The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup — 🥦🧀🤤 Make the best soup of your life at home in 1 hour! It’s creamy, CHEESY, and loaded with tender pieces of broccoli! Beyond words amazing and WAY better than Panera!
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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 lightened it up 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 broth or 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 cheese and broccoli 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, cook, then remove from heat.
- 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, then the half and half. Let simmer over low heat until it has reduced and thickened some.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, spices, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
- Allow soup to simmer 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.
Soup FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
Storage and Reheating
To store: Soup will keep in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. 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.
To reheat: Reheat gently in the microwave for 30-second intervals. I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the microwave rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best.
Recipe Video Tutorial
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 cup broccoli stems, diced into bite-size pieces (optional)**
- 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 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. 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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My husband loved this soup. I also thought it delicious.
Not being a fan of cooked carrots, I shredded the carrot. It added its sweetness without being chunky.You can always add less 1/2 and 1/2 and more stock, if you want it lighter. Still delicious.
I’m not a big fan of cooked carrots either truth be told. Not many people actually are quite so specific like this but I appreciate your honesty because my husband always asked me why I’m not eating more cooked carrots LOL.
Anyway, I’m glad that you loved the soup and your husband too – and you can always reduce the carrots (or continue to shred) since you’re the chef 😉
I will make this soup for Christmas dinner. I have doubled the actual 6 cup recipe. The 4 tablespoons butter does not change … do I double to 8 tablespoons.
When you double a recipe in general you need to double all of the ingredients, you cannot cherry pick what you are going to double or not. So you definitely will need to double the butter to 2 tablespoons in the beginning and then 8 more later (1+4, now becomes 2+8) Enjoy!
absolutely delicious outcome and easy to make. I used homemade chicken stock, but I think the various spices in the recipe added a lot!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m so glad to hear this was absolutely delicious and was easy for you!
Fabulous soup!!!
Thanks for the five star review, Mari, and I’m glad it turned out fabulous for you!
I love broccoli cheddar soup and this recipe is my favorite! Very easy to make and the flavor is just yummy. Thanks Averie for such a great recipe. ❤️
Thanks for the 5-star review, Dana, and I’m so glad to hear that this is your favorite broccoli cheddar soup and that it was easy!
If you are searching for the best Broccoli Cheese Soup, then you don’t need to look any further. This it it!!
Thank you so much, Cheryl, for the 5-star review and for the vote of confidence with my recipe. I love hearing that!
Unbelievably delicious . Made it four times already and I love it so I definitely will continue making it …
Thanks for the 5 star review, Cindy, and it’s great to hear that you’ve already made it 4 times and that you’ll be making it more!
Great depth of flavor! Always loved by all whom I serve it to.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Peggy, and I’m so glad that it’s loved by all whom you’ve served it to!
Excellent recipe, I modify everything.. I used my homemade chicken broth and added white pepper (because I love the taste white pepper gives to sharp cheddar and cream dishes.
Love to hear that you made it your own! 😍
This is my absolute favorite soup to make whenever it’s not scorching hot outside! Kind of time-consuming for all prepping but well worth it! Love the dry mustard in it.
Thats one of my favorite drinks! Thanks for the review!
This was so good, I have shared this recipe with family and friends.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m so glad to hear you’ve shared this with family and friends. How wonderful!
Can you use multiple cheeses in this Broccoli Cheese recipe? Love it anyway you make it, I want to get better at cheese picking.
Yes you can definitely use multiple cheeses. But something that melts well. I would not use mozzarella for example because that’s more of a gooey cheese and isn’t going to stir in all that well to soup. Whereas cheddar or Gouda or some Parmesan will all stir in nicely.
Ms. Averie, I love your recipes. I was wondering if this “Panera Broccoli Cheese” soup can be created in a slow cooker? I am more of a ‘leave it on simmer and let the aroma draw the dogs in to sniff the air’ kind of person.
I’ve had people comment that they’ve done this before. They’ve made it on the stove top as written and then just transfer it into the slow cooker to keep warm and it’s worked out great for them. So enjoy!
I was a little skeptical it would not turn out as I hoped because I didn’t soften any of the veggies but I just trusted the recipe. Turned out SO good! No changes needed and will be keeping this recipe. Thank you!
Thanks for the five star review and for sharing your great photo, Anna! I’m glad that you had faith in me and the recipe and didn’t alter anything and that it came out perfectly as written and that you’ll be keeping the recipe!
We need to save your recipes. Please put a link to Pinterest so we have the recipe for years. They look amazing..
All images in every recipe have a hovering Pinterest icon in the top corner. Either move your mouse or finger there, click, pin. Super easy!
I’ve been making this recipe for a long time now and it’s one of our favorites! I wanted to note last year, I tried freezing it in souper cubes and it was completely fine. I, too, was hesitant that it would not freeze and reheat well due to the cheese and half and half. Now, I always double or triple the recipe, we eat the soup for a few days and freeze the rest for easy dinner on busy nights.
Thanks for the 5 star review, Samantha, and that you froze it with success in Souper Cubes. Great to hear and that you have a freezer stash for busy recipes. Side note on Souper Cubes, owner Michelle is the NICEST person, and a Los Angeles resident and lost everything in the wildfires last year and needed to rebuild. So anyone you can tell about Souper Cubes, do it! :) https://amzn.to/42l9vjq