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This copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup is a thick, rich, and creamy soup with tender broccoli, shredded carrots, and a hint of nutmeg, all cooked together with melted cheese. It’s so delicious and easy to make!
Soup is the comfort of the soul! If you love soups, then you have got to try this Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup, this delicious Creamy Zuppa Toscana or this classic Creamy Chicken Broccoli Soup.
Copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
With the colder weather moving in, a nice warm soup is just what to look forward to at dinner time. This Panera Bread copycat broccoli cheese soup hits the spot perfectly. And let me tell you, it is the BEST broccoli cheese soup I have had! The only thing that makes it a little better is serving it up in a bread bowl. Or you can serve it up with some delicious dinner rolls instead!
I might be biased, but I truly think that this is better than the Panera Bread broccoli cheese soup that they are so famous for. This one is creamy, packed with delicious veggies, and the best part is… You can make it from home! That means you save time and money. It’s a win-win!
Ingredients in Broccoli Cheese Soup
This soup is so easy and delicious. Try topping your soup with extra cheese, crumbled bacon or ham, and some chives for a full broccoli cheese soup experience.
- Butter: I used unsalted butter in this recipe.
- Onion: You can use a white or yellow onion for this soup.
- Flour: The flour is used along with the butter to create a roux. The roux is what will make your soup thick and creamy.
- Half-and-half: The half-and-half makes your broccoli cheese soup ultra-thick, rich, and creamy. You can also use heavy whipping cream instead.
- Chicken Stock: This adds flavor to the base of the soup.
- Broccoli: I use fresh broccoli for this recipe. If you use frozen, cook it in the microwave first and add it to the soup once the veggies are done sauteing.
- Carrot: I buy shredded carrots to save myself time!
- Nutmeg: This secret ingredient adds so much flavor!
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: This adds color and flavor to this classic soup.
- Salt and Pepper: Just a pinch is enough.
How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
This broccoli cheese soup comes together super easily, and it’s a great meal to make ahead of time and eat for lunch or dinner.
- Make a Roux: Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot, whisk together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
- Whisk: Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add Vegetables: Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium-low for about 25 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
- Add Seasonings and Cheese: Add nutmeg, salt, pepper, and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt, and then serve. For a smoother soup, puree the soup.
Can I Use Different Cheeses
Yes! You can try out all sorts of varieties of cheese in this recipe, depending on your taste preference. Here are a few that I recommend:
- Cheddar Cheese
- Colby Jack Cheese
- Swiss Cheese
- American Cheese
- White Cheddar Cheese
- Velveeta Cheese
- Parmesan Cheese
Variations and Substitutions
This copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup is so delicious, and there are ways to change it up to fit your needs!
- Fresh or Frozen Broccoli: Fresh broccoli is preferred, but frozen broccoli will also work. Frozen tends to cook faster because it is already blanched.
- Change the Broth: If you want to make this recipe vegetarian or don’t have chicken broth, vegetable broth also works well.
- Want some heat? Add in a pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes to the broccoli cheese soup recipe.
- Cream Substitute: You can substitute the half and half for heavy cream or even whole milk. Heavy cream will make the soup a bit thicker, and whole milk will make it a bit thinner.
- Shred Cheese from the Block: Pre-shredded cheese has a coating on it that makes it more difficult to melt. When you shred your cheese directly from the block, it gives the soup a very creamy and smooth consistency with no lumps.
Can I Make Broccoli Cheese Soup in the Slow Cooker?
Yes! Sometimes, this is the best option when you aren’t around to make this right away. The soup can heat up, and it’s ready to serve whenever you need it to be!
- Make a Roux: Make a roux by whisking together the flour and butter.
- Combine: Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker but leave out the cheese, and milk.
- Cook: Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
- Add in Dairy Ingredients: About 20 minutes before the soup is done, add in the milk and cheese to the slow cooker. Cook everything together for about 20 minutes. It’s ready to serve when the cheese is all melted.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover broccoli cheese soup is so delicious (almost better!) the next day. Here is how you can properly store it to last as long as possible.
- In the Refrigerator: Let your soup cool, and then place it in an airtight container and store it in your fridge. It will last 4-5 days.
- In the Freezer: Let the soup cool and pour it into a ziplock bag. Label it with the date and lay the soup flat in the freezer. It will last about one month.
- Reheating: To reheat your broccoli cheese soup, place it in a saucepan over low to medium heat for about 4 to 5 minutes or microwave it in 1 to 2-minute increments. Stirring slowly each time until it is warmed through.
Serve it with Bread
Serve up your delicious broccoli cheese soup with any of these breads. They are perfect for dipping and then you have the most delicious meal for any cold, wintery day!
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Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups half-and-half
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sauté the onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter and set aside. In a large pot whisk together the melted butter and flour over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the half and half and chicken stock. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, and onions. Let them simmer on medium low for about 25 minutes until the broccoli and carrots are tender.
