Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes! The perfect bowl of comfort food without leaving your house!
I created this recipe many years ago, and you’ll see by the recipe reviews how loved it’s become. I hope it becomes a staple in your weeknight dinner rotation too!
This recipe was originally published in January 2017. The recipe notes have been updated in February 2025.
Aimee’s Recipe Notes
Taste & Texture – Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with tender broccoli, just like the Panera favorite.
Ease of Making – Quick and easy, ready in under 30 minutes.
Cooking Method – One-pot stovetop soup for a simple, comforting meal.
Aimee’s Top Tip – Use an immersion blender for a smoother texture, or keep it chunky for more bite. Frozen broccoli works too!
I first created this Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe years ago because Panera was one of the few “fast food” stops my whole family could agree on. Their broccoli cheddar soup has always been a favorite, but the cost for 6 people to eat out was too much.
After making it at home, again and again, I’ve learned how to get that same creamy, cheesy texture while keeping the recipe simple enough for a busy weeknight. And yes, shredding your own cheddar really does make a difference!
My goal with copycat recipes isn’t just to recreate something you love from a restaurant. I want to give you a dependable version that’s easy enough to make at home, and I know your family will ask for it again and again.
Featured Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“My picky son finally let me make him this soup for him and he loved it!” -Corrie
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe Ingredients
From start to finish, this Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe takes less than 30 minutes.
Real talk: It will probably take less time to make this soup at home than it would to get everyone in the car and drive to Panera. Not to mention the drive back home!
- Broccoli: You can always use fresh broccoli to make Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup, but it’s ok if you want to reach into the freezer for a bag of frozen broccoli florets.
- Broth: Keep this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
My Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe makes 3-4 decent sized bowls of soup…but you can easily double the recipe if you have hungry eaters, and this is your main dish.
You could also serve this soup as a side alongside sandwiches. Try my Turkey Cheddar Sliders or, if you want to mix favorites from different restaurants, Copycat Chick-fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwiches.
How to Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Copycat)
Want less chunks in your soup? Use an immersion blender to smooth it out! Our family loved this soup, it’s a great recipe for busy weeknights!
Instant Pot: Today’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup can also be made in the Instant Pot! Dinner in under 30 minutes! Loaded with vegetables and cheese, you’ll love this easy, creamy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe!
Slow cooker: Use my slow cooker broccoli cheddar soup recipe for a great, fix it and forget it meal!
Tips for this Cheddar Broccoli Soup Recipe
- For creamier soup, use an immersion blender. Pulse it until you achieve your desired texture. If you want a few chunks, don’t blend completely.
- Grate the cheese by hand instead of buying pre-shredded cheese. The cheese will melt smoother and result in a creamier texture. Store bought pre-shredded cheese is packaged with anti-caking ingredients that prevent the cheese from melting smooth, resulting in a grittier texture.
- Reheat leftovers on the stove on low heat for best results. This allows you to reheat slowly, and add in a little cream or milk (or more cheese!) should you need it.
- Use a whisk when adding in milk, cream, broth, and flour. Whisk for several minutes until smooth.
Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe Variations
Want to make the soup heartier? Add in some cooked, cubed potato for flavor and texture.
Need more protein? Shred a rotisserie chicken and add it after the flour has been whisked into the cream.
Make it spicy! For a little heat, add in some extra red pepper flavors or chopped jalapenos.
How to Serve This Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Easy, buttery Beer Bread goes perfect with this soup! Also great to cube into bite sized pieces and use for dips!
Of course my 5 minute Artisan bread is a great side for this soup.
Are you looking for a fluffy, delicious Dinner Roll? These No Knead Garlic Parmesan Dinner Rolls will please the whole family!
Easiest side dish ever. Whip up a batch of these Puff Pastry Bread Sticks to dunk in your soup!
You can also go to most bakery sections in the grocery store and find a great homemade bread bowl!
How to Store this Cheddar Broccoli Soup Recipe
Allow soup to cool, then keep leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze soup in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat on low on the stovetop, adding more cream if needed.
More Copycat Panera Recipes
Does your family love Panera as much as mine does? Lucky for you, I have a whole list of recipes I’ve recreated from Panera.
In addition to the Broccoli Cheese Soup, our family loves
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Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced onions yellow or white
- 1 cup shredded carrots I used matchsticks that I cut into half inch pieces
- 2 1/2-3 cups broccoli florets chopped small
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup milk I use skim/fat free
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch of crushed red pepper flakes or more as desired
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter. Add in onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook to soften about 5 minutes (may be more or less depending on the size vegetables you cut).
