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!
My family doesn’t love traditional fast food. Which I suppose is a good thing, except when I’m looking to just pick up a quick, on the go meal I’m limited by their taste buds!
Fortunately (or not) for us, our Panera Bread has a drive through, and it’s one of the “fast food” choices we all love. Except it’s pricey. They don’t have a dollar menu!
My goal with my blog has been to create a database of recipes that my family loves.
Things like Starbucks Lemon Loaf, Panera Mac and Cheese, and Hostess Cupcakes. If my kids are craving it, I can probably recreate it!
With today’s Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe, we may never have to actually go to Panera again.
When I can make Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup at home, I know I’m saving us some money and a trip out.
Love easy soup recipes? Be sure to try my Chicken Taco Soup for a family favorite dinner. Or try my hearty Lasagna Soup recipe!
Featured Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“My picky son finally let me make him this soup for him and he loved it!” -Corrie
Easy Ingredient List
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 Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
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!
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
Serving Suggestions
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!
More Easy Dinner Ideas
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese 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.
Video
Nutrition
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes! The perfect bowl of comfort food without leaving your house!
This was soooooooo good!! Followed the recipe as written, except I added some crispy bacon……because bacon! We will definitely be making this again!
Absolutely loved it. I did add some
Garlic powder, because why not 😉 thanks for the recipe!
Can I use half and half instead of the cream
You can, it just won’t be as thick and creamy.
I added chopped celery, minced garlic, nutmeg and mustard powder. I also cooked the roux with butter and then added to the softened veggies. I did not add thyme because I do not like the taste. I also did not add any salt and only used 1 tsp of black pepper. It had plenty of salt from the cheese. Was very good. Made a double batch to freeze.
So delicious. I love this soup. I assume the nutritional info is for one serving. Trying to be mindful of how much I’m eating because when I made it, the soup went down easy and I could have almost the whole batch!!
My boyfriend and I love this soup! I’ve made it 3 or 4 times now! Could I double the batch and freeze the leftovers?
I personally wouldn’t because the cream will make it separate in the freezer and it won’t be very good
It freezes fine, doesn’t separate at all. Still delicious smh.
I usually make a double batch and freeze the leftovers with no problem.
Can I use frozen broccoli or should I thaw it first?
Yes I used frozen broccoli. Very good
What if you have Colby shredded cheese would that be okay too
How can I make this gluten free? Will almond flour work?
I wouldn’t use almond flour. But a gluten free measure for measure flour (like King Arthur) would work.
You can also just use 1/2 as much Cornstarch instead of FLOUR to make it Gluten free
Made this today on a cold Ohio day. This was so good I wish I would have doubled it! Wanted more. I will be making this again very soon!
Yikes this was a super salty dish next time zero salt is needed since they broth usually has salt too
Make sure you’re using kosher salt, not table salt. They are different. If using table salt, you’ll need half of what is listed.
This is a great recipe. It is way too salty if you add 2 cups of cheese. I would recommend starting with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and then adding more salt as necessary once you add your cheese. I cannot stress this enough.
Make sure you’re using kosher salt not table salt, as there is definitely a difference.
Tried it tonight, fast and easy. So far so good, will.make again
Made this tonight, it was delicious! Easy too!
It’s become a family staple, glad you loved it.
I made this past weekend and first time making broccoli cheddar soup and it was DELICIOUS!!!!!
Made this about 10x already. Perfect!
Delucious
What are the steps for cooking in a crockpot? Thank you
My husband and myself loved this recipe! Its definitely a keeper!!
😋
Did not use 2 cups of cheese or 1 cup cream but still was super tasty.I had way more veggies than called for too. So I used the recipe just as a guide.
Thank you 😊❤️.
Instead of the heavy whipping cream couldn’t heavy cream be used?
They are the same thing.