This copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe is full of vegetables in a delicious, cheesy cream soup base. It will satisfy everyone at your dinner table.
If you love creamy, comforting soups, then you should try this Clam Chowder Soup and Baked Potato Soup.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Making soup is one of my favorite ways to provide comfort foods to my family. This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is so flavorful and easy, you’ll want to make it again and again.
- TASTE: Richly flavored, this soup has plenty of onion and carrot, along with tangy cheese, melted butter, and fresh broccoli.
- TEXTURE: It’s creamy and thick with chunks of vegetables and lots of gooey, melted cheese. The broccoli is so tender.
- TIME: This Broccoli Cheddar Soup takes 55 minutes to make.
- EASE: With a handful of basic ingredients, you can put together a comforting soup the whole family will love. This recipe is so simple.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Broccoli- Frozen, thawed, and drained. Use only florets as the stems are too tough.
- Cheese- We’ll be using Swiss, medium and sharp cheddar. These are very good melting cheeses that offer different levels of tanginess.
- Flour + Butter- These are your roux ingredients. This mixture forms the thick base of your Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
- Chicken Broth– This will make up the broth for the soup. You can also use chicken stock.
- Veggies- We’ll be using Garlic, Onion, and Carrots for added flavor and texture.
- Heavy Whipping Cream– This ingredient will make the broth deliciously creamy.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add other vegetables- Add cauliflower, zucchini, asparagus, spinach, or celery to this soup for extra texture.
- Make it allergen-friendly- By using gluten-free flour and plant-based cream and butter, you can make this soup for those avoiding gluten and dairy.
- Add protein- Toss in some chopped chicken, pork, meatballs, or sausage for a comforting and filling meal.
- Substitute another cheese- You can also make this soup with another cheese, such as fontina or Gruyere. These are great melting cheeses that will impart lots of flavor.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Saute the vegetables. In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Sauté the chopped onions, garlic, and carrot until the onion becomes translucent.
- Brown the flour. Add the flour and stir just to brown it (about 2 minutes). Then slowly add in the chicken broth while continuously mixing.
- Simmer. Let the broth simmer for about 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add in the broccoli florets.
- Add heavy cream. Add the cream and let the soup come to a simmer. Then remove the pot from the heat.
- Add the shredded cheeses. Now add in the cheese and salt, and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Serve warm.
Pro Tip: Blend part of the soup with an immersion blender for a creamier soup. Just be careful not to puree too much or you will lose all the delicious chunks of broccoli.
Recipe Tips
- Shred your own cheese- Doing this guarantees a creamy consistency. Pre-shredded cheese has starch that makes it chunk up, and it’s more likely to curdle.
- Blanch fresh broccoli- If you use fresh broccoli, make sure to blanch it in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute before adding it to the soup.
- Brown the flour- Browning the flour will take away the taste of raw flour in your roux. This only takes a couple of minutes and is worth it for the flavor of your soup.
- Stir often- To create a creamy, smooth consistency, you’ll need to stir as you add the broth so the flour doesn’t become chunky. Stir throughout to keep the roux from burning as well.
FAQs
The best cheeses to use in soup are those that are high in moisture and have a lower melting point, like medium and sharp cheddar. Using block cheese that you shred yourself will also give your soup a creamy texture.
Your Broccoli Cheddar Soup may be gritty or curdled because the temperature was too high. When this happens, the proteins in the cheese tighten up and squeeze the fat out, leaving the soup grainy.
Serving Suggestions
This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is perfect on its own, with some bread, or served at the start of a meal. Here are a few tasty ways to enjoy this dish.
- Breads: Serve a bowl of this soup with some Focaccia Bread, Sourdough Bread, Brioche Buns (VIDEO), or Cornbread Muffins.
- Meats: Make it your appetizer before Juicy Air Fryer Pork Chops (VIDEO), Cast Iron Ribeye Steak, or Grilled Chicken Kabobs.
