This rich, creamy broccoli cheddar soup will warm you up from the inside out and is ready to eat in just 30 minutes. This recipe is a similar copycat version of the famous Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup, but made at a fraction at a cost. You can enjoy it as an appetizer or on its own as the main course, and can even serve it in a bread bowl to get the full café experience. It’s the ultimate comfort meal that you will want to cozy up with this Fall. This recipe makes enough soup to serve eight people but feel free to reduce by half to yield a smaller batch.
Hearty and nourishing
One of the best things about this soup is that it’s a wholesome meal in itself. Broccoli is packed with vitamins and fiber, while cheddar cheese provides a good dose of calcium and protein. The carrots and onions also contribute their share of nutrients, making this soup a well-rounded option for the whole family.
Ingredients for broccoli cheddar soup
Broccoli: Chop the broccoli florets into bite size pieces. If you prefer larger chunks of broccoli in your soup feel free to chop them larger. While the stalk is a delicious and nutritious part of broccoli, we won’t be using it for this recipe. I like to save my stalks to use in stir fry or other recipes.
Carrots: To save time, you can buy pre-chopped (matchstick) carrots from the grocery store or use a mandolin.
Chicken broth: I always recommend using unsalted chicken broth so that you can control the amount of salt in your dishes. If using salted chicken broth, reduce the amount of salt by half and add additional as needed. You can replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth to make the dish vegetarian.
Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base: I like to add this chicken base to the soup to deepen the flavor of the broth. I get Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base from Costco and use it to flavor soups and sauces. You can substitute with chicken bouillon powder or cubes.
Cheddar Cheese: I recommend using sharp cheddar cheese if you can find it to maximize flavor. I like to grate the cheese myself but you can also use pre-grated cheese to save time.
How do you serve broccoli cheddar soup?
Simply ladle your soup into individual bowls or to complete the Panera copycat recipe and experience, you can serve the soup in bread bowls.
Broccoli cheddar soup can be served as an appetizer but it’s hearty enough to serve on it’s own. You can pair the soup with your favorite sandwich or toast up some crusty bread to dip into your bowl.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli, chopped
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1/2 cup carrots, shredded
- 1 stick butter 8 tbsp
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups half and half or 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
- 8 oz cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp salt additional to taste
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon chicken base or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
Instructions
- Prepare chopped vegetables (onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots) and grate the cheese.
- Heat a large pot under medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter is halfway melted, add onions and saute until translucent and slightly carmelized.
- Add garlic and saute for 2 minutes, then add flour and stir continuously for another 3 minutes with a wooden spoon to cook off the flour. You can also use a whisk to ensure there are no clumps of flour.
- Slowly add in the chicken broth, seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika) and bouillon base. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add half and half and grated cheedar cheese and mix until cheese if fully melted.
- Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve with toasted bread or in a bread bowl.
