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.
Recipe Video Tutorial
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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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Best broccoli cheese soup recipe I’ve ever made- my kids loved it. My only change was adding a few pieces of chopped bacon I had leftover from breakfast. Next time I will double it so we have leftovers!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear it’s the best broccoli cheese soup you’ve ever made! Glad to hear you’ll double it next time!
This soup was amazing! I needed to make it gluten free, so I tried all purpose gluten free flour, but it didn’t thicken. I added a tablespoon of corn starch, problem solved.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear that a bit of corn starch helped your soup to thicken since you were using GF flour. Other people often write in with this question so I am glad you shared your results!
Wow! Delicious, easy to make, filling soup. My 3 boys (42, 7, and 4) loved this. When I make this again I will probably double the recipe; not a drop was left over. I also used chopped crispy bacon as a topping, yum!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad all your boys loved this! Glad you’ll make it again and double it!
If you substituted flour (not Keto) for something else, please let me know.
I have a bowl now of this incredible, wonderful soup. I didn’t have half&half but used cocanut milk instead.
It tastes wonderful. Next time I will be prepared. I did use all other ingredients.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that it tastes incredible even with the coconut milk and that you’ll make it again!
This soup was absolutely delicious!
Didn’t and wouldn’t change a thing!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad to hear that you wouldn’t change a thing!
The absolute best soup! Easy recipe and delicious! I love that it uses fresh veggies and good cheese.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this turned out amazing for you and you think it’s the best!
This soup was excellent. I did substitute 2 TBS cornstarch for the 1/4 cup of flour, mixing it up with melted butter then I added it to the pan and went on as written. I also added some rotisserie chicken I had left over. Your recipe was easy to follow and I also appreciated the tip to read it through before I started (something I should just always do :D
Thanks. I’ll be making this often!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad you will be making this often! Glad you appreciated the tip too :) And good to know that 2 tbsp of cornstarch worked just fine for the roux.
About how much soup does this recipe produce?
Serves approx 4 people, depending on appetites and portion sizes of course.
I made this last night for dinner. My daughter-in-law said, “I am obsessed with Panera Bread’s Cheddar Broccoli Soup; but this is better than Panera Bread’s.” Clearly this soup was a smashing success. I doubled the recipe and it came out perfectly. I will definitely make this again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I glad that this truly lived up to it’s Better Than Panera name! Glad you will defi make it again!
Excellent so good I am making it again. I will have to double the recipe this time
Thanks for the 5 star review and I glad you’ll make it again and double it!
We have always loved Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheese Soup. With cool weather’s arrival, I decided to make soup for our dinner and came across your recipe. This soup is really complex and flavorful, and was so easy to make. It is perfect. The tip about using La Creuset was excellent and just what this soup needed to simmer into rich, flavorful comfort food. Beautiful, simple food.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I glad you loved the soup and also that my tip came in handy!
I am NO pro in the kitchen what so ever!… but I chopped everything ahead of time, measured out my spices (Have and used all optional ones) and put everything in different bowls…then got started. I made this recipe and it was insanely delicious! The only comment I want to add for anyone who is “new” in the kitchen- pay close attention to things like “heavy bottom pot.” I started with a big cheap soup pot for roux… it just browned… dumped it out and grabbed a “heavy bottom” pot- then smooth sailing for thick creamy yummy soup!
I just finished making 2 batches of this soup to serve to my kids’ teachers at school tomorrow. IT’S DEFINITELY THE BEST I’VE HAD! Thank you so much! Worth the time to give this from the heart. Question: I need to reheat it tomorrow for the luncheon. Can I refrigerate tonight and then slowly reheat in a big pot on the stove tomorrow? Would be hard to microwave that many batches. Was planning to get it warm at home and then put in a crockpot to keep warm during serving.
Glad it’s the best you’ve had and I think it will be fine reheating slowly in a big pot on the stove; just be careful to keep the heat low and slow and not too high so that cream doesn’t ‘break’.
My elderly mom asked if I would think about making some broccoli cheddar soup for lunch on this crisp, fall day. I’ve made broccoli cheddar soup many times, using various recipes, but found yours this morning. None of them can beat this one — hands down, it’s the best one I’ve ever made, and will be my go-to from now on. Mom said it’s the best she’s ever tasted. A BIG HIT! Many, many thanks!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that my soup beats all the other recipes you’ve tried, hands down! Glad it will be your go to from now on!
This was the best broccoli/cheese soup ever!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was the best broccoli cheese soup ever for you!