- Salad: Make a soup and salad combo with this recipe and a Cucumber Radish Salad, Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad, or Broccoli Cranberry Salad.
- Sides: Pair your Broccoli Cheddar Soup with some Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes, or Eggplant Appetizers (Roll-ups).
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can make this soup a few days ahead and then store it in the fridge. Warm it up on the stove, adding some more cream if it’s separated.
Storing: Store this Broccoli Cheddar Soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Freeze: You can freeze leftovers, but it will thaw gritty and grainy. You can heat it on the stove with additional cream, stirring constantly until it’s creamy again.
More Comforting Soups!
This recipe was originally posted “March 9, 2015, we’ve tweaked it a bit since then. This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Full Recipe Instructions
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 Onion chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 2 carrots diced, about 1 1/2 cup
- 8 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 16 oz frozen broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar shredded
- 2 cups medium cheddar shredded
- 1 cup Swiss cheese shredded
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add in the chopped onions, garlic, and carrot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the flour and stir just to brown it (about 2 minutes). Browning the flour will take away the taste of raw flour. Once the flour has been stirred for a few minutes, slowly add the chicken broth, while mixing.
- Let the broth simmer for about 15 minutes on medium heat (make sure to stir the soup occasionally). Add in the frozen broccoli florets and heavy cream and let the soup come to a simmer. Tip: Try blending part of the soup with an emersion blender for creamer soup. Just be careful not to puree too much or you will lose all the delicious chunks of broccoli.
- Remove the pot from heat and add in the shredded sharp cheddar, medium cheddar, and Swiss cheese. Add salt and stir until the cheese is completely melted. Serve warm with croutons or french bread.
Notes
- Shred your own cheese- Doing this guarantees a creamy consistency. Pre-shredded cheese has starch that makes it chunk up, and it’s more likely to curdle.
- Blanch fresh broccoli- If you use fresh broccoli, make sure to blanch it in a pot of boiling water for 1 minute before adding it to the soup.
- Brown the flour- Browning the flour will take away the taste of raw flour in your roux. This only takes a couple of minutes and is worth it for the flavor of your soup.
- Stir often- To create a creamy, smooth consistency, you’ll need to stir as you add the broth so the flour doesn’t become chunky. Stir throughout to keep the roux from burning as well.
Nutrition
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Melissa Siebert says
Hi! I was just wondering if you think chicken could be added to this recipe?? Thanks!!
Dina says
Hi Melissa 🙂 I haven’t tried adding chicken to this broccoli cheddar soup so I can’t say how it would taste. Technically, yes you can add that to this recipe. It really comes down to personal preference. I hope that helps and I hope you love this recipe! 🙂
Sherry says
Just made this for the first time. Always thought I didn’t like Broccoli-Cheddar Soup but if it all taste like this I love it! Thank you for sharing. I will make it again soon!
Sherry
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for your kind feedback, Sherry! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this broccoli cheddar soup recipe 🙂
Mariam says
I have tried a number of different broccoli cheddar soups and this by far is my favorite. Love how simple it is to make and I have made it so many times that I now know it by heart! Thank Dina!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you so much, Mariam!I’m so happy to hear that you enjoy this broccoli cheddar soup recipe so much! 🙂
Hannah says
Can you freeze this soup?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Hanna, I’m not too sure. I’ve never tried freezing this soup.
SB says
How do I make sure the soup doesn’t have a GRITTY consistency
simplyhomecooked says
To ensure your soup doesn’t have a gritty consistency, avoid pre-shredded cheese. Shredding your own cheese will give you a smooth consistency. Also, make sure to add the shredded cheese after you remove the pot from the stove.
Olya says
Dina,
I always felt intimidated when it came to this soup, but I saw how simple your recipe was and just HAD to try it! I must say it turned out Delish! Thank you!
(I can’t wait for my hubby to try it)!!!
admin says
Thank you so much for your feedback 🙂 I’m so glad you liked it 🙂