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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.
Thanks for sharing this! Followed the recipe to the T except I did add a little extra broccoli for more nutrition. After adding the cheese it did seem a little too creamy so I just added hot water to my desired creaminess. Thanks again!!
This soup is delicious. I made it exactly as recipe written except left out the nutmeg. I barely got 4 bowls (not particularly large bowls either) out of it. The recipe says it’s 8 servings-I don’t see how it’s even 4 unless you are serving it as an appetizer. I’m going to assume it’s 2 servings of this is your dinner. Thanks
Just made this! So delicious! 🤤👌
I wish I could make a bread bowl to serve it in!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
this soup was sooo good didnt have carrots or half and half used whole milk instead still tasted good Thanks for sharing yummy. This is whats for dinner tonight.
Absolutely fabulous! So delicious !
Thank you for all your fabulous recipes!
You rock🙆🏻♀️
💋
I made this yesterday and I have to say that it is “hands down” the BEST Broccoli Cheese soup that I have ever had!!! I used half Monterey jack and have sharp Cheddar and it was amazing!! The instructions were spot out,I especially like the details regarding temperature during the addition of half and half and the cheese.It was smooth and creamy and a perfect consistency. A new family favorite for sure!
I forgot to click the stars. I loved the complaint on the previous post that there were no leftovers. I am really looking forward to checking out your other recipes as I loved this recipe. The directions were as fantastic as the recipe too.
This was absolutely wonderful. The best broccoli cheese soup I have ever had. I did substitute corn-starch for the flour as I can’t do wheat and I did fat free milk and whipping cream since that is what I had. Yummy!
Used a heaping 2 cups of fresh broccoli. Used 1 1/3 cups Whole Milk and 2/3 cup Whipping Creme. Only complaint, no leftovers. Definitely Double this one, it will be one of your favorites too!
Alyssa, have you published a cookbook??If not, you should. Your recipes are wonderful!!
You are so sweet! Thank you so much Sandra!
Delish. I used more broccoli. Cooked a little bit first, added clove of minced garlic and no nutmeg. I used 1cup low fat milk and 1 cut cream. Didn’t blend just stirred up really good.
So yum! I am 60 and have only julienned carrots once for a chinese dish. Def makes a difference in this soup. Delicious! Thanks!
After reading some of the reviews, I made my own substitutes and it came out incredibly close, if not dead on, to Panera’s. I personally substitute whipping cream / half n half for evaporated milk. Lower in calories. But next time I’d try adding this in towards the end as despite constant stirring, it can bake onto the bottom of the pot.
I doubled the recipe to make enough for lunch for the week. I used about a bag and a half of florets and an entire bag of matchstick carrots. I also added a bit more stock and evap milk than called for cause it looked like not enough.
They key to the spice debate I found is simple though. I just went onto Panera’s site and looked at the ingredients. They do not use nutmeg. I used (for a big batch) one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of mustard powder and a dash of turmeric. Also I used half of the amount of cheese and it came out the same cheesiness and texture.
Followed directions as written. Very easy. Great flavor. Highly recommend.
O M Gee this is good! We’re having it again tonight and enjoying every spoonful. Thanks again for this wonderful recipe.
This was great! I realized after I started cooking this was only 4 servings which isn’t enough for my family, so I added whipping cream ( all I had) and extra broth. I also added bacon bits at the end which was delicious! Will make again for sure!
I literally never comment on anything. However, I feel I need to on this. This recipe has been saved on my Pinterest for several months, waiting for it to be soup season.
The ONLY changes I made were:
1. I chopped up a whole head of broccoli to use because I didn’t feel like 1 cup of broccoli would be enough. I also didn’t want to have part of a head of broccoli left over.
2. I ended up adding some additional sharp cheddar cheese due to the increase of broccoli.
I was skeptical about adding nutmeg, because I’m typically not a fan of the flavor. I don’t even like it in pumpkin pie. However, I figured the recipe is cheap enough to make so if it was nasty, I could dump it and start over without the nutmeg, but I didn’t have to because it was literally perfect!!! It’s the best broccoli cheese soup I’ve ever had. I made a baked potato and poured it over the top.. Will definitely be making this one again and again.