Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Creamy Restaurant Style Bowl at Home

Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This recipe is a copycat version of Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup that is meant to taste like the restaurant original while saving you money at home. It is a creamy, cheesy stovetop soup with tender bite sized broccoli and julienned carrots, made in one pot in 40 minutes. This recipe was adapted from the original Panera broccoli cheese soup recipe.

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You will love this Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup

When soup season arrives, this is the pot you will reach for again and again. The source article notes that soup was eaten often during winter, and Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup stands out as a favorite order. If you know that craving, the one that hits on a cold evening when nothing but a warm, cheesy bowl will do, you are in the right place.

The copycat idea started with a very practical wish: skip the snowy drive across town. Instead of bundling up and heading out, you can build the same cozy flavor at home with simple ingredients from one pot. The best part is how little fuss is involved. Everything cooks on the stovetop, and the steps are easy enough for a busy weeknight.

Here is the promise that makes this recipe a keeper: it takes less time to make than driving to Panera and back. In about 40 minutes total, with 10 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking, you will have a thick, creamy soup studded with tender broccoli florets and julienned carrots. Serve it in generous 2 cup bowls and watch it disappear.

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe ingredients (and cost!)

Before you shop, here is the best news for your budget. The whole recipe costs $6.40 total, which works out to $1.60 per serving. Prices were calculated using name brand products from Walmart’s website, so your actual cost will vary based on what you already have in the pantry and current grocery prices.

That low price is part of the charm of this copycat. The whole point of making it at home is to enjoy the restaurant style flavor while saving money, and $6.40 for the full pot does exactly that.

You need only nine everyday ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups half and half
• 3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup carrots, julienned
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, mild or sharp (about 2 cups)

The cheese is the star, so choose mild or sharp cheddar based on the flavor you love. The recipe keeps the shopping list short and the method simple, which is exactly what a busy home cook needs.

With only nine ingredients and basic tools, this is a practical copycat that fits a family budget without giving up the creamy restaurant style taste.

COOK’S TOOLS

You will not need anything fancy. Gather these tools before you start:

• Cutting board
• Chef knife
• Large heavy bottomed pot
• Wooden spoon
• Whisk
• Cheese grater

That is the whole kit. One pot, a few basics, and dinner is on its way.

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe variations

One recipe, many tables. This soup adapts well, so keep these swaps in mind.

• The recipe doubles and triples well, which makes it great for feeding a crowd or stocking the freezer with leftovers.
• Chicken stock can replace chicken broth with no other changes.
• If half and half is unavailable, milk can be used, but do not use skim milk.
• Frozen broccoli florets work if thawed first, and when using them, cut the simmer time to 5 minutes.

Frozen broccoli is a handy backup. Just thaw the florets completely before they go into the pot, and shorten the simmer to 5 minutes so they stay tender without turning soft.

A little flexibility goes a long way on busy nights, and every one of these swaps keeps the soup creamy and satisfying.

How to make Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Here is the step by step method. Read through once, then cook. The whole process moves in a simple rhythm: cook the onions, build the roux, whisk in the liquids, simmer the vegetables, and finish with cheese.

1. Cook the onions. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until lightly golden on the edges and translucent.
2. Make the roux. Stir in the flour and keep stirring while it cooks until the mixture turns the color of peanut butter, about 4 minutes.
3. Whisk in the liquids. Grab a whisk and slowly pour in the chicken broth and half and half while whisking constantly so the base stays smooth.
4. Bring to a bubble, then simmer. Turn the heat up to medium high and bring the soup to a slow bubble. Once it bubbles, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer the vegetables. Stir in the broccoli florets and carrots. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

   

6. Finish with cheese. Stir in the salt and the shredded cheddar until the cheese melts into the soup. Season with additional salt to taste, then serve.

Take it one step at a time and keep the whisk moving when the liquids go in. That steady whisking is what gives the soup its smooth, creamy body.

