The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat) — Make the best soup of your life at home in 1 hour! Beyond words amazing and WAY better than Panera!
Table of Contents
- The BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
- Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients
- How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
- What’s the Best Cheese for Broccoli Cheese Soup?
- Can Frozen Broccoli Be Used?
- Tips for the Best Broccoli and Cheese Soup
- Recipe Video Tutorial
- The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat) Recipe
- More Easy Soup Recipes:
The BEST Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
This is the best broccoli cheese soup. Not only that, it’s some of the best soup I’ve ever tasted, period.
If you like Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, this blows the pants off it.
It’s an easy soup to make and is ready in 1 hour. It’s absolutely perfect comfort food and I couldn’t stop eating it. I ate it for lunch and dinner for a couple straight days until it was gone. I loved this soup beyond words.
I kept the soup vegetarian by using low-sodium vegetable stock rather than chicken stock, and made it healthier by using fat-free half-and-half. But you’d think that it was made with heavy cream based on how thick, rich, and truly decadent it tastes.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Ingredients
For this better-than-Panera copycat cheesy broccoli soup recipe, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable stock
- Half and half
- Broccoli florets
- Carrots
- Spices
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
This is a very easy broccoli cheddar soup recipe, but there are a few fast-moving stages. Read the recipe before you start making the soup so you know what’s coming up next.
- In a small saucepan, add a little butter, the diced onion, and sauté until the onion is translucent and barely browned.
- Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
- In a large heavy-bottom pot, add the remaining butter, flour, and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened.
- Slowly add the vegetable stock, whisking constantly.
- Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly.
- Allow mixture to simmer over low heat until it has reduced and thickened some.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
- Add the spices.
- Allow soup to simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- While soup simmers, grate the cheese. After simmering about 20 to 25 minutes, add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnishing bowls.
Tip for Softening the Vegetables
If you prefer very soft broccoli and carrots, you can either steam them before you add them to the pot and/or make sure the broccoli florets are quite small and the carrots are cut into very thin pieces.
I’ve never found pre-steaming necessary because the soup continues to simmer for 20-25 minutes after adding the broccoli and carrots, which is ample time for me personally for them to soften to my liking. However, in case you prefer very soft vegetables, steaming and/or paying closer attention to their size is an option.
What’s the Best Cheese for Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Use a high-quality cheddar cheese that you grate yourself. Don’t use the cheapest cheese you can find because the flavor just isn’t there.
I prefer extra-sharp, although sharp may be used. Pre-grated cheese in ziptop bags is resistant to melting and won’t incorporate well.
Can Frozen Broccoli Be Used?
You could try, but it will be mushy. I hate mushy vegetables so I personally never would use frozen broccoli in this soup being that the broccoli is the star of the show.
Tips for the Best Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Broccoli: I love broccoli and used plenty because I prefer big chunks of broccoli in every bite but you can use less.
I also used some stalks to make use of the entire head and not waste any, but you can use florets only if preferred. Even people who ‘don’t like broccoli’ should love broccoli when it’s bathed in a creamy, cheesy broth.
Spices: There are a few optional spices like smoked paprika, mustard powder, and cayenne pepper. They’re not mandatory if you don’t keep them on hand, but they do add extra depth of flavor, albeit subtle. The cayenne doesn’t make the soup hot in the least, it makes it not taste boring.
Recipe prep: Read the recipe at least twice before beginning because while it’s a simple soup, there are a few fast-moving stages. While one thing is simmering, you need to be chopping for the next stage, while stirring the simmering pot intermittently between chopping.
You’ll be rewarded with the best, creamiest, richest, and most amazing soup.
Recipe Video Tutorial
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The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better-Than-Panera Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon + 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small or medium sweet yellow onion, diced small
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced finely
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, chicken stock may be substituted
- 2 cups half-and-half*
- 2 to 3 cups broccoli florets, diced into bite-size pieces + 1 cups stems, optional (I used 3 cups florets and 1 cup stems
- 2 large carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced into very thin rounds, about 1/16th-inch
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika, optional and to taste
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder, optional and to taste
- pinch cayenne pepper, optional and to taste (doesn’t make soup spicy and serves to enhance flavor)
- 8 ounces grated high quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese, with a small amount reserved for garnishing
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon butter, the diced onion, and sauté over medium heat until the onion is translucent and barely browned, about 4 minutes. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat and set pan aside.
- In a large heavy-bottom pot (I use this Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 6-3/4-Quart Oval French (Dutch) Oven) add 4 tablespoons butter, flour, and cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly, until flour is thickened. You are making a roux and it’s very important the mixture is thick or soup will never thicken properly later.
- Slowly add the vegetable stock, whisking constantly.
- Slowly add the half-and-half, whisking constantly.
- Allow mixture to simmer over low heat for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
- While mixture is simmering, chop the broccoli and carrots. After simmering 15 to 20 minutes, add the broccoli, carrots, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
- Add the salt, pepper, optional paprika, optional dry mustard powder, and optional cayenne. If you don’t have these seasonings on hand, it’s okay, but they do add subtle depth of flavor. Stir to combine.
- Allow soup to simmer over low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it has reduced and thickened some. Whisk intermittently to re-incorporate the ‘skin’ that inevitably forms, this is normal.
- While soup simmers, grate the cheese. It’s important to use a high-quality cheese (not the cheapest thing you can find) because the flavor of the soup depends on it. Do not use pre-grated cheese in ziptop bags because that cheese is resistant to melting and won’t incorporate well. After simmering about 20 to 25 minutes, add most of the cheese, reserving a small amount for garnishing bowls. Stir in the cheese until melted and incorporated fully, less than 1 minute.
