Creamy and delicious broccoli and cheese soup that’s ready to go in just 30 minutes! An easy Panera copycat recipe that tastes amazing served in a homemade bread bowl.
This soup is rich, creamy and perfect for a cold winter day. Heck, I’d even eat it on a hot summer day! It’s just that good. We served it in homemade bread bowls and my whole family absolutely loved it. We can’t wait to make this recipe again!
This broccoli cheese soup recipe was inspired by a little bakery that I visited in NYC. Their broccoli cheddar soup was served in a bread bowl and was my absolute favorite! So creamy, cheesy and delicious. It also reminds me of the Panera broccoli cheddar soup. I’ve tried making it numerous times and have never seemed to get the ingredients right. But I finally perfected it and the recipe is SO delicious!
How to make broccoli and cheese soup
Scroll down for the printable recipe and video tutorial.
- Make roux. Melt butter in a large pan over medium to low heat, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook until golden brown. Add in chicken stock, half and half, salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir. Cook for 5-10 minutes (stirring occasionally).
- Simmer. Then add broccoli and carrots. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Combine. Mix in cheese and stir until just combined. Serve in bread bowls or with rolls.
Cooking tips
- Cheese. The key to the best broccoli cheese soup is grating your own cheese! It makes it super melty and delicious. If you buy the pre-shredded bags, the cheese won’t melt as well. I like to use sharp cheddar cheese because it gives it adds a bolder flavor.
- Veggies. To make this recipe even quicker, you can steam the veggies separately while you make the roux. Then just mix in the cooked veggies and cheese and it’ll be ready to go. You can always add in extra broccoli and carrots if you want your soup to be more veggie forward.
- Thickening the soup. The soup is already super thick and creamy, but you can make it even thicker by adding in an extra tablespoon or so of flour or cornstarch
Storage instructions
This soup will keep in the fridge for about 3-4 days. The leftovers make the perfect comforting lunch or dinner and are even better the next day! Because of the creamy base, it doesn’t hold up that well in the freezer. The dairy included in the soup can cause separation, which will affect the consistency. I’d recommend making this recipe on a week where you know you’ll be able to get through the leftovers in 3 to 4 days. You can reheat the soup in the microwave or on the stove top until it’s warmed throughout.
More comforting soup recipes:
- Crockpot potato soup
- Chicken pot pie soup
- Ham and potato soup
- Cheeseburger soup
- Corn and potato chowder
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter , melted
- 1-2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock , or vegetable stock
- 2 cups half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1-2 cups steamed broccoli , cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup shredded carrots , steamed
- 2-2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large pan, begin to melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add minced garlic and let cook for about a minute. Whisk in the flour and cook for a few minutes, just until golden brown.
- Slowly add in chicken stock, half-and-half, kosher salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Stir together and let cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add in the broccoli and carrots and let simmer for another 15-20 minutes.
- Mix in the cheese and stir until just combined. Serve in bread bowls or with rolls.
Video
Enjoy! :)
I made this for a family party and everyone agreed it was the best broccoli cheese soup ever! My mom even took some to her elderly neighbor who agreed it was the best she ever had and she’s in her 90’s! I can always count on this blog to for the best recipes! 💕
I love to hear this, thank you so much for sharing Melissa! :)
Delicious, I used skim milk instead of half and half. Just because I didn’t want it so rich. I added a dash of onion powder and used an extra clove of garlic. I love garlic. I used the Tuscan seasoned broccoli from green giant. I also made some instant rice to go along with the soup.
Your additions sound delicious, Melissa! Glad you were able to make the recipe your own :)
Made this soup last night for dinner, it was so good on a cold night. I Will be making it again for sure, maybe even double the portion 😊 Thanks for sharing!
Yummy! This is soon to be our family favorite! So excited to give this a try! Looks so delicious and full of flavor!
I’ve had a lot of broccoli cheese soups from lots of different places and lots of different recipes. this one is fantastic! Love it!
Super delicious! I did add a little more steamed broccoli at the request of my husband and we both loved it! Steaming the broccoli and carrots really cuts the time too. Thanks for sharing this Jamielyn, I can’t wait to try more of your recipes 😁
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! Thank you for your comment Joanne.
Love it ,so easy and delicious
Thanks a lot