This Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe tastes just like the original! Save money by making this soup at home!
This recipe serves four and costs about $6.40 to make! That’s just $1.60 per serving.
Try my Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana for more copycat soup recipes.
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
I recently moved to Utah, and we are in the middle of winter. The snow has been a little bit of a shock to our systems for my family, seeing that we’ve spent the last few years in a temperate climate. Of course, we love it, but goodness, it is cold! I do not love driving in it, though.
I have found that we have been eating A LOT of soup this winter. However, we have some favorites that we love to get when we’re out and about.
One of them is the Broccoli Cheese Soup from Panera. But remember how I just said I do not love driving in the snow? So what am I to do when I crave one of my favorite soups, and it’s snowing outside?
I decided to develop a copycat recipe of my favorite Broccoli Cheese Soup from Panera. The best part of this soup is that it takes less time to make this recipe than it takes actually to drive to Panera and come home, score!
INGREDIENTS AND ESTIMATED COST
Per Serving Cost: $1.60
Recipe Cost: $6.40
NOTE: The recipe prices are used calculating name brand products from Walmart’s website. The recipe’s actual cost will vary depending on what your pantry is already stocked with and current grocery prices.
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter – $0.50
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion – $0.31
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour – $0.08
- 1 ¾ cups chicken broth – $0.84
- 2 cups half-and-half – $0.88
- 3 cups broccoli florets – $2.08
- 1 cup julienned carrots – $0.42
- 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, mild or sharp – $1.28
HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
- First, melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
- Next, add onions and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
- Then make a roux by stirring in the flour. Stir until the roux turns the color of peanut butter.
- Next, slowly whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half while whisking constantly. Bring the soup to a slow bubble and then reduce the heat to simmer.
- Then stir in the broccoli florets and carrots and simmer for 15 minutes. Be sure to stir the soup every few minutes.
- Finally, stir in the cheese and salt and mix until the cheese is melted. Season with additional salt to taste and serve.
***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe card and recipe video below!
RECIPE VARIATIONS
- This soup doubles and triples nicely.
- Instead of chicken broth you can use chicken stock.
- If you don’t have half-and-half you can use milk, just don’t use skim milk.
- You can use frozen broccoli florets in this recipe, just make sure they’re thawed. If you use frozen florets, reduce the simmer time to 5 minutes.
STORAGE AND REHEATING TIPS
SERVE: As with most recipes with dairy products, you shouldn’t leave this soup out for longer than 2 hours.
STORE: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Note that the broccoli will not be a vibrant green the longer the soup sits.
FREEZE: You can freeze this soup. Just know that the texture may be altered, and it will take some care when reheating it. Place the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1-2 months.
DEFROST: Defrost the broccoli cheese soup overnight in the refrigerator.
REHEAT: Place the soup in a saucepan or soup pot and heat over medium heat, and often whisk to work out any lumps and get the liquid to reincorporate. Heat until heated through. You may need to add additional milk to thin the soup out.
My love of this soup led me to create a recipe with my spin on it to share with my family and now with you. I do love creating recipes that my family will enjoy.
I hope you will make this version of Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup for you and your family and friends to share the love with them.
COOK’S TOOLS
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Cheese grater
RECIPE FAQ’S
Bread Bowls
Copycat Panera Mac and Cheese
Cobb Salad
Garlic Cheese Breadsticks
Spinach Salad
You would at first glance think the Broccoli Cheddar Soup is vegetarian, but it is not. The recipe calls for chicken broth, which is not vegetarian. However, you can make it vegetarian by using vegetable broth.
You can freeze this soup. Just know that the texture may be altered, and it will take some care when reheating it. Place the cooled soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 1-2 months.
If you need to thicken the soup, you can try adding more cheese into the soup. If that does not work, you can also whisk cornstarch into some water. Whisk until the cornstarch is dissolved, and then stir the mixture into the soup until the soup thickens.
MORE SOUPS
- Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
- Jalapeno Popper Soup
- Easy Tomato Soup with Basil
- Chicken Barley Soup
- Pantry Chicken Taco Soup
- Crock-Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup
- Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
- Thick and Creamy Potato Soup
- Instant Pot Miso Soup
- Black Bean Soup
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¾ cup chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half
- 3 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, mild or sharp shredded (about 2 cups)
Instructions
COOK ONIONS:
- Melt butter to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add onions and cook until lightly golden brown on the edges and the onions are translucent about 4-5 minutes.
MAKE ROUX:
- Make a roux by stirring in the flour. Continue to stir and cook the flour mixture until the roux turns the color of peanut butter. This will take about 4 minutes.
MAKE SOUP:
- Grab a whisk and slowly pour in the chicken broth and half and half while whisking constantly.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a slow bubble. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to simmer.
SIMMER SOUP:
- Stir in the broccoli florets and carrots. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes.
TO FINISH:
- Stir in the salt and cheddar cheese until the cheese is nice and melted.
- Season the soup to taste with additional salt. Serve.
Video
Notes
- Serve the soup on its own or with bread bowls.
- Make sure you don’t heat the broth and half and half too quickly because you run the half and half curdling risk.
Nutrition
Maria says
Can I use almond or coconut flour instead of all purpose for the copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup?
Jillian says
Hi Maria, I don’t think the almond or coconut flour will thicken the soup like all-purpose would. Sorry.
Tiffany Smith says
You could probably use cornstarch. We use it since we are gluten-free.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is absolutely delicious! I love that it’s such a crowd pleaser for the whole family
Lisa says
I love Panera’s broccoli cheese soup, but this recipe was so much better and cheaper!
Jillian says
I think this soup tastes better, too! Thanks for the review.
b says
Delicious Soup!
I did blend the cooled soup and then reheated it
to add the cheese. Wonderful flavor.
I made Black Russian bread to go with it.
Tricia H says
So Yummy! Made it for dinner and no leftovers!
Jillian says
No leftovers are always the sign of a great recipe. Thanks for the rating!
Doris Huddleston says
I love everything Panera Bread and I’ve always wanted to try out bread bowls, so this is a good fit! This recipe was perfect.
Jillian says
From one Panera Bread lover to another, I’m SO glad you enjoyed it!
Lori Bahn says
This was really delicious, the entire family loved it.
Antoinette M says
Delicious soup. Thanks for the recipe.
Samantha Rodriguez says
Excellent step by step recipe. My first time making it came out fantastic.
Jillian says
Fantasic! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Trudy Wright says
I’m really excited that I found your Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup and can hardly wait to make it. I have one question, is the cheddar cheese mild, medium or sharp?
Jillian says
Use mild or medium cheddar. Enjoy!
Sydney says
Can you use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Jillian says
Yes, you can use frozen broccoli.
Brittanie says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! My husband, who isn’t much of a soup person, also said it was amazing. Just wondering if it would be okay to freeze?
Jillian says
Hi Brittanie, I’m SO glad you enjoyed this recipe! To answer your question, I haven’t had great success freezing it. The soup becomes super grainy once it thaws and is reheated. To get around the graininess I processed the soup in a blender, but I lost the delicious chunks of broccoli. I hope this info helps!
Stephanie says
Hands down the best broccoli and cheese soup I have ever had. Thank you so much!
Jillian says
You’re SO welcome! Thanks for stopping by to let me know! 🙂
Stephanie says
Fantastic soup recipe! Comes together quickly. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Lauren says
What could I use in place of half and half
Jillian says
You could youse half heavy cream and have whole milk or just use whole milk.