Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Recreate Panera’s gloriously cheesy broccoli cheddar soup in your own kitchen with this quick and easy copycat recipe—perfect for a cozy evening at home.
If you’re a fan of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, you’ll love this homemade version. Though broccoli gets top billing in the name, make no mistake—this soup is all about the cheddar. It’s gloriously cheesy with just the right amount of broccoli and other vegetables for texture and flavor. The soup is easy to prepare, too. With only 15 minutes of cooking time and minimal prep, it’s ideal for a warm and cozy weeknight dinner. You can enjoy it as is, or add homemade croutons or shredded chicken for more heartiness. Pair this broccoli cheddar soup recipe with crusty artisan bread or dinner rolls for a cozy and satisfying meal.
“I made this soup during our snowfall here in Philly and it was extremely comforting and absolutely DELICIOUS!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Butter: Used for sautéing the onions and garlic, creating a flavorful base. It also helps form the roux, which thickens the soup.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics are essential for building the soup’s foundational flavors.
- Shredded Carrots: Added for a pop of color and a hint of natural sweetness. Pre-shredded carrots from the produce department are a great shortcut.
- All-Purpose Flour: The key ingredient for making the roux, which thickens the soup and gives it a creamy texture.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the liquid base of the soup, offering depth and richness to the overall taste. Feel free to substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
- Broccoli Florets: Adds vibrant color, a hearty texture, and healthy nutrients.
- Heavy Cream: Used to thicken the soup further and add a rich and silky consistency.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Gives the soup its characteristic cheesy, tangy flavor.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and shredded carrots (if using) and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown.
Add the flour to the veggie mixture.
Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking constantly.
Add the broccoli florets, salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.
Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until the broccoli is tender. Add the cream and bring back to a simmer, uncovered.
Gradually stir in the 2 cups cheese until completely melted.
Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more cheese, if desired. Perfect comfort food!
Frequently Asked Questions
Broccoli cheddar soup is best enjoyed fresh, but leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, gently warm the soup over low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling the soup, as high heat can cause the dairy to separate.
Unfortunately, broccoli cheddar soup does not freeze well due to all the dairy. Cream and cheese-based soups tend to become grainy when frozen and thawed.
You don’t have to splurge on a fancy cheddar, but do choose a high-quality brand from the refrigerated cheese section of the supermarket. I personally love Cabot or Tillamook. (This also applies if you’re using pre-shredded cheese—a top-notch brand, like Tillamook thick-cut cheddar, is essential.)
Video Tutorial
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Recreate Panera’s gloriously cheesy broccoli cheddar soup in your own kitchen with this quick and easy copycat recipe—perfect for a cozy evening at home.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (1 heaping cup)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup shredded carrots (optional)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ lb broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups (8 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving if desired
Instructions
- In large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and carrots (if using) and cook 1 minute more. Do not brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking constantly. Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and bring back to a simmer, uncovered. Gradually stir in the cheese until completely melted. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with more cheese, if desired.
- Note: This soup is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, gently warm the soup over low heat on the stove, stirring occasionally. Avoid boiling the soup, as high heat can cause the dairy to separate. Freezing is not recommended due to all the dairy.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 461
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Sodium: 768 mg
- Cholesterol: 107 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Absolutely delicious! Quick and easy to make. A great recipe for a cold and snowy day 🙂
Hi Jen,
That sounds delicious and I would like to make it for our next book club meeting. Do you think it would work with vegetable stock instead of chicken stock? Some of us are vegetarians.
Yep 👍
My husband and I worked together to prep this. Put on a 70s playlist, and the soup was ready in no time. -17 deg in Chicagoland. Perfect choice for dinner. My other half can’t stop talking about how good it is!
I love this but I use evaporated milk instead of cream. And I put the shredded cheese in the soup bowls. Then pour hot soup over the cheese.
Just made this! It’s super yummy, and very similar to Panera’s version. Not quite as thick. I used closer to 12oz of broccoli!
Happy New Year Jen. Would this freeze well? It is too rich for the two of us to eat three nights in a row. I easily could, but… 🙂 Thanks.
Hi Chip, Because of all the dairy, the soup doesn’t freeze well – sorry!
Can this be frozen?
Hi Christy, Because of the cream and cheese, this soup does not freeze well. Sorry!
Can this soup be frozen with the cream and cheese?
Hi Sue, Yes it can be frozen before adding the heavy cream and cheese.
Hi – I have some leftover steamed broccoli. I am assuming I can use and just not cook as long? And will 2% milk work in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Carolyn, Yes I would add it for just a few minutes to warm up. 2% milk should work, but the soup won’t be as rich and creamy.
Do you think this would work with Swiss cheese (i .e. Gruyère or Emmental), or would the taste be too different?
Hi Anne, I do think it would work. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it. 🙂
I made the recipe, and used rice instead of flour and added grated emmental in the bowl, on top of the hot soup, then some 1/2-1/2 cream. It worked great, and was delicious. No leftovers to freeze, but without the dairy it would have been ok 🙂