Name: Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp Butter; 1 me Onion (diced; white or yellow onion); 2 tsp Garlic (minced); 2 lbs Broccoli (cut into 1" chunks (about 2 large head or 24 ounces of frozen broccoli)); 6 cups Chicken Broth (or vegetable broth); 3/4 tsp Salt; 1/8 tsp Pepper; 1/2 cup Cream; 2 cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded); 1 Tablespoons Cornstarch; 2 Tablespoons Water (Cold); 1 cup Cheddar Cheese (Shredded); 1/2 cup Bacon Bits; 2 Tablespoons Parsley (finely chopped)

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If you love Panera broccoli cheese soup, you are going to love this creamy broccoli cheese soup recipe. It’s rich and creamy and so easy to make. It's loaded with broccoli, cheese and just a splash of cream to make this a deliciously creamy broccoli soup.

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Panera Copy Cat Recipe
What can I pair with broccoli cheddar soup?
How Do You Make Broccoli Cheese Soup From Scratch?
Ingredients In Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Making Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup Without Cream (And Other Variations)
Looking For The Best Soup Recipes?
Why Is My Broccoli Cheese Soup Grainy?
Can You Freeze Cheesy Broccoli Soup?
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Panera Copy Cat Recipe

If you love Panera there is no doubt you are familiar with their creamy Broccoli Soup. It's one of their most popular menu items and for good reason. It's rich and thick and creamy and loaded with broccoli.

If you're a Panera fan, I've got a treat for you. You can make this amazing soup at home and have it again and again.

What can I pair with broccoli cheddar soup?

Some kind of bread or crusty roll is my favorite to serve with this creamy broccoli soup. You can try my Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks recipe. You better double the batch though because one batch is never enough. You can also make some homemade crescent rolls. They are buttery and soft and perfect for soup. If you're needing something a little more hearty, try my Simple Oven Baked Chicken Recipe. It is so easy to make and I swear is the most tender and juicy oven-baked chicken recipe.

How Do You Make Broccoli Cheese Soup From Scratch?

In a large stock pot, drizzle the oil and add the onion. Saute over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, until the onion begins to soften. Add the minced garlic and continue to saute until the onions start to become translucent, about 5-7 more minutes.
Next, add the broccoli and broth and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce to a simmer and add the salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
Once the broccoli is tender, turn off the heat. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender in batches (don't fill more than halfway), and blend until creamy. (Note: you can also use an immersion blender directly in the pot).
Once all of the soup has been blended and well mixed, add it back into the stock pot and stir in the cream with a rubber spatula. Return to medium heat.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the cold water and cornstarch and mix until well combined.
Slowly pour this cornstarch mixture into the soup while stirring. Continue to stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes, or until the soup is thickened.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly before serving before ladling into bowls, and topping with shredded cheddar cheese, bacon bits and freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

Ingredients In Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup

Butter - we use this to cook the onions to add even more flavor and creaminess, but you can also use olive oil if you want.
Onions - we like to use white or yellow onions for this soup as they have a nice sweetness to them.
Garlic - we use fresh minced garlic cloves but you could try substituting a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Broccoli- you can use either fresh broccoli, cut into 1” chunks, or else frozen broccoli florets work great, too. You could also try roasting the broccoli on a baking sheet ahead of time for a slightly different flavor.
Broth - we use chicken broth but you can substitute vegetable stock or vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
Salt & Pepper
Heavy Cream - this gives your soup that extra velvety, luxuriously creamy flavor and texture. If you want to reduce some of the fat in the soup, or if you can’t eat dairy, you are fine to omit this - your soup will still be wonderfully creamy.
Water & Cornstarch - this slurry thickens the soup just a touch more.
Cheddar Cheese - we like to use shredded cheddar cheese in our house, but you can also try Parmesan, or skip it altogether.
Bacon Bits - to make your own, just slice bacon into ½” slices, cook in a saute pan over medium heat until the fat has rendered and they are golden brown, and use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and drain on a paper towel. It’s as simple as that!
Parsley - chopped fresh parsley as a garnish gives a little freshness and color to each bowl.

Making Creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup Without Cream (And Other Variations)

If you just want to find a substitute for heavy cream, but don’t mind sticking with dairy, then you can add 1-2 tablespoons of butter instead. Just blend the butter in with the soup while you are pureeing in the blender.

If you want to try making this recipe dairy-free, then you can skip the heavy cream altogether (and, of course, your cheese topping). It won’t be quite as velvety, but it will still be super creamy and delicious. You can use a little extra broth to thin it down if you need.

Try adding in different veggies, like parsnips, carrots, or cauliflower. Just cut them to roughly the same size as the broccoli and add them in at the same time.

Other seasonings to try for this creamy broccoli soup are:

A pinch of nutmeg
Chopped green onions
Fresh chopped chives
Croutons
Red pepper flakes
Other herbs like rosemary or oregano
Creme Fraiche
A squirt of fresh lemon juice
A different cheese, like havarti, gruyuere, or asiago.

Looking For The Best Soup Recipes?

For some more homestyle soup recipes like this one, give these a try:

Easy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup - full of chicken, homestyle noodles, carrots and peas, and quick to throw together.
Roasted Tomato Soup - roasting the tomatoes gives them so much more flavorful than the canned version, and it still tastes just as great with a grilled cheese.
Loaded Baked Potato Soup - if you are a sucker for soup and potatoes, this is for you!
Broccoli Potato Cheese Soup - loaded with veggies and cheddar cheese, this is delicious on it's own or served from a bread bowl.
Turkey and Rice Soup - filled with wild rice, turkey and veggies.

Why Is My Broccoli Cheese Soup Grainy?

If your broccoli cheese soup is grainy, you probably need to cook the broccoli longer before you blend it up. It also may help to blend your soup longer as this will reduce the graininess.

Can You Freeze Cheesy Broccoli Soup?

Yup! Just cool completely and transfer to freezer bags. Lay them flat in the freezer and store for up to 5 months. Once you are ready to use, you can thaw overnight in the fridge, or else transfer directly into a pot on the stovetop and re-heat on medium-low heat, stirring often.

If you want to go the microwave route, just transfer into a microwave-safe container and reheat for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between.