- Transfer soup to bowls, garnish with reserved cheese, and serve immediately. Soup will keep airtight for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. Reheat gently in the microwave. I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the micro rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best. I don’t recommend freezing the soup because I feel like the cheese and half-and-half will not do well upon thawing and soup could break, but I haven’t actually tried freezing it.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Averie,
If I used chicken broth would it change the taste a lot? Or will it still taste great?
I’ve used both veg and chicken broth in this and it’s great either way.
Made this soup tonight and I LOVE it! The flavor is awesome and rich, my new favorite recipe. The soup came out very very thick, I’m thinking I used too high a heat, we’ll try lower next time. That’s for sharing this recipe!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Sounds like you simmered it a bit longer than necessary if it very thick. Lower the heat as you said, or use more broth, or more cream, to thin it out as desired next time.
Anxious to try later. Prepared all the veggies, garlic and froze will put the whole recipe together later this fall or winter. It should work according to my calculations.
Hope it works out for you!
Soup was good ..really good but the broth turned out grainy ..not smooth ..wonder what i did wrong
Probably it ‘broke’. That’s when a cream-based soup turns grainy due to overheating it after adding the milk/cream. Next time, easy does it with the heat after you add the milk and you’ll be fine I’m sure.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I’m in love with this soup!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love this soup too!
This is the best broccoli cheddar soup! I made it twice, and even being an unexperienced beginner chef, it came out wonderfully both times, rich and creamy…Delicious! Looking forward to making again sometime soon
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad it’s easy for you to make and you love it!
Our family loves this recipe! It has become a regular part of our rotation. Most times I double it because we all want the leftovers, especially in the fall/winter. Thanks so much!
I’m so glad you love the recipe and that it’s a family favorite and that you double it for leftovers!
Soup was delicious! The only thing is that we doubled the roux and the liquid, just wasn’t enough for a family of 4 to use as a meal for dinner in large soup bowls. Would have been fine if we were having sandwiches too, but not as a full meal. Even after doubling the liquid, we only had one bowl leftover. Will definitely make again, but may replace the flour with something with less carbs than flour.
Glad you loved it and will make it again! Just a word of caution in replacing the flour with something else…not sure how that will work since flour is the gold standard for making a roux, but good luck and LMK how it goes! I say don’t worry about the small amount of carbs in the flour since you’re feeding a family with the batch!
My family loves this recipe. I do 2 things different. First I use instant mashed potatoes instead of flour, and I chop up mini sweet peppers and add with onions.
Sounds great! Glad you love the recipe!
Ended up using evaporated milk in place of the half and half and it still came out nicely. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Great to hear that the evaporated milk worked out well I’m glad you’re liking the recipe!
Just made this EXACTLY the way the recipe said to… and it is super delish!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you exactly as written!
The perfect way to eat broccoli ! I wasn’t a big fan of them at first but now that I have discovered your incredible recipe I keep making this soup. Plus it is easy to prepare and ingredients are pretty common which is not always the case (as I live in France I sometimes struggle to find replacements). Thanks a lot !!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you’re not a fan of broccoli and that the ingredients are all easily available for you!
Loved it, as is. I used SHARP, not EXTRA, but we very much enjoyed this soup. I did leave the onion and garlic when making the roux, and used a stick blender to help break them down (I’m not a fan of onions I can feel in my mouth). The smoked paprika does indeed create a light smokey flavor, but in no way over powering, subtle. I added bacon crumbles that I crisped in a pan to add to cheese topping. My first batch was a double portion, in order feed a group.
On my “cold weather” list.
It was very filling. I might try adding diced potato for fun. Thank you!
Thanks for trying a recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Good job on using the stick blender if you don’t like the texture of onions and glad that this recipe is a keeper for you!
I made this last week and my family loved it! This week they want me to double the recipe so they can have seconds! Do you think I should double everything or should I cut back on something in the doubled recipe?
If you’re doubling, I would double everything in the recipe and not pick and choose what to double or you could end up with a less than stellar result.
If I’m quadrupling the recipe should I get broccoli florets in a bag if so how many? Or broccoli head .How would that work since I need 4 cups of stems n 12 cups of broccoli florets ? Or could you do frozen
I would use FRESH broccoli for sure because frozen will turn mushy during cooking.
I would just use your best judgment with how much to add. I love lots of broccoli and if you don’t, use the smaller end of the estimate. Use florets only, or a mix of florets and stems as you see fit.
Enjoy!
If I only use florets for quadrupling the recipe how many cups should I do ? Should I do the bags of florets or the heads ? Do you like it without stems or just florets
Like I said before, if you love broccoli, I would use 3-4 cups per batch of soup. If you like less broccoli and more ‘broth’ I would use 3 cups.
I don’t waste food and use all of the broccoli. I also don’t buy pre-chopped vegetables because they tend to be far more expensive and less fresh.
Cooking is trial and error. Find what works for you by doing. Enjoy!
How many cups approximately are in a total broccoli head
ARE YOU RETARDED? If you double a recipe you obviously double EVERYTHING.
I’m wondering the estimated carbs in this soup. I want to try it tonight but my husband and I are on the Atkins diet and I don’t want to stray too far.
Not sure but there on online calculators you can plug the recipe data into and get the info.
the picture looks like it has cubed potatoes….does it and they were left out of recipe?
No, no.