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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even though it’s a beautiful Spring day I made this soup because I had all the ingredients & I just love soup . Â It did not disappoint…it was delicious! Â Better than Panera & that says a lot because this is the only soup I get there. Â Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you AND that it exceeded Panera’s soup and since you only go there for that, I’m thrilled to hear it!
I tried this out this evening and it was wonderful. It was cold and rainy out today, so it was a great day for it. I’ll definitely be adding this to my recipe collection!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it’s a keeper!
Hi, This was an amazing soup recipe!  My husband made it for our family one night and we all LOVED it!  I want to make a big triple  batch for the girls I work with, and I’m wondering if  you’ve ever tried keeping this soup warm for awhile in a crock-pot?  I’m scared if I make it the night before and then try to keep it warm in the office all morning in the crock, it will separate!  Just wondering if you’ve tried it…thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and everyone loves it!
Okay so I have made this soup many times and there have been times it has separated on me (doesn’t effect taste but it doesn’t look super pretty) and times it hasn’t. The times it has I believe it’s because I let it get too hot, then cool. And that’s when it happens but it’s kind of trick to say since there’s so much science involved with the dairy molecules, etc. I have no idea what to say about this in a crockpot overnight…part of me thinks it could work, part of me thinks, hmmm not so sure. If you try it, LMK! And if it does separate, again, the taste isn’t effected so that’s a silver lining at least :)
Thanks so much for this recipe! This soup turned out amazing. I think the spices really round out the flavor. Definitely better than Panera!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And thanks for saying it’s definitely better than Panera!
Heavenly!!! Thanks for sharing!
This is truly the best broccoli cheese soup I have ever made. I only deviated from the recipe in that I used oven roasted broccoli and carrots because I love the flavor of roasted vegetables. Delicious!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I love roasted veggies so much too! I bet they were great in the soup!
I saw this recipe and was SO hungry for broccoli cheese soup, which I LOVE but canned versions aren’t the same. It’s simmering now and smelling wonderful. I got a little heavy with the broccoli and had to add more stock and some milk.
I love to go heavy with the broccoli! Hope you’re enjoying the soup!
Oh. My. Gosh!! Just tried this today for our snow day in Dallas ….. Sooooo good!! I didn’t have as much broccoli on hand as this called for, but I had frozen chopped do I threw that in – still awesome!! And I used less onion, just a preference. Other than that, I followed it exactly. Hand-grated cheese is so worth it! Thank you!! I will be making this again very soon!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Delicious! Thanks, Averie. Everyone including picky neighbor liked it! Kids now want to ompare mine with Panera version. NO! They missed the whole point. Besides, one at Panera is not vegetarian.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad even the picky neighbor kids liked it…and yeah, they missed the point a little on now you DON’T need to go to Panera but yeah at least they ate their broccoli :) Glad it was a hit!
gorgeous pictures! I’m going to make broccoli cheese soup tonight – minus the fat free half and half which is terrible for you. Regular dairy fat is healthier than fat free version which usually are skim milk with corn syrup and a bunch of other non food additives including coloring. Whole fat Greek yogurt would be a great substitute here.
I really don’t recommend my readers using whole fat Greek yogurt in this recipe. I haven’t tested it and cannot speak to whether it will work or not. Feel free to alter the recipe as you see fit but I can’t personally get behind substitutions that I haven’t trialed and that may or may not work. Just wanted to point that out for those reading this in the future that Greek yogurt isn’t something I’d personally recommend for this recipe. Use the half and half or cream you see fit. Not everyone can calorically afford to drink full-fat cream.
Enjoy the soup and thanks for the compliments on my photos!
I loved this recipe!! (and pretty much all of your recipes that I have made) But what I most appreciate, besides the great taste, is the detail you put into your recipes. I have tried to make a roux before and failed utterly. You are gifted at cooking and communicating. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for saying you appreciate the detail I put into communicating all the little details with cooking. I really appreciate that because it’s my #1 pet peeve when I read recipes and the author just assumes everyone knows what she’s talking about. After blogging 6 years and writing 2 cookbooks, I can usually figure it out, but sometimes not which can lead to guesswork which can lead to fails. So I always try to write everything as clearly as I possibly can, even if my cookbook editors think I’m a bit wordy :)
So glad this soup came out great for you, and now you know how to make a roux!
Just made this tonight and there’s only one way to describe this soup: A M A Z I N G ! ! ! Holly molly this was good!! And I don’t even like broccoli soup. I only made it because my hubby and kids love it at Panera. The only issue I had was the soup ended up too thick, like a thick chili. I had to add a cup of water and it was still super thick. I was afraid to add more water because I did not want to dilute the flavor. After dishing it up, and it barely filling 4 small servings, I now realize I’ll have to add more water next time (if the same thing happens). Thanks for taking the time to share your wonderful recipes
I think your ‘simmer’ must have been at a higher heat than mine and if it was already getting thick, meaning it had reduced quite a bit early on in the simmering process, I would say either simmer less time OR turn the heat way, way down. All stoves and pots are different. Good job on adding water; also adding more veg (or chicken) stock would have worked too and has more flavor than water.
But sounds like it all worked out and that this was amazing for you guys! Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m happy that even a non-broccoli soup lover like yourself loved it!
I made this last night and it was fabulous, thanks so much for your hard work and great recipes!
This looks so delicious! I could demolish a bowl asap!
Soup will be much needed for this cold weather we are experiencing. At least there’s no snow yet!
Okay yum, I just love broccoli and cheese soup and yours looks so creamy and cheesy and droolworthy. Wish I had a bowl for lunch right now!