If you are new to making a roux, do not rush it. Keep stirring and watch the color deepen to peanut butter. That patient step is what gives the soup its rich, creamy base.

How to thicken this Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

If your soup needs to be thicker, try adding more cheese first. It melts into the base and builds body in the most delicious way.

Sometimes cheese alone is not enough. In that case, whisk cornstarch into water until it dissolves, then stir the mixture into the soup until it thickens to your liking.

Add the cornstarch mixture a little at a time so you can stop right when the texture looks right.

What to serve with Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This soup is wonderful on its own, and it is just as good with company. Serve it in bread bowls for the full restaurant style experience, or pair it with copycat Panera mac and cheese, a crisp Cobb salad, garlic cheese breadsticks, or a fresh spinach salad. Any of these turns a simple bowl into a complete meal the whole table will enjoy.

Leftovers are just as welcome the next day, and the reheating tips below make them easy.

How to store Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Because this soup contains dairy, do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. That one rule keeps leftovers safe and tasty.

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. The flavors hold up well, though the broccoli will not stay as vibrantly green the longer the soup sits.

You can also freeze the soup. Let it cool completely, then move it to a freezer safe container. It will keep for 1 to 2 months. The texture may change a little after freezing, and reheating takes a bit of care, but steady whisking while it warms brings it back together.

When you are ready to enjoy it, defrost the soup overnight in the refrigerator.

To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Whisk often to break up lumps and reincorporate the liquid as it warms.

Heat until warmed through, then check the texture. If the soup seems too thick after its rest in the fridge or freezer, stir in additional milk a little at a time until it reaches the consistency you like.

With these simple steps, one pot of soup can stretch across several easy meals.

Because this soup contains dairy, do not leave it out for more than 2 hours.

MORE SOUPS

Still hungry for more soup ideas? Here are more cozy bowls to try:

• Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Jalapeno Popper Soup
• Easy Tomato Soup with Basil
• Chicken Barley Soup
• Pantry Chicken Taco Soup
• Crock Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup
• Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup
• Thick and Creamy Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Miso Soup
• Black Bean Soup

For more soup inspiration on this site, try the High Protein Creamy Pumpkin Chicken Soup or the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup With Coconut Milk.

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Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup This recipe is a copycat version of Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup that is meant to taste like the restaurant original while saving you money at home. It is a creamy, cheesy stovetop soup with tender bite sized broccoli and julienned carrots, made in one pot in 40 minutes.

• Total Time: 40 min

Ingredients

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5 Tablespoons salted butter
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
3 cups broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup carrots, julienned
1 teaspoon salt
8 ounces cheddar cheese, mild or sharp, shredded (about 2 cups)

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Instructions

COOK ONIONS
1-Melt butter to a large heavy-bottomed pot: Melt butter to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
2-Add onions and cook until lightly golden: Add onions and cook until lightly golden brown on the edges and the onions are translucent about 4-5 minutes.

MAKE ROUX
3-Make a roux by stirring in the: Make a roux by stirring in the flour. Continue to stir and cook the flour mixture until the roux turns the color of peanut butter. This will take about 4 minutes.

MAKE SOUP
4-Grab a whisk and slowly pour in: Grab a whisk and slowly pour in the chicken broth and half and half while whisking constantly.
5-Turn the heat up to medium-high and: Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the soup to a slow bubble. Once bubbling, reduce the heat to simmer.

SIMMER SOUP
6-Stir in the broccoli florets and carrots: Stir in the broccoli florets and carrots. Simmer the soup for 15 minutes, stirring every 3-4 minutes.

TO FINISH
7-Stir in the salt and cheddar cheese: Stir in the salt and cheddar cheese until the cheese is nice and melted.
8-Season the soup to taste with additional: Season the soup to taste with additional salt. Serve.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Method: stovetop

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 cups
• Calories: 501kcal
• Sugar: 10g
• Sodium: 1598mg
• Fat: 35g
• Saturated Fat: 22g
• Carbohydrates: 27g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 21g
• Cholesterol: 103mg