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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This soup is AMAZING!!!! Definitely better than Panera’s! This recipe converted my husband into a soup lover! I have made this maybe 10 times now, and I will say I have used both freshly grated Cabot cheese and Tilamook or Sargento pre-grated cheddar, and I don’t find those brands of pre-grated cheese make any real noticeable difference. I think the biggest key is, as you said, a high quality cheese. And I always use regular half and half, so maybe the extra fat helps it melt a bit smoother?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that you agree that it’s better than Panera’s! Glad it also converted your husband into a soup lover and that you’ve made it 10 times or so! Awesome!
Extra fat always makes everything taste smoother, creamier, and when it comes to cheeses, yes fattier cheese tends to melt smoother. You can’t go wrong with regular half and half, it’s guaranteed to give a super smooth taste!
Made this for my husband and I tonight and it was wonderful! Thanks for the great recipe
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that it turned out wonderfully for you and your husband!
It sounds delicious 😋 but can you use frozen broccoli? I have RA and have difficulty chopping vegetables. Thank you
I haven’t personally but I have had people write to say they have used frozen. I would add it closer to the end so it doesn’t get mushy since it’s already going to be much softer then fresh to start out with.
I use frozen broccoli florets. I do pre-steam the broccoli before adding to soup base. Frozen broccoli will water down soup.
This is truly delicious! I’ve been looking for years for a recipe like this.
By the way, it does freeze well.
Great to hear you love it and that you have had good luck with it freezing well! Glad you found my recipe after searching for a few years!
This soup is AWESOME!! I’ve made it several times, usually in double batches, and we love it. I do freeze it in individual servings and have not had a problem with it breaking if I heat it gently. My husband asks for this and, yes, it is better than Panera.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad to hear you’ve made it several times in double batch, including freezing/reheating it, and that you agree it’s better than Panera :)
Great recipe! Doubled it right away. Used olive oil to sauté the onions instead of butter. Added some Espelette pepper for a bit of a kick and extra taste. Turned out AMAZING! My girls had it eaten and begging for more in less than 2 days.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it came out amazing and that a double batch was gone in just 2 days!
Fantastic recipe, I used half and half and all ingredients except cayenne pepper. I use a touch of steak seasoning in its place, it worked great! (I’m allergic to peppers).
It fed 4. Next time I will do it the same but maybe add a little milk to thin it out a touch. Just my preferenvpce to have it a bit more soupy.
Thank you so much for the share!
Glad it worked out really well for you this way and that you will be making it again!
Wow! Delicious… Kids loved it!👍
Thanks for the five star review, glad it turned out deliciously, and that your kids loved it!
This is very close to my recipe. I do cook and add a mashed sweet potato to add more thickness to the broth.
My recipe is potato-free and plenty thick; but of course, everyone has their own spin on recipes and feel free to make it how you enjoy.
This soup was phenomenal!!! The carrots give it a mild sweetness. My husband said it was the best soup he has had. It going in my normal rotation.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad your husband said it was the best soup he’s had and that it’s going into your rotation!
Awesome! I didn’t cook quite as long as stated for each simmering step, I grated the carrots and chopped the broccoli quite fine. It was done in 30 minutes and tasted great! Thanks!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you were able to get it done in 30 minutes! Great to hear!
Yum. Only change was “non-chicken chicken broth”. I prepped everything ahead of time per other comments. Definitely will make this again but will double it so we’ll have leftovers.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you’ll make it again and double it!
I am an avid home cook, always creating new recipes and I had a lot of left over cheddar cheese from the holidays that would have eventually ended up in trash. I was trying to think what I could make with it and thought about this soup. I had NO idea where to begin and found myself searching online and so happy I came across your recipe.
It is absolutely delicious! I only had aged white cheddar on hand so that’s what I used. It’s very silky and flavorful. My daughter LOVES this Panera soup and I can’t wait for her to come home to visit so I can show her how to make it!
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you came across my recipe and site too! And good job using your extra cheddar (I hate throwing food away)!
This was the best broccoli cheese soup ever! Easy and tastes like a restaurant version. I ate it twice in 2 days. Can’t wait to make it again.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you enjoy this so much you ate it twice in two days!
Love this soup, totally make this again!!s
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you will make it again!
My wife had broccoli and cheese soup at a restaurant yesterday and wanted me to try it. We both loved it and She thought it was much better than the version the restaurant served. I’m only sorry I didn’t double the recipe. Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that your wife thought this was better than what you had at the restaurant! Hope you make it again and double it!
First attempt at Broccoli cheddar soup and it turned out great! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it turned out great on your first attempt!
I have made this soup many, many times. I always chop and measure ahead. It is seriously the best broccoli cheese soup around.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you think it’s the best broccoli cheese soup around!