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 is by far the best broccoli and cheddar soup I have ever made. Love the fact it has no potatoes in it, as in my opinion they make the soup too heavy. This is full of flavour and very light, which means I have room in my tummy for some homemade lime and orange cake ;-) Perfect.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I agree with you about potatoes too and so happy you love my recipe!
This recipe was so good!
It was really fun and easy to make. You are so right about how great the seasonings were in it and it had just the right amount of cheese. Also, a tip to anyone considering: my husband and I picked up a loaf of Pane Pugliese from a local bakery for with this and it was perfection dipped in this soup.
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
would this recipe work in a slow cooker. It sounds delicious
As written, no, it wouldn’t. There are ways to likely make it work in a slow cooker but you’d have to play around with things, timing, when to add certain things, etc. in order to get it to work properly.
I am curious where you got the recipe from?
I tested and trialed umpteen recipes I saw online and wasn’t perfectly happy with any of them so developed this one myself.
Our garden is exploding with broccoli so I made this for lunch yesterday to make room in the fridge for the newest crop. Delicious! Super easy (your warning to read the recipe a couple of times worried me but it’s not the least bit complicated) and a lovely depth of flavour. We all felt it there was too much cheese so next we’ll cut back at first and add more if needed. Definitely a keeper. Thank you!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! I always instruct people to read ahead in recipes (you’d be surprised) and for anyone with any kitchen experience, I agree, the recipe is easy! But not everyone has experience :)
I can only imagine how good this was with fresh, homegrown, just picked broccoli! I’m jealous! And yes, if you don’t like as much cheese, you can always cut back at first and add more if you’d like.
I’ve tried (what feels like) so, so many broccoli cheddar soup recipes. This is the only one I would make again! (I’m so in love with Panera’s that I hate making my own).
I made a few little tweaks. Used the food processor to chop my broccoli stems and my onion (the addition of the stems is a must, like the recipe calls for!). I used an enameled cast iron pot that was decently large, so after sautéing the onion and garlic, I just kind of pushed it aside and made my roux. Also, added 3 cups of stock (throughout the cooking time) and ended up with a nice thick soup. It tasted so good even before the cheese!
I did feel like it was a teensy bit sweet, which may have been the non fat half & half (mine said it had HFCS in it) or the onion that I chose (or it could be my pregnant tastebuds). It tastes a bit different than Panera’s, but it is really yummy and has so much flavor (prob more flavor than Panera’s! yum!). I used the spices too — and even added a splash of hot sauce. Yum!! So good with a baguette too. Thanks for the recipe! I’ll be sharing it.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you!
Excellent recipe! I love the option of a savory broccoli cheese soup. I used fresh picked Alaskan broccoli and garlic, which made it absolutely divine. The 18+ hours of sunlight and cool summer evenings make for more robust and sweeter veggies than you would find in the Lower 48. Such a treat! This is definitely a keeper.
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you with the Alaskan broccoli and garlic!
Oh my goodness! I just made this soup and it is delicious! I’ve eaten broccoli cheddar soup many times when visiting Canada. I live in the UK and it’s not really a thing here, people prefer broccoli and Stilton cheese soup- I hate blue cheese and all UK recipes for that seemed to include potatoes which I didn’t want to add. This recipe was perfect, I’m so pleased with how it turned out. Thanks for a great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! That’s interesting that most UK broccoli/cheese soups are made with Stilton. (Blue cheese tends to be a love it or hate it type of cheese! I like it but not sure if it would be just too over-powering with a whole bowl of soup of it!) Glad you’re happy with my recipe!
I am fasting for Ramadan and I just broke my fast with you delicious soup! They don’t sell half and half here in Dubai so I just mixed low fat milk with heavy whipping cream. I also used 2% milk sharp cheddar cheese and it is still absolutely delicious. I did add an extra 1/2 cup low fat milk as it was very very thick during the first simmering. Thank you for this great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and I’m honored that you chose to break your fast with a recipe of mine! Thank you :)
I tried this recipe last night – absolutely divine and perfect for a freezing Cape Town evening. Thank you so much!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you and hit the spot on a chilly evening!
delicious soup, like my fav restaurant
Thanks for trying the recipe!
it looks so good! i love all your recipes
Needs just one more thing: a half can of beer added at the end.
This looks delicious! I’ve always heard my friends rave about Panera’s broccoli and cheddar soup, but have never had it since their version is not vegetarian. So glad to have found this vegetarian copycat – I can’t wait to try it!
This was so good!!! Best I’ve ever made. I grated the carrots so they would cook down more & used organic whole milk (because that’s what I had). It was lovely & creamy. Oh, I also used my hand blender before putting in the cheese & blended it just a little bit. Your recipe is delicious! Thank you. It’s a winner.
Thanks for trying the recipe and thanks for sharing what you did and used and glad it’s the best you’ve ever made!
I made this and it separated! ARGHHH! You are right, it still tastes good but it looks awful! Do you think it has anything to do with using FAT FREE half and half?
No I don’t think it’s has anything to do with it because I use FF half and half and don’t have issues UNLESS I overheat it or heat it too fast and it gets too hot. Not just in this soup but in general, if I’m in a hurry and not watching something and let it boil too hard, too fast, it’ll happen.
IT can happen with ANY cream/milk and/or cheese. The milk proteins are delicate and if you over-do it, separation will likely result.
I know it still tastes fine but it’s not so pretty. Just close your eyes when you eat it :)