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!
Table of Contents
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
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
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.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Creamy Soup Recipes:
30-Minute Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup — Why have regular chicken noodle soup when you can have CREAMY instead? Pure comfort food at its finest! Ready in 30 minutes, an instant family favorite, and PERFECT for chilly weather!!
Beer Cheese Soup — The BEST recipe for decadent beer cheese soup that’s loaded with flavor, including two different types of cheeses! A comfort food family favorite soup that’s perfect for chilly weather.
Jalapeno Popper Soup — If you like jalapeno poppers, you’re going to LOVE this EASY soup that’s ready in 30 minutes! Hearty, comforting, loaded with bacon, potatoes, and jalapeno in a creamy, cheesy, rich broth!
Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Biscuits — All the comfort food feels of pot pie, but in soup form! Rich, hearty, creamy and ready in just 30 minutes!
Loaded Baked Potato Soup — In this loaded baked potato soup, potatoes are baked until tender before being simmered with garlic, milk, cheese, sour cream, bacon, and green onions.
Loaded Cheesy Chicken Chowder — Potatoes, chicken, carrots, corn and more!! Thick, creamy, rich, and wonderfully cheesy!! Fast and easy comfort food that everyone loves!!
Can you reheat the next day in a crockpot?
Probably although I haven’t personally tried it so cannot say for sure.
So yummy! Just wanted to let everyone know they can save the dishes on the first step because you can 100% without messing up the recipe, make the roux with the onions and garlic already in the pan! :)
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that making the roux in the same pan worked out great for you!
This was hands down the best soup ever!!! My kids didn’t think they would like it because it had carrots in it. Well, it ended up, they ate all of it! I was only left with what they couldn’t scoop out of the bottom! I will definitely make a double batch next time!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was hands down the best soup ever!! Glad you’ll make a double batch next time!
This was my first time to make this type of soup and I must say it was excellent. Very tasty. Will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad it was excellent and you’ll definitely make it again!
If you have 4 or more double the recipe save the time or you will not get any. Teenagers will eat you out of a home, lol. It really was that good.
Thanks for the 5 star review and LOL! Glad that even the teenagers are loving this soup!
The same happened at my house. They ate it all before I got any!!! LOL
I hate that I found this recipe this soup is taking over. Made it once for my girlfriend and kid and now they wont stop asking for it. My two year old wakes me up in the morning saying “soup soup soup” over and over again. At least once a week my girlfriend says she wants it for dinner. I’m pretty sure the creator of this recipe is some kind of culinary sorceress.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad this is a big hit around your house (although maybe you’re not LOL)! Thanks for the sorceress compliments, I appreciate that!!
So good! My three year daughter usually doesn’t eat broccoli but made this and she ate it all! I did use a hand blender and blended half so it was a bit of smooth and chunky. Will make again for sure!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am that your 3 year old loved her broccoli this way!
Definitely best soup ever!!! This is now my fifth or sixth time making this recipe and it is an absolute crowd pleaser! I have to double the recipe to feed all my kiddos though and it still comes out perfectly! I do add a cup of heavy cream to mine though, but even without…. it’s still super creamy!!! Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear this is the best soup ever for you! Glad to hear you double it and make it often. Can’t go wrong with heavy cream!
Excellent. Two thumbs up from hubby and 3 kids under 7!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad that the entire family, including the young kiddos, gave this two thumbs up!
I used finely shredded bag sharp cheddar and it melted in just fine. To save more time, frozen chopped broccoli works well also. I’ve made it three times. Each time I added to it. The second time I tried diced ham which was amazing. Then I added potatoes to make it more hardy and able to feed a family of 6 a little easier. Any way you make it, its a very good recipe.
Glad you’ve been able to make it a few times and experiment with the recipe with what works best for your family.
Very good. I didn’t have enough cheese to grate so I did have to add some bagged shredded cheese.. Still turned out very good.
Was supposed to be 5 stars! Don’t know how to fix it.
Great recipe! I’ve gotten so many compliments! I added two pieces of bacon (cut into small pieces) to the onions during the saute process and it made the soup even more delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you get lots of compliments on it!
Excellent recipe! If I want to double it would I do it directly or reduce some ingredients? I made it as written and loved it! Wow!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was excellent! I would just double everything if you want to double it.
Made this tonight for my family and parents. We all loved it!! Didn’t have any of the dry mustard on hand so had to leave it out, but turned out perfectly! This will be my go to recipe for broccoli cheddar soup!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you all loved it and that it’ll be your go to broccoli cheese soup!
Is legitimately the best recipe for broccoli and cheese soup I’ve found. WELL DONE.
I used my immersion blender to thin out the texture for my little ones. OMG it’s amazing. Thanks so much for sharing.
Glad to hear this is the best broccoli cheese soup recipe you’ve tried! Thank you!
Love this soup especially in cold weather like now, so I plan on making this soon but would it still work well if I use heavy cream?
Yes it will probably taste great if you use some heavy cream. But I would use a mixture of heavy cream with half and half and/or whole milk though so it doesn’t get too thick.
Would this sit well in a crockpot for a few hours after it is made?
Probably for a few hours although I haven’t personally tried it.