Skip the take-out line and make this homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup in the comfort of your kitchen! Inspired by the beloved Panera Bread classic, this soup is lusciously creamy, cheesy and broccoli-y! Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich for the ultimate cozy dinner. This recipe serves 6.

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

It’s beginning to look a lot like spring around here.

But don’t worry, it’s Michigan so while we will have record highs on Tuesday (66°!!) there will also be wintery mix come Thursday. So although we’re still in winters grasp, spring isn’t too far off and I’m SO excited for it. In the meantime, I’m still enjoying soup! And by now most of you have had Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, right? Years ago I thought it was incredible, but then it became just kind of mid, ya know? It’s like I can taste that it’s not homemade, if that makes sense.

So for the past 10+ years I’ve been making my own homemade version. Because, in my opinion, homemade is always better. And the bonus is that you can skip the drive through line and make it in the comfort of your own kitchen.

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

I’d call that a win-win.

ingredients for Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

To Make This Broccoli Cheddar Soup You Will Need:

  • unsalted butter – Helps to soften the vegetables.
  • broccoli florets – It’s not broccoli soup with out it 😉 
  • yellow onion – Adds a sweet and subtle onion flavor to the soup.
  • carrot – Adds color and subtle sweetness.
  • unbleached all-purpose flour – Aids in thickening.
  • half & half – Or substitute with equal parts whole milk and heavy cream.
  • low-sodium chicken broth – Use homemade or quality store-bought stock.
  • nutmeg – Warm, aromatic with subtle hints of clove. Adds subtle flavor.
  • extra sharp cheddar cheese – White or yellow cheddar, as long as it’s freshly grated.
  • kosher salt – Enhances the flavors in the soup.
  • freshly ground black pepper – This will add some subtle bite and flavor.

butter melting in dutch oven

Sauté the vegetables:

Start by melting 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a dutch oven.

add broccoli, onions and carrots with a pinch of salt

Add in 10 ounce small broccoli florets, 1 medium diced yellow onion (about 1 cup), 1 julienned carrot (about 1/2 cup) with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

sauteed veggies

Cover and sauté for 12 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

heat broth and half & half until warm

Warm The Milk and Broth:

Meanwhile, pour 2 cups of both half & half and low-sodium chicken broth in a sauce pan and heat on low until warm. Heating the broth and milk beforehand help thicken the soup faster.

add remaining butter to pot

Make it Creamy:

When the vegetables are tender, add the remaining 1/4 cup of butter to the pan and stir until melted.

sprinkle with flour

Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour. Stir often until the flour has absorbed the butter then cook 2 to 3 minutes.

pour in warm broth and half & half

While stirring, pour in the warm half & half and broth.

season with grated fresh nutmeg

Grate in  about 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.

creamy Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

Simmer uncovered over medium to medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the soup has thickened.

mash broccoli for smaller pieces

For smaller broccoli pieces, use a potato masher to smash the broccoli and break it up.

add in freshly grated cheddar

Next add in half (roughly 4 ounces) of the freshly grated cheddar. Whether it’s white or yellow cheddar, that’s up to you!

stir in freshly grated cheddar cheese

Stir until melted and throughout the soup.

season with salt and black pepper

After you added the cheese, taste and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper – more or less to your liking.

ladle of Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

Ladle soup into bowls.

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

Lastly, serve with a little extra cheddar on top.

If you like a little sandwich action to tag along with your broccoli and cheddar soup, I’ve included my recipe for ham and cheese ciabatta sandwiches in the recipe printable. They are easily thrown together in seconds while your soup is bubbling away on the stove top. Dip, eat, repeat.

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

HOW TO STORE Broccoli Cheddar SOUP:

Allow the soup to cool and transfer to a container or large bowl with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat slowly on the stove top or microwave.

CAN YOU FREEZE Broccoli Cheddar SOUP?

Yes!  Once the soup is cool, transfer to a freezer safe container (or containers) and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat slowly on the stove top or microwave.

Click Here For More Panera Copycat recipes!

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

Enjoy! And if you give this Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
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Yield: 6 (1 cup) servings

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Skip the take-out line and make this homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup in the comfort of your kitchen! Inspired by a Panera Bread classic, this soup is lusciously creamy and cheesy! Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich for the ultimate cozy dinner.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium carrot, julienned (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups half & half, or sub with 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 10 ounces fresh broccoli florets, trimmed small
  • 1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg
  • 7 ounces white, or yellow sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Equipment

Instructions 

  • In a dutch oven melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium to medium-low heat. Add broccoli, onions, carrots and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir, cover and cook until tender. About 12 minutes. This will depend on the size of your vegetables.
  • Meanwhile, add broth and half & half to a small sauce pan and warm on low heat. No need to boil, you just want the liquids warm.
  • Once the vegetables are tender, add in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, stir until melted. Sprinkle in the flour. Continue stirring until the butter has absorbed the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir while pouring in the warm broth and half & half. Grate in the nutmeg.
  • Simmer uncovered over medium to medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the soup has thickened.
  • For smaller pieces of broccoli, use a potato masher to smash the broccoli and break it up.
  • Turn the heat off and add in half of the grated cheddar cheese and heat through.
  • Taste and season with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (more or less to your preference) and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
  • Ladle soup into bowls and top with a little of the remaining cheddar cheese.

Notes

Serve with Ciabatta Ham SANDWICHES:

you will need:
4 mini ciabatta loaves (or your favorite roll)
8 slices of ham (like Boar's Head tavern ham or Virginia ham)
4 slices of brick cheese, farmer's cheese or white american cheese
  1. Cut the mini ciabatta loaves in half horizontally.
  2. Place two slices of ham in each bottom half.
  3. Top with a piece of cheese and wrap in foil.
  4. Bake in a 350° oven for 15 minutes.
Serving: 1cup, Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 19g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 91mg, Sodium: 368mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g
Author: Laurie McNamara
Course: Soups, Stews & Chilis
Cuisine: American

This Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe was originally posted in October of 2010 and has recently been updated with new photos and helpful information.