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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This was a good recipe!!! I only changed one thing, I added my veggies after the cheese.
Glad that worked out well for you.
So good! Finding a vegetarian version of this soup that is this good is unusual. We used the florets only and did 4 cups of them. Outstanding! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and glad the soup turned out outstanding!
This is my 2ND time making this soup. absolutely the best recipe bar none. It’s truly addictive ! Just where did you learn to cook and come up with recipes like this ? I have passed your recipes on many times, and always look forward to your recipes when they come in……(in fact, I just finished making your raspberry bread yesterday…”TO DIE FOR”)
JULY 25, 2019
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is the best recipe bar none for you!
Glad you love the raspberry bread and my recipes in general. Learned to cook out of necessity; perfected things via trial and error and blogging for 11 years and writing cookbooks. Thanks for your support and glad you’re happy with my recipes!
This is my 2ND time making this soup. absolutely the best recipe bar none. It’s truly addictive ! Just where did you learn to cook and come up with recipes like this ? I have passed your recipes on many times, and always look forward to your recipes when they come in……(in fact, I just finished making your raspberry bread yesterday…”TO DIE FOR”)
JULY 25, 2019
This is the only broccoli cheese soup I make….so yummy. Could you make this in the crockpot?
I never have personally but I know other people who have commented have done so.
Sooo much better than Panera!!!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was so much better than Panera!
Love this recipe! Seriously so much flavor! I find my self changing up recipes, but definitely don’t with this recipe because it’s perfect! 😊
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it’s good enough that you don’t need to mess with the recipe :)
Can I do this in my slow cooker?
I’m sure you could but since I wrote the recipe for the stovetop, that is how I make it.
Delicious! I’ve made broccoli and cheese soup a few times now and these cheese totally makes a difference. High quality cheese will have a richer taste and more flavor. But if you like standard pre-shredded cheddar (we do and used the Harris Teeter brand extra sharp) and it was still fabulous.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was delicious!
This soup is wonderful! I am thinking of substituting pepper jack for a variation, but this recipe is perfect the way it is!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out wonderful!
My daughter just made this for us, I definitely had to have the recipe. So good!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that you loved it!
Great recipe, put the carrots and broccoli. In my food processor, added salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, soup was on so very good. My new to go to recipe for broccoli soup. I’m going to try making asparagus soup using this recipe.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this is your new go to recipe for broccoli cheese soup!
Can heavy cream be used in place of half and half?
Yes but maybe cut it with a little water if it seems overly thick.
Unbelievably delicious!!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this recipe totally hit the spot for you!
Since finding your recipe I have made this over six times this year. It is excellent and I use whole milk only. Making it again tomorrow for my daughter!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this recipe is on repeat for you!
I made this soup and it tasted really good, but the cream ended up curdling? This always seems to happen to me…any tips? Thanks so much for sharing this recipe:)
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this tasted really good!
Curdling means the cream ‘broke’ and you can read on google about why cream breaks but usually it’s too high heat or too much heat for too long. Lower the heat, lower the duration of time it’s exposed to heat, with those two things, the breaking problem should be solved.
I have made this soup twice and it is the best I have ever eaten.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you love it!
Excellent soup, easy to follow instructions. Taking soup to church tonight and during Lent we do not eat meat on Friday. I hope they will like this as much as I do. I used the vegetable stock and I did add some celery. I shredded the carrots. I had already bought pre-shredded cheese (before I saw the recipe) and fortunately it incorporated well. Thank you for a tasty (meatless) soup.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it turned out great and I’m sure everyone will love it!
Please answer ASAP!! What vegetable stock and mother sauce did you use!!!!
Mother sauce? No idea what you’re referring to.
Veg stock – whatever store brand is on sale.
This soup was awesome! My family loved it……made exactly to the recipe……made a second batch without making the roux…..added more cheese and used heavy cream…….did this only because two of the family that were having soup this batch are tested celiac……all the flavour still there, almost as thick….made sure that the mustard was gluten free (Keen’s dry mustard) I suppose that if you want it thicker you could add a bit of cornstarch……….
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it worked for you even without the roux!
If you’re making this for someone who’s unable to have gluten you can still make a roux! I substituted Krusteaz gluten-free flour when making it for a gluten-intolerant friend and it works just like regular flour.