cheese: Freshly shredded cheddar melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Add Cheese Slowly: Stir in a little at a time, and turn off Sauté if the sauce gets too hot.
Questions Readers Ask Most
More Pasta Dinners I Love
Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta
Creamy Instant Pot Broccoli and Cheddar Pasta made with tender pasta, broccoli, and a rich cheddar cheese sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry pasta
- 4 cups water or broth
- 16 ounces frozen broccoli
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup milk or half-and-half
- 16 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions
- Add the dry pasta to the Instant Pot and pour in 4 cups of water or broth.
- Add the butter and frozen broccoli.
- Secure the lid and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- Carefully perform a quick release.
- Switch to Sauté on low, if available. Stir in the milk or half-and-half, black pepper, garlic powder, salt, and optional cayenne pepper.
- Gradually add the shredded cheddar cheese, stirring until melted and creamy. Turn off Sauté if the sauce gets too hot.
- Serve warm.
Notes
Use short pasta and add the broccoli straight from the freezer. Stir in freshly shredded cheddar a little at a time for a smooth sauce. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days and reheat with a splash of milk.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 504Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 759mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 7gSugar: 2gProtein: 26g
Can I use a 6 qt pressure cooker with this recipe?
Yes that is what I use
What about fresh broccoli? Could I use that instead of frozen?
Yes it will be small creamy pieces instead of small trees.
Another excellent quick dinner that everyone agreed will need to be repeated!
We improvised a bit and added some cooked ground chicken, and used fresh broccoli.
Our only suggestion is to add a pinch of salt and pepper.
(5 stars)
Im not a healthy person, but I would add more broccoli and less cheese 😉 thumbs up on fast and easy though!
I got a block of cheese and some chicken to throw in.. but I don’t have a steamer yet for my instant pot so can I steam them in the microwave then add with the chicken and cheese?
I just dropped fresh, uncut broccoli on top of the pasta and cooked it with the pasta. I wouldn’t waste time with the microwave or a steamer insert which is another piece to clean after. 😉
There was still water left in the bottom of the pot after I quick released it at the end to add the milk and cheese — needless to say, it was very water after stirring. Is this normal?
@Andrea Howey, I got the same issue. I don’t know if that was supposed to happen.
This was super delicious! I did a clean-out-the-fridge version, replacing the cheese with Boursin, and using fresh broccoli. I also added a bunch of seasoning. It was awesome! Thanks for posting. (PS: The broccoli was super smashy, so if people want al dente broccoli, they’d do well to cook it less.)
What is the point of placing the Insta pot on saute….? Do we leave it on that setting for however long we think….because it does nothing when you need to take the lid off to stir in the milk and cheese…?
The sauté function heats up the milk and helps melt the cheese. The sauté function is always used without the lid.
I’m guessing she says to use saute to heat up the sauce and cook it down a little. When you do saute you leave the cover off, or I do anyway. That way you can keep stirring so it doesn’t burn the cheese/milk.
So yummy! I followed the recipe amounts except I only used 12oz of cheese and did Gouda. I added salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. The sauce was perfect, not watery. I microwaved the frozen broccoli because I was afraid it would be too mushy at 4 minutes based on previous experience. So easy and I’ll make this again and again!
Very quick and easy! Needs seasonings though. Thanks!
Can I cut this in half and have it cook the same? Have yet to use my instant pot. Brie
Yes same time just make sure you have enough liquid to cover the pasta
Needs salt, but otherwise a great recipe!
I wasn’t expecting this to be so tasty. I first cooked boneless, skinless chicken thighs in a cup of water with a tsp of better than broth, chicken flavored, for 12 minutes. Then I took out the chicken and measured the leftover water. I used 1 pound of spaghetti, broken in half so they fit and added water to the liquid to equal 4 cups. Then I added 2-3 cups of fresh broccoli on top. I cooked for 4 minutes as recommended. I shredded the chicken while the pasta cooked and added it to the pot once the pasta/broccoli was finished. Added the cheese and half and half afterwards. Besides adding a healthy dose of salt and pepper and a few shakes of garlic powder, it really didn’t need a lot of seasoning. Delicious!
Can you add fresh brocoli. And if so how long will it take?
Can you add raw chicken to the recipe? If so, does the cooking time change?
How do you think orzo would be in this recipe?
Can I use a rectangle slow cooker that sits on a heating element?
Can I use a rectangle slow cooker that sits on a heating element?
Looks like a winner recipe! I recently began using the sous vide technique and am interested in how you making your chicken that you mentioned on this page. Big fan here! Thank you!
Question, do you steam the frozen broccoli BEFORE adding it to the pasta/water? Otherwise, what function is a steamer basket that you speak of in the blog?
No I did not but it will be mixed right in if you don’t want that then yes steam and add after
Very good, but seemed a bit bland. Tried adding multiple things on a plate one at a time, and found out adding just a bit of Vegeta was the PERFECT addition! Very good recipe. Thanks!