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 soup is the best! Panera broccoli cheese was my favorite soup, and my family just moved across the country where the nearest Panera is 3 hours away. After having this soup I’m not even sad there isn’t one closer, because this is even better. Thank you, thank you for posting it!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! And glad you think this one is better than Panera’s :)
Ok two comments here… First of all THANK YOU to all of you who left comments AFTER you tried the soup! I find it so frustrating when I go to a recipe and look for comments to see what people thought or may have chagned and all I read is “Oh this looks good” “Ooh looks delicious will have to try this for dinner” …. that’s just not helpful to me, or maybe I’m just Hangry right now so being super irritable haha.
Second of all… WOW…. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe and so does my 7 year old! Thank you so much for posting this.
I am a single mom and on an extremly tight budget so haven’t used high end cheese but for us it still tastes amazing, can’t imagine how much better it would be with good quality cheese.
Epic recipe, clear instructoins ( I suck at cooking) tastes incredible!!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Thanks for all the high praise – it’s appreciated!
Amazing! more of a creamy soup rather than cheesy. I could eat this since it was fat-free half and half, didnt bother my lactose issues :) I used chili powder instead of the paprika. gave it a little heat in a good way. Reheated in crock pot day after for work party+done on low, it didnt separate! :) Will DEF make this again. Also added a little more garlic, 3 cups florets+a few more carrots/used large vidalia onions. Had a little issue making rue, had to do twice but otherwise easy. Doesnt make alot though but is filling :)
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! I always add extra broccoli too because I am a broccoli lover! Glad the FF half and half didn’t separate in the crockpot!
Awesome. Served with some chopped bacon garnish and some crusty bread! VG!!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
I am not feeling well and wanted a soup recipe that would make me “feel good”?? I prepped all ahead and it made it all so much easier. It BLOWS AWAY Panera’s, and I’m a old fan of that one now! This was a humongous hit! Thank you for your efforts and sharing this incredible soup❣
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it turned out great for you! And I agree that it blows away Panera’s too :)
Absolutely delicious! I used chicken stock and I minced the carrots, I also did not use low fat anything, I definitely suggest using the paprika, dry mustard and cayenne, it was a huge success, without a doubt one of the best broccoli and cheddar cheese soups I’ve ever had and without a doubt the best one I ever made!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Glad it was one of the best broccoli and cheddar cheese soups you’ve ever had and without a doubt the best you’ve ever made!
I came across this website looking for soup recipes for the cold weekend, and I’m so glad I did! I used what I had on hand, so it perhaps wasn’t quite the same as yours, but it was still delicious. I only had frozen broccoli and the gourmet shredded sharp cheddar cheese, but even with those alterations, it was still delicious. Thanks so much for sharing!
I had the recipe up on my iPad so I could follow the instructions, and it was hard to read even after enlarging the recipe as much as I could. The text came across as difficult to read and had a grey hue. This could just be my iPad, but I’ve not had problems with other websites/ recipes, so I thought I would just let you know about my experiences!
Thanks again!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with the swaps you made. And all ipads and computers are different and from my ipad my site font reads just fine. Enjoy the soup!
It has taken me a while to “enjoy” broccoli, even as an adult. At the store the other day, I decided I wanted to make this soup and stumbled across your recipe. It turned out amazing! I pureed it a little but it was still chunky and delicious – thanks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
I’m making this today and was wondering if you have ever used frozen broccoli? I sent my hubby and he came home with frozen instead of fresh.
I haven’t and don’t recommend it because it’s already mushier than fresh and then by simmering in the soup it’s likely to get even mushier and disintegrate. You really want fresh for this recipe since it’s the star of the show.
I’ve used frozen for a different soup before and it turned out ok. Just don’t cook as long….
This sounds absolutely amazing, I will try it! However, my daughter is allergic to dairy. Would this work with Almond Milk or another substitute?
I’ve made https://www.averiecooks.com/2015/12/loaded-cheesy-bacon-corn-potato-chowder.html and https://www.averiecooks.com/2015/12/loaded-cheesy-bacon-corn-potato-chowder.html both with Silk Cashewmilk. I haven’t tried it with the broccoli cheese soup so can’t say for sure. But then there’s the issue of the cheese which also is dairy unless you’re using a non-dairy cheese that you know for sure melts well.
There is a potato based powdered milk on amazon that I hear is a great milk substitute. I bet it would me an easy to merge flavor with this soup.
Loved, loved, loved this soup! I agree…..better than Panera’s.
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you! Glad you agree it’s better than Panera’s!
Nailed it! This soups rocks!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
First of all, I am obsessed with your recipes so I already know this is delicious without trying it. Do you think I could try this in the crockpot… I want to make it for a potluck. I am thinking if I cook on low for 4 hours it should be good? Thoughts?
I haven’t tried it in a crockpot so can’t say for sure how it will go. Because of the cheese and the milk/cream, that’s the biggest wild card. You just don’t want it to get too hot that the cheese/dairy separates. You could always just make it on the stovetop and then transfer it into a crockpot and put on the ‘warm’ setting just to keep it warm. That’s probably what I’d do.
Made this tonight with all of the optional seasonings except the cayenne pepper. First time ever making soup, and it turned out great! Delicious with bread too!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and that it was your first time making soup, no less! Awesome!
Just finished making and eating this soup. This is a great recipe. It has tons of flavor. My husband loved it, too!
Thanks for trying the recipe and glad it came out great for you!
Fantastic recipe. My personal favorite soup and this ones incredible. The little addition of the spices really did add a nice depth to it that I didn’t expect. Thanks for the recipe, this is going to be a new regular thing around this household.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Glad you like the spices and that this is going to be a new regular for you!