CopyCat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
on Mar 24, 2014, Updated Oct 21, 2020
This CopyCat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe will be a hit with you I promise. If you love Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup you are going to be amazed on how easy it is to make at home. After enjoying the CopyCat Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich the other day I was ready to make some of my favorite CopyCat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup to pair up with the sandwich for our lunch today. I made this recipe back in December to share with all of you and forgot to place it on the blog. That was a big mistake as this soup is now my favorite soup. Since my photography skills have gotten better lol, I took a new picture of the CopyCat Panera Broccoli Soup we enjoyed today. Trust me the other pictures were not so good ha ha.
CopyCat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
But back to the soup… Brocccoli Soup has always been a hit in our house. I love ordering a bowl at every restaurant we eat at (if on the menu). Up until making this recipe back in December Kroger Broccoli Soup was my brand I enjoyed at home. I could never find a quick and easy canned Broccoli Soup that we really liked. Kroger brand can get quite expensive and picking up Panera Broccoli Soup can cost a small fortune to feed my crew.
I had set out to make a CopyCat of my favorite Broccoli Soup.. Panera Bread. I was amazed that this recipe turned out PERFECT. I no longer needed to head to Panera bread to enjoy my favorite soup. I can now just whip up this CopyCat Panera Broccoli Soup right at home.
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I love making this Broccoli Soup recipe as everything is fresh. I usually have to pick up some fresh broccoli and fresh carrots (which is usually when I spot a great sale). I usually have everything else on hand in the pantry and fridge.
INGREDIENTS
1/2 chopped Onion
1/4 cup melted Butter
1/4 cup Flour
2 cup Half and Half
2 cup Chicken Stock
2 large bunches Broccoli
2 Carrots
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
8 oz shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Cut carrots into small strips.
Break apart broccoli florets into small pieces.
Saute Onion in 1 tbsp of melted butter until transparent.
Make a roux using remainder of melted butter and flour. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat.
Add in half and half stirring constantly.
Add in chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add vegetables and cook for 25 minutes over low heat.
If you want a smooth soup, at this point puree in a blender and return to heat or use immersion blender.
Add cheese and nutmeg.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you are looking to make a great soup and sandwich for lunch or dinner give this CopyCat Panera Broccoli Soup and the CopyCat Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich a try. You can have Panera Bread at home for a fraction of the cost.
CopyCat Recipes are a great way to enjoy your favorite restaurant foods at home. The savings will really add up. Eating out can really break a bunch if done too frequently. Check out some of my other great CopyCat Recipes to help you with savings. I have made a great CopyCat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich, CopyCat Starbucks Passion Tea Lemonade, CopyCat Starbucks Lemon Loaf, CopyCat Bonefill Grill Bang Bang Shrimp, CopyCat Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuits, CopyCat Wendy’s Chili, CopyCat Red Robin Freckled Lemonade and the CopyCat Shamrock Shake.
CopyCat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 chopped Onion
- 1/4 cup melted Butter
- 1/4 cup Flour
- 2 cup Half and Half
- 2 cup Chicken Stock
- 2 large bunches Broccoli
- 2 Carrots
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
- 8 oz shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut carrots into small strips.
- Break apart broccoli florets into small pieces.
- Saute Onion in 1 tbsp of melted butter until transparent.
- Make a roux using remainder of melted butter and flour. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat.
- Add in half and half stirring constantly.
- Add in chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add vegetables and cook for 25 minutes over low heat.
- If you want a smooth soup, at this point puree in a blender and return to heat or use immersion blender.
- Add cheese and nutmeg.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
This soup was delish! I rarely alter recipes, but after reading the comments I made some.
Definitely increased the liquids by another cup per ingredient- so the chicken broth and the half and half.
I added some minced garlic to the onions.
I only used (1) crown of broccoli vs. two. Just didn’t seem to have enough soup base to add in two heads. Even after adding more liquid.
This was a fab recipe and a huge hit. Thanks for sharing! 🖤
Can you freeze this soup??
Ten stars if I could! Better than Panera. This soup is amazing!!! It’s in my two week me u rotation in the winter. One thing I do though. I cook up a small amount of bacon, one or two slices, and sprinkle on top to make it a little extra.
Very good. Will definitely make again but will double the recipe because can’t stop eating at one bowl. I did not add the nutmeg. I put a dash of garlic powder in instead!
You gotta add the nutmeg next time, its makes this dish! I was skeptical at first and left it out then added it to my bowl and was amazed how much better it was 🙂
I just made this soup, it is the best broccoli soup ever, easy to make, the only thing I changed is instead of the nutmeg I added 1 tsp. Of garlic powder. If serving for more then 4 people I’d double the recipe.
excellent. used homemade chicken broth and 1 cup heavy cream and one cup 2% milk in place of half and half. Made this as an appetizer and seconds were requested by all! Will be making again.
How many does it serve?
Oh my goodness! This soup rocks. Big fan of the Panera version and this is equal to it! I made a recipe and a half and we had plenty and enough for lunch the next day. Rich and delicious, perfect blend of flavors. I finally found my go to broccoli cheddar soup recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I did not add the nutmeg and I chopped the broccoli very small and did not use as much as recipe called for . This is really close to Panera and we all liked it. It is even better the next day. I will make this again, but I will double the recipe. Thank you Jen for this recipe.
So glad you found a variation you liked best Vadette! I am about to make a batch this weekend for when allt he cold and snow hit us here in Cincy. Have a great weekend.
Do you have a copycat Panera bread bowl recipe for us?? I want to make sure I get it to taste just like theirs! I didn’t know if I needed a sourdough dough or what dough to get and how to make it!! I live here in Northern Kentucky so I am not too far away from Cinci!! Much love to you and can’t wait to try this recipe out and I’ll make sure to let you know what we think!! ♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎♥︎♡︎
I made this today and it was way too thick and had no flavor except carrots. I couldn’t taste broccoli or cheese at all. And I followed the recipe exactly, no substitutions.
Omg! I just made this today and it’s soooooooo good!!! Thank you!
This was quite a bit of work that yielded only about 4 servings. If you make this, do yourself a favor and go ahead and double it.
Did anyone else find that it was way too much broccoli for the amount Of liquid? It wasn’t really soupy. I had to add a lot more half and half and stock.
This looks so good!! I live 4 hrs from the nearest Panera and I can’t wait to try making this at home :) I’d love to make it for my son’s birthday party in a few weeks and I was wondering if I could make it in the Crock-Pot and what steps I’d have to follow to get the same out come. Mmm!!!
I’m so disappointed my husband followed the recipe exactly as it said and there wasn’t even enough for 3 whole servings.
How much soup does this make? Can I use frozen broccoli?