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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Made this using oat flour, oat milk, and aged sharp white cheddar. Family loved it, I loved it. Will make again. Freezes well.
Glad your substitutions worked and you’ll make it again!
Thank you for the comment! I just came to the comments to find out if this soup freezes! I’m making a double batch now!
hey,
I was wondering, would it be possible to replace the broccoli with cauliflower? Mostly because I have a lot of it on hand. Anybody try that?
I have not tried it but I think that would be fine. They are very similar in their texture and how they cook so I think it will be just fine.
https://www.averiecooks.com/2014/04/roasted-cauliflower-with-creamy-parmesan-dip.html This is great too if you have lots!
Just making this soup and did the taste test. Mmmmm, really good. Just a couple of changes, I added some celery to the onion and garlic. Since I didn’t have enough chicken broth, I added 1 cup of beef stock. I liked the addition of the spices. This is really really good soup.
Glad that you loved it and you can’t go wrong with a little celery to start off a soup with the onion and garlic. Glad you think it’s really really good!
My oh my, what a tasty soup! And being a cheese lover I know what I’m talking about :)
My only change: I didn’t bother sautéing onions separately. I sautéd them in the pot and then added flour and smoked paprika, thus making a roux.
Thank you! :)
Glad that all-in-one roux method worked great and that you are loving the soup! I am a cheese lover too, big time :)
Has anyone tried putting this in a crock pot on warm after it is all prepared? I want to triple the recipe for a family get together.
Yes I have recalled people doing that with success.
Should you use a lid?
Not necessary.
We make this at least twice a month. Absolutely love it! I’m horrible at following directions. I know how to but usually choose not to. ☺ It’s great though because then I figure out that it’s even better with about 3 pinches of the cayenne pepper. (We like it a bit spicy!)
LOL that sounds like me when I read/try to follow most recipes…I always put my own spin on them. I love that you add 3 pinches of cayenne too!
Soup is delicious, but I strongly recommend pre-cooking the broccoli and carrots a little bit. Took much longer than25 minutes to cook them, and I had to up the temperature to medium-low.
All stoves have different strengths, the BTU rating it’s called, and for me I definitely don’t need to or want to pre-cook the veggies because they would get mushy but do what’s right for you of course given your preferences and stove.
This was amazing! I made it with 2% and chicken stock. My husband LOVED it as did I! Yummmmm! Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it was a huge hit for you!
Good recipe, easy to follow, absolutely recommend using all the spices. I doubled the recipe and used half 1/2 & 1/2 half whole milk. It was plenty thick and delicious. Doubling the recipe fed four adults and 3 children with plenty left over for the next day. I put more garlic in than the recipe called for and went heavy on the spices. Perfect for a rainy cold day. THANKS
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Just made this and had a bowl. It was fantastic! You can bet I’ll be making it again. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great and that you’ll make it again!
Soup was delicious and easy to make. I used chicken broth and 2%milk it is very good
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad the recipe came out great for you!
I used this as a base recipe for a large batch. I used chicken base instead of stock, half and half to thin the roux, and I sauteed the onion and celery with the butter and chicken base. I made the whole thing as a one pot recipe. I used Velveeta instead of only cheddar and used the cheddar to garnish the bowls. Once the roux was good and thick I added the milk a small amount at a time to keep it good and thick. When I had the whole gallon of milk incorporated I cut the Velveeta into cubes and let it melt in the soup. I added the seasoning to taste and finally put in the broccoli and carrots. After a good 20 minute simmer it was ready to eat. The whole pot made exactly 20, 1 cup servings. I’ll need to double it next time because they loved it. Thanks for the recipe. Better than Panera.
Wow, sounds like it came out great and I admire that you’re cooking in really large batches and everyone seems to love the soup! Better than Panera, I agree :) And there is nothing like Velveeta to stay silky smooth. I know some people aren’t fans, but there are times it performs like no other and it’s great to know it worked well in the soup!
Hello! This is the best soup EVER! I recommend doubling it, I was surprised how LITTLE it made! Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you’re on board with a double batch next time! Thanks for trying my recipe and glad it’s the best soup ever for you!
My daughters and I have tried different recipes and this is by far our favorite. We add a full teaspoon of dry mustard because we like it that way. Sometimes we add a bit of minced ham. Once I added asparagus. This is just a wonderful recipe. We make it all the time.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it’s a family favorite that’s on repeat! I like a little extra dry mustard too and I would love the asparagus twist!
Outstanding Broccoli Cheese Soup. Very easy, great creamy texture and flavor! Winner!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!