Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This better than copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe is sheer cheesy deliciousness. It features fresh tender broccoli florets, julienned carrots and diced onion all simmered together in a perfectly seasoned cheddar cheese broth. Serve it in bread bowls for a restaurant favorite you can make at home.

Easy Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

This Broccoli Cheddar Soup is one that I love to eat year-round. It's rich and filling and always hits the spot. This type of soup, made famous at Panera, is one that can be made even better in your own kitchen and it's much less expensive, too. Soup bowls or bread bowls will work for serving depending on your personal preference.

How to Make the Best Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

• Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Fresh broccoli, carrots, onion, butter, flour, chicken stock, half and half or heavy cream, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder and ground nutmeg. You'll also need hollowed out bread bowls for serving.
• Kitchen gadgets you'll need: A large pot or Dutch oven, sharp knife and cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, cheese grater, large spoon for stirring, a mixing bowl and whisk. Have nearby a ladle for serving.
• For this soup recipe, the onion should be finely diced, big chunks don't work well here. The broccoli florets should also be chopped into bite size pieces.
• Those little matchstick carrots in the produce department work well for this broccoli cheddar soup recipe. Cut them in half or into thirds if they're super long. Otherwise, you can make your own using a medium carrot that's peeled then cut into matchsticks by hand.
• You can lighten up the calorie content of this soup using light butter and low fat half and half.
• For those who aren't familiar with half and half, it's half cream and half whole milk. Here in the US it's sold as such but if you find yourself living overseas, you can easily make it yourself.
• I love serving this soup in bread bowls just how I would eat it when at Panera. You can of course, serve it in soup bowls with crusty bread on the side for dipping.
• Store leftover Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup chilled in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat over medium heat in a saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave in single serving portions.

More Southern Style Soup Recipes to Make

I'm a soup lover and always have it on our menu regardless of the weather. More soup recipes you may like to try:

• Fully Loaded Smashed Potato Soup is hearty and filling.
• Homemade French Onion Soup is topped with buttered bread and Gruyere cheese.
• Easy Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup will cure what ails ya!
• Lasagna Soup is an Italian feast in a bowl.
• Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup comes together in no time flat.
• Better than copycat Pasta e Fagioli.
• Italian Meatball Soup from The Slow Roasted Italian.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Dutch Oven
• Kitchen Utensils
• Knives and Chopping Board
• Soup Bowls

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5 from 1 vote

Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: copycat-broccoli-cheddar-soup, creamy-broccoli-cheddar-soup

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 461kcal

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 1 cup julienned carrots
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 3 cups fresh broccoli chopped
• 2 cups half and half or heavy cream
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt divided use
• 1 teaspoon black pepper divided use
• 1 ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided use
• hollowed out bread bowls and thinly sliced green onions for garnishing

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Instructions

• In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter. Add onion and carrots cooking over medium high heat for 6-8 minutes or until beginning to soften and brown. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
• Add chicken stock and broccoli florets to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat uncovered until the broccoli is fork tender about 5-7 minutes.
• To the pot add remaining salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, onion powder and nutmeg. Mix well.
• Dissolve flour in half and half. Increase heat to medium high and bring to a bubble. Gradually whisk half and half mixture into the pot until fully combined. Boil 1 minute while stirring, then add 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, stir until melted.
• Immediately lower heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened and is smooth. (At this point you can add more chicken stock or half and half to thin the soup, if desired. Likewise, you can add more flour dissolved in stock or half and half and whisk into the soup to thicken it further.)
• Serve immediately in bread bowls with shredded cheese and green onions on top.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 461kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 1112mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 4651IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 508mg | Iron: 1mg

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