- Slowly add in broth, milk, and cream. Sprinkle with flour and add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Continue stirring and heating over medium heat until thickened. This will take about 10-15 minutes.
- Once thick, add cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Serve soup and enjoy!
Notes
- Easily double the ingredients to make more of this delicious soup!
- Use a good quality cheddar cheese for best results. And shred the cheese yourself for the creamiest results.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freeze soup in airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Reheat on stovetop.
- See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks and directions on how to make in slow cooker and Instant Pot.
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Nutrition
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes! The perfect bowl of comfort food without leaving your house!
Made this weekend, it was sooo good. Used cornstarch to thicken instead of flour & steamed the florets then added them at the end. Everyone loved it!
Can it be made in crockpot
Do you think this will freeze well?
A big hit at our house and friends I shared with. Will be my “go-to ” soup to take to others who need a meal.
I made it just like recipe and my husband added a little sugar. I also used those shedded carrots rather than matchstick, and cooked faster.
Great tips!!!
My kids all loved this soup. Sooo quick and easy . Will definitely double the recipe next time.
Yeah…it goes fast in our house, I have to double it now too 🙂
Very good. Will make this soup again. And easy to make with ingredients at hand.
Awesome to hear 🙂
Can I use all Almond Milk and no cream???
I’m not sure it would thicken properly, and the almond milk will change the flavor for sure!
Shirley, we used almond milk and it turned out amazing ????
Found this recipe on Pinterest and made today while home with a cold. Didn’t feel like going to store so used what I had on hand which ended up being a cup and a half of 2% milk and a half cup of half & half. I didn’t quite have enough cheese, probably ended up with a cup and a half. I also added lots of the red pepper flakes, hoping the spice will help with my cold. lol Otherwise, made exactly per directions and this is very good. Loved how easy and quickly it came together. I really love the extra spice from the red pepper flakes.
OK, so I am making this soup for the first time. With only 1/4 cup butter, the veggies do not soften because not enough moisture. As I had already measured out the liquids into one container to be added, there was nothing I could do but pour all of it into the pot so the begs would cook. Next time I will add the broth after the buttery has melted. Other than this adjustment, this is a great recipe.
Do you have any idea if this soup would freeze well? I’m on the lookout for some good meals to make now before baby #3 shows up 🙂
My son and I used to grab something because we didn’t want to cook or clean up the kitchen. I made a copycat of something, don’t remember what, but the next day we could not eat any fast food, it tasted awful even though it was a favorite. We discovered that home made is best by far!! There’s an endless supply of recipes, 30 minutes or less and a zillion other categories. Now both my sons and some of their 30+ friends go to Pintrest. They share a pic with the recipe and any changes they make. A few of them even use slow cookers for a hot meal when they get home!!
Made this today for the football games. It is already gone & the games haven’t even started! Very popular in my household. I would recommend doubling the recipe.
A
Glad your family enjoyed the recipe!!!
Love this soup..make it all the time!!
Perfect for those winter days when nothing but a yummy, hearty soup will do!
I made this soup today and used half and half instead of cream, and put broccoli and cauliflower in it and Gouda cheese (that’s what I had in the house) and it turned out perfect. I never had the restaurant soup so I had nothing to compare it to. Will try it your way next time.
Broccoli cheese is one of our all time favorite soups! Now I’m totally craving a big bowl!!!
Your soup would taste less ‘flourly’ if you first put your butter and flour in the pan to make the cream sauce. and lightly brown. Use whole milk instead of skim, since you’re using heavy cream. Make the cream sauce then add the broccoli and other ingredients. Lots of flavor when done this way.
I have done it that way too…although, with only 1/4 cup flour, this soup does not taste floury 🙂 As for the milk, I rarely have whole milk in my kitchen so I use skim.
Hi there… how is there 0 net carbs in the recipe?
Thanks for sharing about the flour because I was thinking the same thing. When I make my potato soup I always start with a roux. Cook flour in butter for at least one minute to get rid of raw flour taste. I only use 3 tablespoon of flour and if you don’t do this your recipe can definitely have a raw flour taste to it.
Super YUM! Love this.
This looks awesome! And yes, I agree that Panera is pricey (or spendy as they say in my neck of the woods). I’m not sure about the markup on soup, but having worked in the restaurant industry for a long time, I know restaurants make a ton of money on desserts.
I made this recipe and my daughter liked it so much she ate it for breakfast the next morning! I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
Yum – I can’t resist this soup when I eat at Panera. Thank you for recreating a version we can make at home!