Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup is comfort food at its finest, rich, creamy, and every bit as satisfying as the Panera favorite. Packed with tender broccoli, sharp cheddar, and a velvety smooth base, it’s a cozy dinner that comes together quickly. Easy enough for a weeknight but special enough to crave again and again, this homemade version will have everyone going back for seconds.

Love More Soup Recipes? Try My Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup or this Tuscan Chickpea Soup next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Even the pickiest eaters will devour it—rich, cheesy flavor paired with tender broccoli makes every spoonful irresistible. It’s creamy, comforting, and hearty without being too heavy, perfect for both family dinners and casual gatherings. Quick to make, crowd-pleasing, and packed with flavor, it’s a recipe you’ll be asked to share again and again.

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Ingredient List

For the Soup Base:

• 1 tablespoon butter (for sautéing)
• ½ onion, chopped
• ¼ cup melted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock

For the Vegetables & Cheese:

• 1½ cups coarsely chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Substitutions I’ve Actually Tried:

• Half-and-half instead of milk makes it ridiculously rich
• Vegetable broth works fine if you’re feeding vegetarians
• Frozen broccoli saves time and honestly tastes the same
• Mild cheddar if sharp cheese makes your face scrunch up

Why These Ingredients Work

I learned this butter-flour trick as a teenager when I was frustrated with lumpy pasta sauce—it works for everything from gravy to soup bases. Mixing milk with chicken broth gives creaminess without the heaviness of straight cream. Sharp cheddar is non-negotiable; mild just tastes like bland cheese water. And those skinny carrot sticks? They add just the right crunch and sweetness to balance the cheddar’s bite.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big saucepan (mine’s 4-quart)
• Regular skillet for the onions
• Good whisk – those cheap ones fall apart
• Sharp knife for chopping
• Cutting board that won’t slip around
• Measuring cups that actually measure right
• Ladle for serving without making a mess

How To Make Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Step 1: Cook the Onions

Melt that first tablespoon of butter in your skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the onions and let them cook for about 5 minutes until they’re soft and golden. My kitchen smells like heaven at this point – that buttery onion aroma gets everyone wandering into the kitchen asking when dinner’s ready.

Step 2: Make the Roux

Now grab your big saucepan and whisk together that ¼ cup melted butter with the flour over medium-low heat. Keep whisking for 3-4 minutes – this is your moment to zone out and just whisk. If it starts looking too thick, splash in a little milk. This step separates good soup from great soup.

Step 3: Add Liquids

Slowly pour in the rest of your milk while whisking – I learned this the hard way after ending up with lumpy disasters. Add the chicken stock and bring everything to a gentle simmer. Don’t rush this part; let it do its thing.

Step 4: Thicken the Base

Keep cooking until it’s thick enough to coat your spoon nicely – usually takes me about 15-20 minutes. I test it by dipping a wooden spoon in and running my finger across the back. If the line stays clear, you’re golden.

Step 5: Add Vegetables

Add all your vegetables and the sautéed onions. Let everything simmer together for 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and fork-tender. The carrots should still have a tiny bit of bite to them.

Step 6: Finish with Cheese

Here’s where people mess up – take the pot off the heat and wait a couple minutes before adding the cheese. Hot soup equals lumpy, grainy cheese, and nobody wants that. Stir in the cheddar until it melts completely, season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

You Must Know

Wasted two batches of expensive cheese before my neighbor told me this secret. Hot soup turns cheese into lumpy cottage cheese texture that nobody wants to eat. Wait until you can stick your finger in the soup without burning yourself, then add the cheese.

What I do differently: Keep half a cup of cheese separate until right before serving. Stir it in last minute and watch people’s faces when they see those cheese strings stretching from spoon to bowl.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Flour is everything here. Tried cornstarch instead once because I ran out – soup turned into thin, weird slime.
• Grate your own cheese from a block. Those shredded bags have powder coating that makes soup grainy and gross.
• Soup too thick? Add milk slowly while stirring. Too watery? Let it bubble longer on low heat.
• Different cheese brands have different salt levels, so taste before adding more salt.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

• With bacon: Fry bacon first, crumble on top (my son’s obsessed with this version)
• Kick of heat: Couple shakes of hot sauce or tiny pinch of cayenne
• Garden fresh: Chives or thyme if you grow herbs
• Loaded potato style: Fried onions and extra cheese like those fancy restaurant loaded soups

Make-Ahead Options

Tastes better the next day after everything melds together overnight. Keep it in the fridge up to 3 days, but warm it up slowly and add milk if it got too thick sitting there. Freeze portions in containers for up to 3 months – texture gets slightly different when you thaw it but still tastes good.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Worried about thickness? Made this probably fifty times now and here’s what I know – it keeps getting thicker as it sits and cools down, so make it thinner than you think you want. Should pour easily but leave a coating on your spoon when you test it.

Serving Suggestions

Get bread bowls if you want the full Panera experience, or just serve with:

• Crusty bread for dunking
• Grilled cheese (kids lose their minds over this combo)
• Basic salad to balance out all that cheese
• Oyster crackers like my grandma used to do

What I actually serve: Cornbread from a box mix – sweetness cuts through the sharp cheese and soaks up every drop in the bowl.

How to Store Your Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Fridge: Keep covered for 3 days max Freezer: Containers work for 3 months but texture changes Reheating: Low heat, stir frequently, add milk if it got thick

Allergy Information

Has: Dairy, wheat flour Dairy-free: Plant milk and fake cheese work but taste different Gluten-free: Use gluten-free flour blend instead of regular flour

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

How Many Carbs are in This Soup?

About 15 grams per cup, mostly from the flour and carrots. Not too bad for comfort food.

Can I Substitute Frozen Broccoli for Fresh?

Yeah, toss it in frozen. Don’t thaw first or it gets mushy and weird.

How to Defrost Soup Fast?

Put the container in warm water bath or microwave on defrost setting. Stir every few minutes.

Why’d my cheese get chunky?

Soup was too hot. Always let it cool a few minutes before adding cheese.

How do I fix thickness?

Thin = add more milk slowly. Thick = simmer longer with lid off.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear about your favorite variations and serving suggestions.