- Add nutmeg, salt, pepper, and sharp cheddar cheese. Let the cheese melt and then serve. For a smoother soup puree the soup.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent! I followed the recipe with one exception, I used one can of evaporated milk in place of part of the half and half to make it a bit healthier. It was delicious and even better on days 2 & 3!
Overall the soup is delicious. I did add chicken bouillon to the chicken stock to give it flavor. I just added until it tasted how I like it. I did leave it chunky with a creamy texture. I also cut the recipe in half.
This was incredible! Very similar to Panera Bread, but in my opinion even better. I shared this recipe with my sister-in-law with my notes regarding: onion flake substitution, buying shredded carrots and block cheese, soup thickness, veggie amount and texture. I’ve copied those notes below as well.
“The only thing I did different was look up how to substitute in onion flakes instead of onion (my onion had gone bad). I skipped the sautéing step and added 1 tbsp of them at the cream/stock simmering step. I may do this again in the future since it eliminates a step and blended in so nicely.
There’s an option to use shredded carrots rather than shredding them yourself. Definitely do this. There’s not much cost difference, the uniformity of them is beautiful in the soup, and you can add what’s left to salads for a nice crunch.
For the cheese I shredded one full 8 oz block, which I always recommend when a recipe calls for shredded cheese if it’s going to be cooked or melted. Pre-shredded cheese has a coating that keeps the pieces from sticking to each other in the bag, but also prevents it from melting as nicely.
I worried as it was cooking that it would be too thin, but the texture turned out perfect.
Ours turned out delicious. Very similar to Panera; maybe even better because the broccoli texture was so perfect. There is a little more soup-to-veggie ratio, which I actually really liked, but if you want it denser, I’d up the veggies by 1.5x (3 cups broccoli florets, 1.5 cups shredded carrot).
Enjoy!”
The nutmeg is crucial to this soup!
This is a great soup recipe but like all good cooks, the addition of a few ingredients can raise the bar on any soup recipe. I doubled the recipe. I always put a leek or two in all of my soups. I also added 3 minced cloves of garlic & 3 types of cheese: Colby jack, sharp cheddar & Velvetta. The Velvetta adds to the creaminess.
Thanks for a great recipe!
This looks delicious. I wish you’d offer a 0.5 multiplier to half the recipe since I live alone and it’s too much. I can do the math myself, it just would be nice to have the option.
What a great idea, I’ll have to see if this is something I can add to the recipe card!
What ingredient causes it to have .3mg of trans fat? Are there any substitutes? The recipe sounds delicious!
The cream in the half and half as well as the butter. You could use olive oil and then low fat or non-fat milk instead!
Would you please share original recipe, my family loved the last version that I just made and now it’s changed
I have made this several times in the past month…We love it! I made it exactly according to the recipe. I’m here now because I’ll be making it again today.
I had some leftover rotisserie chicken and broccoli. I sauteed the onions with the with all the butter then made the rouge with the onions included( because I’m a lazy cook) also used Better than Bullion(chicken) and 2% milk. I’m a vegetarian so I did not eat it but it looked and smelled divine! My son is super picky about soup and he gave it 5 stars! I saved it for the future when I’ll be making the veg version so I can eat it too!
I tried this recipe. It actually made enough for four . It was delicious, but I followed the instructions that say make the roux add half and half and chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the veggies and cook for another 25 minutes.after watching the video, when making this again I wouldn’t simmer the broth for 20 minutes before putting in the veggies. I will be making this again.
This soup is incredible! Thanks for recipe. I’m just wondering what a serving size is? Thanks Alyssa!
It says 8 but in all honesty it’ll barely feed the 4 of us tonight. Making it now and it looks like it serves 4, at most.
Never mind, it’s a lot more than it looked like! Disregard.
I made this for dinner tonight and it is delicious. I will share this recipe with everyone! Yummy good!
Very good. Made it in the crock pot. Used 3 cups broccoli and a mix of yellow and white cheddar. I thought it was even better the next day.
In all fairness to the original post, I don’t eat Panera foods much, and it’s been awhile since I had their Broccoli and Cheese soup. However, broccoli was on sale, so I bought a bunch which is what prompted me to find a recipe that looked good. I followed most of it, but followed the suggestions of another reviewer to add some Better Than Bouillon Chicken instead of salt, as well as more nutmeg and some curry, and to blend it all (immersion blender) before adding the cheese. I also added cooking sherry which, I think, was mentioned by a few other reviewers. After following all that, I found myself reaching for the Worcestershire Sauce, which was what made this dish finally “sing”. Thanks for the inspiration, and to everyone who took the time to share their edits. The recipe is certainly a great one for jumping off into doing your own tweaks …. and thank you for that!
What great ideas!! I can’t wait to try all of these new suggestions!
It was ok.Next time I need to triple the batch. This is only for two people,at most. I’d use heavy cream next time. Too thin.
Awesome recipe and sooo good!!
After making this a few times, I tried making it with cauliflower- and it, too, was absolutely delicious. Next, I may do half broccoli and half cauliflower.
Nonetheless, my husband said it is one of the best soups I’ve ever
Thanks Alyssa