Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes! The perfect bowl of comfort food without leaving your house!
Love easy soup recipes? Be sure to try our Chicken Taco Soup for a family favorite dinner. Or try our hearty Lasagna Soup recipe!
Copycat Panera Recipes
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.
Ingredient Notes
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. We’ve all done it a time or two and they’ll be just as delicious in this soup!
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.
Step by Step Instructions
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!
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! It’s the BEST!
Slow cooker: Use our 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!
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
Easy Soup Recipes
See all Soups and Stews recipes
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Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup
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.
Video
Nutrition
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup is ready in less than 30 minutes! The perfect bowl of comfort food without leaving your house!
Very very salty. I think 0.5 teaspoons of salt would improve the recipe. 1.5 teaspoons is overwhelming. I also wasn’t sure how to whisk in the flour given the veggies – my soup turned out lumpy and salty.
Were you using kosher salt? It’s more coarse than table salt.
Made this tonight, very salty so I think next time I’ll cut the salt in half. Was still really good and will definitely make it over and over.
Make sure you’re using kosher salt, not table salt 🙂
I did use kosher salt
Absolutely agree about the salt. Maybe use just a half teaspoon next time.
I use salted butter and it replaces the salt in the recipe. Perfect amount of salt then.
Every time I make this soup I’m amazed how simple, quick and DELICIOUS it is! I have been making this soup for well over a year and will make it for many years to come. Thank you for sharing.
Made this to share. I’m sure this will be a family favorite. Easy to make with mostly on hand staples. I hade to get the heavy whipping cream. Definitely done in 30 minutes.
This is my second time making this delicious soup and its good every time It is quick and easy yes when you grate your own cheese it melts better and the taste is wonderful I did use frozen broccli and I always take my carrot and grate and freeze them so I always have them on hand and you cant tell they were frozen. And I like mine a little spicy. Thank you for this recipe.
I’m going to make this tomorrow. Should I use a bag of shredded cheese or block cheese?
Shred ur own blocked sharp cheddar and shred. Smoother than already bagged cheese.
Shred your own cheese for best texture in the soup!
Always shred your own. Bagged cheese is coated with an anti caking agent which prevents clumping in the bag. It also prevents it from a creamy melting consistency.
I would like to ‘big batch’ and freeze, will it freeze well?
I just made this soup today! It was quick, easy and so delicious! Will be making again soon!
Thanks for the great recipe Aimee! I love making a warm bowl of soup and a sandwich for meals when it is cooler weather and this soup hit the spot!! I added it to my favorites list!!
This was a great recipe! Fast, easy and delicious 😉 A great way to warm up on a cold day, I’ll
definitely be making this again and often.
I just made this recipe and it is by far a great tasting soup! Better than Panera’s. I didn’t have salt free butter but I also cut the added salt to 1 teaspoon and it was perfect!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Definitely recommend!
What a passive aggressive, unnecessary comment.
Omg!! Im so glad I found this recipe. Luckily I had everything on hand and was craving a creamy soup. This soup was so good and just what I was looking for. Thanks for sharing!
This is a great soup recipe! Comfort food. Made for Christmas Eve— it was 0 degrees. Family loved it! Definitely added to Christmas recipe collection.
Which is best cheese to use?
Would Velveeta work? Or should I just stick with Cheddar??
I was wondering the same thing only because I had some left over from a prior recipe I had made.
Velvetta is not a cheese
Noooo. Velveeta would not be good in this imo
I always make this 😋 Will make it for Christmas dinner.Going to try make in crock pot,what is setting-how long to cook it & preparation ? Do I put all ingredients &cook together?
I’ve done it in a crocpot and tastes amazing. I usually put the crock pot on high and add the butter first and allow it to melt a bit. Then add veggies and everything else. If you keep it on high then only 4 hours of cook time. If you turn it to low then 6-8 hours. Stirring occasionally. Hope it turns out great and have a Merry Christmas!
Velveeta for me was the best
This is my favorite soup only I’ve had it at Subway as we don’t have Panera in Canada so I’ll definitely be making it soon
Made this recipe tonight and it was DELICIOUS!!! My family loved it and it will easily become a family favorite. It took me a little longer than 30 minutes, but it was easy to make. Thank you!
Yield = 4. Four cups?
Made this soup tonight,! Easy and delicious. Will make again.
Thank you for sharing, it’s my first time making this soup and my husband loves it