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!
I browned about 2 Tablespoons of butter and sautéed it with the flour so the soup wouldn’t have a flour taste to it. I also substituted chicken broth with bone broth (did not taste as good). Made it again using chicken broth and it tasted great! I prefer my soup more brothy than thick so I added more broth. Didn’t compromised the taste
I made this for the second time tonight and it was great! The only thing I changed was the order of adding things. I made a roux first and then mixed in the milk and broth. While I was doing that, I steamed all the veggies. I added the veggies in once they were soft, stirred for a few minutes, then added the cheese. It was perfect! If anybody is worried about having clumps of flour in theirs, this order will fix that.
Can you keep this warm in the crock pot if you make it in the morning?
Looking forward to trying this! Did you use mild, medium, or sharp cheddar?
I prefer sharp cheddar!
I’ve made this a few times in the last several weeks, and the only thing I would not do again is add that much extra salt, if any. I used unsalted butter and low sodium chicken broth as stated.
Came across this on Pinterest and had my husband pick up
The ingredients so I could make it tonight. Really easy. No
Issues. I did mix the flour and butter before adding veggies.
The butter did not burn. The veggies were plenty soft.
The soup does not taste floury.
It turned out perfect. The only oops was my husband
Grabbed a block of Colby instead of cheddar.????
Still good.????????
Thank you
So easy and SOOOO DELISH. Thank you for sharing your recipe
Temperatu In Oh is 15 degrees with lots of snow. This was the perfect meal for today. I’ve made this before using another recipe, but think this is definitely the best and closest to Panera. Thank you!
Thank you! Stay warm 🙂
I made this and ate it right after the cheese melted. I was not thrilled, it seemed to have to much flour. I tried it the next day and WOW it was delicious. My suggestion is to let it sit a day before eating. I will make this again and again.
I cheated and used frozen broccoli florets and in a separate pot, brought my chicken stock up to a boil and then added the broccoli to soften before adding to the rest of the mixture. I also added some finely chopped kale to the broth with the broccoli for added nutrition- you can’t even tell it’s in there! It’s so good!
Can you make this in the crockpot?
I just made this today . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️! Absolutely delicious!
Thank you 🙂
Made this soup last night. Next time I have to use a different cheese to put in. The cheddar cheese we added made the soup extremely salty!
Oh sorry to hear that! Yes, some cheeses have a salty taste, I always stick with Cabot 🙂 Next time don’t add any salt until the cheese is in, then you can decide if it even needs some 🙂 ENJOY!
Made this incredibly easy soup today for our office dinner this evening. We work nights and we each take a turn bringing in dinner. This recipe was fast and easy. I even used frozen broccoli florettes! For an added kick, I added some crumbled bacon. The soup is phenomenal!!!! Thank you for sharing!
I’m so glad you liked it, hopefully your coworkers do as well! LOVE the addition of bacon 🙂
This looks so yummy, all I want to add to it is crusty bread, and maybe a campfire !
Mine doesn’t taste that good – what did I do wrong? and there are clumps of flour in it
I would say it needed more whisking after you added the flour…and as to why it doesn’t taste good, clumpy flour could be it. Otherwise I would say, add more salt and pepper and use a good brand of cheese! makes a difference 🙂
What is the nutritional information on this recipe? Low carb??
I haven’t froze this exact broccoli soup recipe before, but I have froze another broccoli soup recipe in mason jars and it freezes super good! Perfect for the lunch box
Do you have the calorie count for this recipe?
How can I convert this recipe to crockpot?