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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Averie, I just made this soup. It is creamy and delicious. I think the spices do add great flavor. I would definitely add to your notes that you cannot freeze this soup since it uses cream or milk. I also only had prepackaged grated cheddar cheese but it worked out great. I added a step of steaming the broccoli so it would be crisp and cook faster in the soup before adding it and I grated my carrots. Another great recipe from you.
I am glad to hear this was delicious and a great recipe for you!
Frozen 🥦 works great, just add them at the end, stirring gently so they wouldn’t break.
OK great that frozen worked for you!
I really didn’t want to use flour (though I do when making cheese sauce, just didn’t want it in soup). I used some potatoes and potato water and the thickness turned out perfect. It tastes delicious!!!!
I’m glad it turned out great for you!
Easy, outstanding recipe. I omit the carrots, but I make this often. .thank you.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad it was outstanding and that you make it often!
I loved the Broccoli Cheese Soup! It’s a five star winner. I followed the recipe exactly, and it was really delicious. I can’t wait to try other recipes that Averie has composed.
Wonderful job–I like the format of telling what ingredients you will need, exactly how the recipe will come together…followed by explicit directions and the exact amount of each ingredient. Thanks from me and my family:)
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this was a 5 star winner for you! Also thank you for letting me know you like the format of my blog posts – I appreciate that!
I have tried many broccoli & cheese soup recipes. This is the last one I will try – it thickened perfectly, had great flavor, cannot say enough about this recipe, it’s a keeper. Believe I will be making this quite often.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this will be the last broccoli cheese soup recipe you will need and that this is perfect for you!
I used cashue cream instead of cream….added nutmeg…so good.
That is great to know!
Tasty and family approved. I added some cauliflower I had lying around. Really great and easy recipe! Thanks.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad your family approved and you used up some extra cauliflower, too!
I just made this and it is FANTASTIC. Followed the recipe as written, except I did cut the half-and-half with some 2 percent. I like the hint of smoked paprika–it was like adding ham without actually adding ham. Easy and delicious!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was fantastic and that you were able to get away with some 2%, too!
Haven’t made it yet, was mainly just curious that when doubling the recipe (I have a big family) is there anything you would change outside of doubling everything?
Use a bigger pot, it may possibly take a bit longer, but other than that you don’t have to change a thing.
DELICIOUS!! Creamy and broccoli in every bite! I will be making this again soon!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was delicious and you’ll make it again soon!
Hi I made this yesterday m, it was lovely, can it be cooked in a slow cooker? How would you adjust recipe and cook for how long?
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad it was lovely!
You probably could adapt this for the slow cooker, but I haven’t done so. So you’d have to do some research and cross-reference how it’s been done before by others. For me, being that it’s a pretty fast soup to make, I don’t like to overcomplicate/lengthen recipes that are short to begin with for my personal life flow.
Amazing! Family favourite. Thanks for sharing! I have made this with half and half as well as milk and my family couldn’t taste the difference. It’s the backend heat of the smoked paprika that makes this soup for me! Double up for that extra kick.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this is a family favorite! And that you’ve made it with half and half, and milk, and they couldn’t tell the difference! I agree on the smoked paprika!
I am amazed how good this soup came out and tasted- not because I doubted the recipe, but because it was easy to follow for someone like me who is often challenged when making soup. From recipes. This far surpasses any broccoli cheese soup I have ever had. THANK YOU!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad this far surpasses any broccoli cheese soup you’ve ever had! And I am glad you found the recipe easy to follow!
I’ve been making this recipe for years and am so grateful for it, comes out delicious every time. The only broccoli cheese soup recipe you’ll ever need!
Thanks for the 5 star review and I’m glad this has been a favorite of yours for years! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
This recipe is excellent with a great depth of flavor. I did put a portion of the soup through a blender and returned it to the pot. This made it a great consistency and one which my family enjoys. My teenagers ate it for lunch the next day it was so good.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad that it was a hit with your family!
Can frozen broccoli be used?
You could try but it will be mushy. I hate mushy vegetables so I personally never would use frozen in this soup being that the broccoli is the star of the show.