The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup — 🥦🧀🤤 Make the best soup of your life at home in 1 hour! It’s creamy, CHEESY, and loaded with tender pieces of broccoli! Beyond words amazing and WAY better than Panera!
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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 lightened it up 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 broth or 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 cheese and broccoli 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, cook, then remove from heat.
- 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, then the half and half. Let simmer over low heat until it has reduced and thickened some.
- Add the broccoli, carrots, spices, and the onion and garlic you previously set aside.
- Allow soup to simmer 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.
Soup FAQs
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.
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.
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.
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.
Storage and Reheating
To store: Soup will keep in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days in the fridge. 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.
To reheat: Reheat gently in the microwave for 30-second intervals. I find the soup is less likely to ‘break’ or separate when reheated in the microwave rather than on the stovetop, but do what you think is best.
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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 cup broccoli stems, diced into bite-size pieces (optional)**
- 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 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. 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I have been on a hunt for a great broccoli and cheese soup recipe. I think I have found it and can’t wait to try it!!
Do you think there is a way to adapt it to make in a Insant Pot?
There probably is but I haven’t experimented with it I can’t say. This soup is ready so quickly though there’s not even that much need for the IP.
SO GOOD. I’ve never had a broccoli cheese like this before. So much depth, you will NOT be disappointed!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you love it!
In this situation it’s a weight if you are referring to the cheese. Buy an 8 oz block of cheese for simplicity.
This is pretty great, especially when it’s cold and rainy outside. I loved the creaminess of the soup base! The only negative for me was that even after 30 minutes of simmering, the broccoli and carrots were still pretty tough (I like them to be fall-apart-soft) so I’d steam these a bit before adding them to the soup. This definitely captures the Panera flavor. I’m looking forward to guzzling down my leftovers!
Glad you enjoyed the soup! Everyone is different with regard to the broccoli and for me, I am on the opposite site of the spectrum as you – I like it with some texture and dislike the falling apart soft – but that’s easy to account for with simmering times based on personal preferences or with presteaming as you said.
Wow! Best broccoli cheese soup I’ve ever made.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it’s the best brother cheese soup you’ve ever made!
Hi! I would love to link your soup in one of my posts and adding one of your pictures. I’m organizing a cooking challenge and your recipe would be one of the suggested dishes to try for my subscribers. I hope you like the idea! The soup looks so tasty! I’m definitely trying it myself. :)
As long as you are linking to the recipe and not re-printing it or republishing it in a different format on a different website and newsletter, that is fine. Thank you for asking first.
YYUM!!
I’m glad it turned out yummy for you!
I absolutely love this recipe and have made it several times. My husband says it is so much better than Panera’s. My family loves cauliflower so I double the recipe and put cauliflower in it too!!! I steam both the cauliflower and broccoli and process the stems which make the soup very thick. I have tried several recipes and this one is without a doubt the best!!!!! I always end up doubling it because they want more.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you love the recipe! I love your twists that you put on the recipe with the cauliflower and processing it. I’m glad that you think this recipe is the best!
When blending the cauliflower & broccoli into the soup, do you still make the roux? Or would the soup be thick enough without it?
Excellent!
I changed a couple of things on a whim. I used armor root instead of flour in my roux, and heavy cream not half and half. Was VERY thick. Ended up thinning with more broth. Good enough that my wife ate her veggies!
Thanks.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your wife ate her veggies!
Doubled the recipe and it served 6 people nicely. :) And just a question(since I have never tried broccoli cheese soup) – is the broccoli supposed to be soft? Or is it supposed to have a bit of a crunch in it?
I prefer mine to have the tiniest bit of crunch. I don’t like it mushy. I think that comes down to personal preference. Normally in restaurants it’s pretty mushy because they make huge batches at once and it just sits there and the longer it sits the softer it gets.
Excellent Recipe! I doubled it and used 2 cups of regular half & half, 2 cups of 2% milk, and a dollop of cream cheese. I did use bagged sharp cheddar (having somehow missed your recommendation to use fresh grated), but it worked out :)! Next time I will grate my cheese to see the difference. It was by far the best broccoli cheddar soup I’ve ever had! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad this was the best broccoli cheese soup you’ve ever had!
Really good! I didn’t have dry mustard, threw in a double pinch of cumin. Did use bagged shredded cheese and about 12 ounces of it — worked terrific. Can’t wait for my broccoli-cheese loving daughter to try it!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that everything worked out terrifically for you!
OMG. Prepared for my wife’s bridge club! Fantastic and simple to make. Doubled the recipe and only made 10 servings!! Hungry ladies. Will make over and over. Precooked broccoli and will precook carrots next time. Thanks for the super recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you’ll make it over and over!
This looks amazing! Do you think I would be able to make this the night before and warm up in the crockpot the next day? Thanks!
I have never tried it that way so cannot say for sure but you will probably be okay.
I hate broccoli, but my husband likes broccoli cheese soup, so I hesitantly decided to try this last winter. It is absolutely delicious! I cut the broccoli into very small chunks and dice the carrots. Yummy!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you think it’s delicious despite not being a broccoli fan!