Spinach and artichoke dip gets together with hearty meatballs to create this — a creamy, hearty, filling, and nourishing keto/low-carb, veggie-filled soup! This dairy-free Instant Pot Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup is Paleo, Whole30, and Keto-friendly!

Need help planning dinner this week? Download your FREE 7-Day Instant Pot Real Food Meal Plan here!

It’s not often that I set out to create a specific recipe…

Usually, my recipes end up being happy accidents! LOL!

Case in point: When trying to create an Instant Pot blended vegetable soup with cauliflower, carrots, onion, and nutritional yeast, I accidentally ended up with a Dairy-Free Queso! That recipe was such a happy accident that I now make it weekly and have had several others comment on how delicious and cheesy it is!

This recipe — Instant Pot Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup — was NOT an accident. I was craving spinach and artichoke dip (without the dairy) AND meatballs — so I put them together and hoped it would work!

Happily, it did!

When you need a big, ol’ bowl of comfort, this easy Instant Pot soup recipe is IT. 

Loads of Veggies in this Easy Instant Pot Soup Recipe!

I am a big fan of getting in as many servings of as many different types of vegetables as possible every, single day. Vegetables are SO important for all the things… like:

• fiber for gut health and regularity
• essential minerals and vitamins
• blood sugar balance
• antioxidants
• variety – so we’re not eating the same things over and over

There’s some hidden veggies in this soup. A LOT of hidden veggies!

In fact, it’s my favorite way to hide this veggie in soup while also creating a creamy element that eliminates the need for heavy cream.

It’s…. blended cauliflower! If you have cauli-haters in your house, I pinky promise they aren’t going to taste, smell, see, or feel it in this soup!

I have a full tutorial for making Instant Pot Cauliflower “Cream”, plus I give you 5 genius ways to use it right here. 

Cauliflower “cream” is hands-down my favorite way to add thickness and creaminess to soups, casseroles, and sauces without dairy. I’ve used cauliflower “cream” as a dairy substitute in these Keto Shrimp & Greens Enchiladas with Jalapeno “Cream” Sauce, too!

Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast adds that Parmesan flavor!

Spinach and artichoke dip gets its salty cheesy-ness from loads and loads of melty Parmesan cheese, right?

I use non-fortified nutritional yeast in this easy Instant Pot soup recipe to achieve a similar flavor without dairy.

I really must emphasize that I use non-fortified nutritional yeast (or “nooch” as many call it).

Nutritional yeast is marketed as a powerhouse of B vitamins — which is mostly true. Most brands of nooch (including Bob’s Red Mill, Bragg’s, Frontier, NOW, and Red Star, as well as most nooch found in bulk bins at the health food store) fortify their nooch with synthetic vitamins.

Synthetic vitamins and fortified foods are bad news for folks who have trouble methylating B vitamins — a genetic mutation known as MTHFR. It’s also more difficult for our bodies to metabolize fortified or enriched foods that have these synthetic vitamins. For people with MTHFR, depending on the mutation, they may not be able to methylate important B vitamins, like folate, at all, which leads to B vitamin deficiencies over time.

Always look for non-fortified and non-GMO nutritional yeast. At this time, I am only comfortable recommending Foods Alive and Sari.

How To Make Instant Pot Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup

The whole soup — from start to finish — is made right in your Instant Pot! I use my 6-quart Instant Pot Duo for this easy Instant Pot soup recipe with no problems or over-filling, but you can use an 8-quart Instant Pot, too.

You’ll start by combining a one-pound bag of frozen cauliflower (yes, fresh also works) with one-half cup of bone broth in the Instant Pot. Cover, seal, and pressure cook for two minutes.

Immediately release the pressure and carefully transfer the cooked cauliflower + broth to a blender. Add some nutritional yeast and blend until silky-smooth. Set aside.

While your cauliflower is cooking, you should make your meatballs. I use a combination of grass-fed ground beef and pork for these delish meatballs. A 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop is helpful for making meatballs quickly and getting them all the same size!

When the cauliflower comes out of the Instant Pot, there’s no need to wash it! Just add your fat of choice to the stainless steel pot and press the Saute button.

Add chopped onions and garlic and cook for about four minutes.

Then, it’s time to make the magic happen!

Add the broth, chopped artichoke hearts, and meatballs to the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the pot, check the seal, and close the vent.

Press the Manual button and adjust the time to 12 minutes on high pressure. 

As soon as it beeps, release the pressure. Finally, stir in your blended cauliflower “cream” and half a pound of frozen, chopped spinach.  

This dairy-free, Whole30-friendly recipe makes a nourishing soup, full of fiber- and mineral-rich veggies, that is just perfect on a cold day!

4.9 from 19 votes

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Instant Pot Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup (keto, paleo, Whole30)

If you love creamy spinach-artichoke dip + hearty meatballs, you'll love this easy Instant Pot soup recipe! This dairy-free Instant Pot Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup is paleo, Whole30, and keto-friendly!

CourseMain Dish, Soup

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Author Lindsey Dietz

Ingredients

Cauliflower "Cream":

• 16ouncesfrozen cauliflower
• 1/2cupbone brothor water
• 4tablespoonsnon-fortified nutritional yeast

Meatballs:

• 2poundsground meatI used 1lb beef and 1lb pork
• 4tablespoonsnon-fortified nutritional yeast
• 2teaspoonssalt
• 1teaspoongarlic powder
• 1teaspoononion powder
• 1/2teaspoonblack pepper

Spinach-Artichoke Meatball Soup:

• 2tablespoonscoconut oiltallow, lard, ghee, avocado oil, etc.
• 2cupsdiced onion
• 5clovesgarlicminced
• 14ouncesartichoke heartsdrained and roughly chopped
• 1/2poundfrozen chopped spinach
• 3cupsbone broth
• 1-1/2teaspoonssalt
• 1teaspoonoregano
• 1/2teaspoongarlic powder
• 1/2teaspoononion powder

Instructions

1. First, make the cauliflower "cream". Combine frozen cauliflower and broth or water in the Instant Pot. Press "Manual", adjust the time to 2 minutes, and seal the vent.
2. While the cauliflower cream is cooking, prepare the meatballs.
3. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl or stand mixer. Mix until combined.
4. Using a 1-tablespoon cookie dough scoop, make even-sized meatballs. Set aside.
5. When the IP beeps, manually release the pressure.
6. Carefully transfer the cooked cauliflower and broth to a blender. Add the nutritional yeast. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
7. No need to wash the IP!
8. Press the "Saute" button.
9. Add your fat of choice, diced onions, and minced garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

10. Next, add the artichoke hearts, remaining broth, and seasonings.

11. Stir to combine.
12. Carefully add the prepared meatballs.
13. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot and seal the vent.
14. Press the "Manual" button and adjust the time to 12 minutes.
15. When the IP beeps, manually release pressure.

16. Stir in the frozen spinach and cauliflower "cream".

17. Serve and enjoy!

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Do you think you’ll love this combination of spinach-artichoke dip and meatballs? I really think you will!

Originally published January 2, 2018. Updated May 2, 2018 and December 13, 2018.