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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Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! I was a bit skeptical about adding the dry mustard powder and paprika, but I’m glad I followed your advice. Hands down the best broccoli cheese soup I’ve ever had
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! And that it’s hands down the best broccoli cheese soup you’ve ever had!
I made this soup a couple of weeks ago, added the optional seasonings and we loved it. I did freeze two containers. Today I removed one from the freezer and allowed to thaw on counter. Gently reheated on the stove top and it was fabulous. The cheese and cream did not break. I believe you will be very pleased with the results if you try freezing.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! And thanks for sharing about freezing and that it didn’t break. Great news!
I followed this rcioe exactly. I wasn’t that good. Just ok. No way better than Panera. Maybe it will taste better if I use whole cream, and chicken stock. Just not impressed, probably won’t make again.
You can always try with adding tons more fat and salt, i.e. heavy cream, full-sodium chicken stock, add salt, etc. and see if you like that homemade version better. I prefer this one. We all have different tastes. Thanks for trying the recipe!
How is this a plant based recipe, you are using milk and cheese.
I made this last night and I used a big block of Cracker Barrel extra sharp cheese that I grated myself and almost instantly after I added it I could’ve kicked myself. The cheese did not melt like yours did but instead was that consistency of trying to melt cheese into not warm enough milk and instead of creamy ooey gooey was almost grainy/clumpy and not dissolved and creamy. I’m so mad at myself because I had tasted it while cooking and it was delish! I wish I knew what went wrong :( it was otherwise perfect!
I don’t know why your cheese didn’t melt other than maybe the soup wasn’t quite hot enough to melt the cheese and increasing the temperature could have helped it incorporate better?
And I’ve actually made this soup with Cracker Barrel extra sharp so I can’t say it was the brand of cheese. I’ve also made it with other brands from Trader Joe’s to some of the Kerrygold cheddars and have never experienced any issues nor have I had anyone write in with this issue (and this is one of the most highly commented-on recipes I have). Thanks for trying the recipe and I am thinking that it was simply a temperature issue.
I made this tonight for my family and OH MY! It was so, so good! Your directions were so clear and it came out beautifully! I also used plenty of broccoli and the stocks because I’m a huge fan, and as a total cheese-lover, I added an extra handful (or two) of cheese. Definitely good advice that the cheese has to be high quality and EXTRA sharp is a must. Not just for cheese-philes ? Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Thanks for the compliments on my clear directions (I try) and I’m a major cheese lover too :) Love that you added extra!
Can this be made one day ahead then reheated in a pot?
Yes but I recommend using full-fat versions of everything then because sometimes non-fat or low-fat dairy can separate upon reheating.
Hi, just wondering if it would be ok to double this soup recipe? I need to feed 6-7adults and 2 children.
I’ve never doubled it but I believe in the comments that others have with success. I’m sure it will be fine, but haven’t actually personally tried doubling it.
I just made it tonight and doubled it, it turned out just fine! I added cooked leftover chicken to mine….relish!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! With chicken and doubling it!
We just made this soup last night and it’s amazing! We added some smoked cheddar cheese because we had some on hand and it was so delicious! Best soup I’ve ever had – and I east a lot of soup! Thanks so much for this!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that it’s the best soup you’ve ever had!
I couldn’t stop eating it. The only optional ingredient I had was the cayenne, and I didn’t feel like shelling out 8 bucks for two spices I probably won’t use much. So, trusting my palate, I added about 10 oz. of decent lager. If I had had some Guinness, I would have used that, but I just had a lager on hand. That really added some great flavor notes to this soup. If anyone is wondering, I added it in during the initial reduction phase. I also doubled the garlic. Next time, I’ll be using 4 cloves. Fantastic recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! The lager sounds like a great addition! There are lots of recipes out there for beer and cheese soup and you just kind of combined them all into one! Sounds great!
I made this tonight after a rough week and my husband and I just melted. Food for the soul, indeed! And truly better than Panera.
PS I cooked the onion and garlic in the Le Creuset pot, then added the butter and flour right on top and stirred and it worked fine, even if by accident – haha.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And glad your method worked just fine! I find my huge Le Creuset pot that I make soup in is pretty forgiving about things like that, too :)
This was so amazing! I just finished eating my second bowl and am thrilled at how good this soup was! Even my meat loving husband loved this soup. That’s high praise from someone who doesn’t think a meal is complete without meat.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that a meat-lover also love this non-meaty soup!
Arvi hemos hecho tu receta, es magnífica, muy bien elaborada y proporcionada : La recomendamos.
Desde el Puerto de Santa María Sur de España. Un saludo y te seguimos.
This recipe looked delish, so I tried it. I’ve been going down the lines of brocoli and cheddar soup recipes to find one that tastes like Panera or better (I’m completely addicted to their soup but their so pricey and it’s the only cheddar broccoli soup my 17 month son will eat with me) this one, like all the others did not impress me, I’m not sure what it needs but it needs something more. My son tried it and then pushed it away, thank for the recipe though!
You’re one of the very, very few people who’ve commented that they didn’t care for the soup. It’s one of my more popular recipes and nearly every day I get a comment from someone saying they loved it. But we all have different tastes. Thanks for trying the recipe.
I liked this recipe a lot. One thing I want to trow out there for people to think about: Fat free dairy products are not more healthy than their full fat counterparts. Fat free half in half is basically water and corn syrup. Sugar will turn into fat in the body before a little regular dairy fat will. Your body actually needs healthy fats even if you’re trying to lose weight. I actually believe that the ‘non-fat’ diet crazes of the 90’s are one of the factors causing rampant obesity because of the extreme added sugar element. And when you think about it. This soup doesn’t need sugar but a little real cream is actually healthy and delicious!!
Like another commenter said, I never post comments online…but this soup was fantastic!! 3 of us in our little family, and this was enough to feed us all, with room for seconds. It was so rich and creamy! I used 1 C half & half, 1 C Fat free milk. It was so thick and creamy that my son actually asked if I could thin it a bit NEXT time. He’s picky so asking me to make it again is definitely high praise. Thanks for a great recipe!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! And that’s awesome that your picky son requested it again (and even to thin it…ha!) :)