Thick, cheesy and loaded with broccoli! This Better Than Panera Broccoli soup is a delicious homemade version of a restaurant favorite.
The first time I went to Panera I ordered their broccoli cheddar soup and I have never looked back. It’s been a favorite of mine for years! I’m positive it’s loaded with all sorts of strange additives which is why I’ve been dying to make my own version. This is NOT a copycat version- it’s waaay better! I’ve added a few things here and there to make it healthier and more flavorful.
I started by cutting up 3 medium heads of broccoli. I know, that seems like a lot, but this is broccoli soup! I also cut up a leek and a small yellow onion. Instead of chopping up the carrot I julienned it into 1-inch long ribbons. I also minced up two cloves of garlic. I had to think about how long each ingredient needed to cook, so the leek, onion and garlic went in first. Then the broth, seasonings, and carrot.
I turned to my cheesy vegetable chowder for the creamy base. In a separate pan I added butter, flour, milk, and cream, then cooked it until it was extra thick. That way when I added it to the broth it wasn’t super watered down. It gave it that nice consistency that Panera’s soup has without it being gelatinous (often a result of using cornstarch instead of flour).
All that was left to do was add the broccoli and cheese. It may seem weird to wait and add the broccoli until the very end, but trust me, no one wants to eat (or smell) soup with overcooked broccoli in it. Give it 6-8 minutes to boil before removing the soup from the heat. The broccoli will continue cooking as you stir in the cheese.
Now comes the hard part. Let the soup sit for a good 10 minutes before you plan on serving it. As it sits the soup with thicken even more, and it won’t burn your taste buds when you eat it! ? We enjoyed eating ours with a big slice of my no-knead artisan bread. So good together! We had leftovers the following day for lunch and they reheated beautifully. And that’s saying a lot if you know me! I hope you’ll enjoy this version of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup as much as we did. Drop a comment below if you give it a try or if you just want to say hi.
Better Than Panera Broccoli Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp butter - divided
- 1 small yellow onion - diced
- 1 leek (white and light green part only) - quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 4 c. or 1 (32) oz. box, low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 2 carrots - peeled, julienned, and cut into 1-inch strips
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 c. milk
- 1 c. half & half or heavy cream
- 3 medium heads broccoli - cut into small florets
- 2 c. medium or sharp cheddar cheese - grated
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter has melted, add the onion and leek, saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for a minute longer.
- Pour in the chicken broth and sprinkle in salt, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and carrots. Bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute. Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously as you add the milk little by little. Whisk until smooth. Constantly whisk as the mixture comes to a gentle boil. When it begins to thicken add the half & half (or cream) and simmer for an additional 3-4 minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat and pour into the soup, whisk to combine.
- Add the broccoli and cook for 6-8 minutes, then remove from heat. Gradually add the cheddar, stir until the soup is nice and smooth. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional grated cheese, if desired.
hey girl- this looks so good! Have a great weekend!
mmmmm – perfectly delicious!
What a yummy soup! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Delicious delicious for milk and cream I used all half and half instead and mild cheddar this is a keeper
Didn’t have enough broccoli so I use
a head of cauliflower and the rest of the recipe. Fantastic,….
That is a great option!! Thank you for sharing that!!
Just finished preparing and eating this Yummy soup! I really recommend it.
Thanks so much!! I appreciate you recommending it!
This was really easy to follow with minimal ingredients and tasted great, thank you!
I am so glad you think so 🙂 Thank you for saying that!
My family loved this soup. My granddaughter is four and I have trouble finding recipes she will eat but she ate a whole bowl of soup. It was delicious!
That makes me so happy! I am so glad she ate it! Thank you for letting me know that!
Just didn’t have leek so I made it without it and also didn’t add the cheese let each person put it in wanted. It was the best I ever made thick and creamy.
I am so glad you tried it! Thank you for sharing what you did!
Can I use frozen broccoli florets for this instead of fresh broccoli?
Yes, you sure can. I would just thaw them first 🙂
Love all kinds of soup but this is one of my favorites I don’t add the cheese until I put it in my bowl and I am ready to eat, sprinkle some on top. Not everyone wants cheese so this way they can eat the soup as they want it.
That’s perfect! I am glad this is your favorite! Thank you!
Can this be frozen and reheated later? Making soups for a Meal Train and would love to add this one!
I have only left it in the fridge, since we never have enough to freeze, so I can’t say for sure how well it freezes. I am thinking, freezing should be ok 🙂
I am having trouble determining how much cheese it takes. 2 cups or 8 oz?
It will be 2 cups of shredded cheese 🙂
My favorite soup to get at Panera! This homemade version tastes even better!! Lots of flavor!
I have fallen in love with this soup. Thank you
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you like it as much as I do. 🙂
Came out delicious!
Is the an Instant Pot version of this recipe? This is my favorite Panera soup too!
Hi Ron, we now have an instant pot version! Check it out here: https://lifemadesimplebakes.com/instant-pot-broccoli-cheddar-soup/