Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a rich and creamy thick soup with chunks of broccoli and shredded carrots, all in a velvety smooth cheese sauce and the perfect amount of seasonings! This soup recipe tastes like the bakery-cafe-inspired soup, only homemade with no preservatives, sweeteners, or artificial flavors!
If you really want healthy soup, then you must make our Homemade Velveeta Cheese for this Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe! Velveeta cheese is the key ingredient for a velvety smooth soup and has those “mac and cheese flavors” that take this soup up to the next level!
Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli and Cheddar Soup
After going through the ingredient list of Panera’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup, I chose ingredients to relate as closely as possible to their version. Panera uses pasteurized cheese which not only makes it ridiculously delicious but gives it that seamless velvety smooth consistency! Even picky little eaters could come to love this soup! It’s incredibly delicious and tastes like the popular broccoli soup from Panera Bread!
If you’ve never been to the Panera Restaurant, this cafe-style vegetarian soup is so good and very universal because even my Ukrainian parents love it, being brought up in a different culture! Usually, you can order this with a soup bowl or in a bread bowl (which I’ve made at home using this Artisan Bread Recipe.) Many major grocery stores even carry this soup in stores, typically in a microwavable cup.
The creamy flavors are just so comforting, and cheese makes broccoli taste so good! Even the pickiest broccoli eaters like this soup. True story: my oldest daughter hated broccoli until she had this soup; she still remembers the time I talked her into trying it, and now she’s hooked on broccoli!
I love how this recipe makes a light meal. It’s a really easy soup to cook any time of the week, and it’s great camping food cooked in the instant pot!
Panera Bread Cheddar Broccoli Soup Ingredients:
- Broccoli- fresh or frozen broccoli can be used. If using a fresh head of broccoli, trim off any little leaves and cut the broccoli florets and stems into bite-sized pieces. I often use frozen broccoli florets.
- Carrots- make carrot shreds by using a box grater or a Mandoline slicer to make shredded carrots.
- Seasonings, such as salt, pepper, non-GMO chicken bouillon powder, and paprika, all add flavor and a little color. I like to add prepared yellow mustard over dried mustard for more flavor, but you can substitute 1/2 tsp of dry mustard powder if needed.
- Cheese Sauce—This recipe uses a roux of flour, water, chicken broth, and half-and-half. We use freshly grated cheddar cheese along with pasteurized cheese like Velveeta or American cheese slices for a velvety smooth soup. You can also use vegetable stock to make it vegetarian.
Fun Facts: Storing Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Panera broccoli cheddar soup stays warm all day in a thermalizer that keeps the soup warm at 165°F all day. You could totally make the soup in a pot and then keep it on low in a crock pot for as long as you need for a quick meal. It’s important not to boil the soup when reheating so the cheese does not curdle and the broccoli does not lose its color too much.
To Reheat Soup at Home: place leftovers in a saucepan and heat to 165°F; do not boil. Once you make Broccoli Cheddar Soup, you can eat it warm or store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator. This soup freezes well, too!
To Freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup: cool any leftovers and then transfer the soup to an airtight container or freezer bag. Keep frozen for up to 3 months/. To reheat, place thawed soup into a saucepan per the heating instructions above.
How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup from Panera Bread:
It is so easy to make Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup! Everything is made in one pot using simple ingredients!
- Chop broccoli (or use frozen broccoli florets) and shred the carrots.
- In a large saucepan, cook the onion first until translucent. Make a roux by adding the flour directly to the pot and whisking in the liquid (broth, water, and half-and-half).
- Add the carrots and broccoli and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes.)
- Finish off the cheese sauce by adding the seasonings and cheeses. I like to add yellow mustard for flavor and a little zing. Turn off the heat as soon as the cheese melts.
Products used:
- Cuisinart 3-quart Dutch Oven Pot (in Terracotta Orange)
- Stainless steel soup ladle (similar)
Q&A
Is Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Gluten-Free?
This Panera Bread Cheddar Broccoli Soup Copycat, does have gluten as a thickening agent to make a thick soup. If you have gluten sensitivities, use potato starch or tapioca starch to thicken the soup.
Can You Freeze Broccoli Cheddar Soup?
Yes! Broccoli Cheddar Soup can be frozen and reheated over low.
Tips For Making Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup:
- Use pre-shredded carrots for a shortcut.
- Buy a bag of broccoli florets instead of chopping the broccoli from the stems.
- Use a food processor to chop all your veggies.
- Have all your ingredients ready for a smoother cooking session.
- Use the orange American cheese slices for the Velveeta cheese, or make it homemade.
- Do not boil soup after you stir in the cheeses, even when reheating.
- Freeze any leftovers for quick meals later.
More Broccoli Recipes To Make:
If you love this broccoli cheddar soup, then try these delicious broccoli recipes!
Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 4 to 5-quart pot
Ingredients
Broccoli Cheddar Soup:
- 3 cups broccoli florets (1 large broccoli bunch)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (1 large carrot, julienned)
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour (heaping)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups half and half
- 8 oz Velveeta Cheese
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 Tbsp prepared yellow mustard
- 1/2 Tbsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Instructions
How to make Broccoli Cheddar Soup:
Prepare ingredients. Dice, chop, and julienne vegetables.- In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in 3 tbsp of butter over medium heat until browned. Add the flour and stir until flour incorporates into the butter.
- Add the broth, water, and half-and-half, whisking until the mixture thickens (about 8 min.) Then add the broccoli and carrots and continue to simmer over medium-low heat until tender (10-15 minutes).
- Stir in the yellow mustard, salt, bouillon powder, black pepper, and paprika. Then add the Velveeta and melt. Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded cheese.
Notes
- Half and half Substitute: You can use equal milk and heavy cream.
- Velveeta substitute: Make Homemade Velveeta or use American cheese slices; add one slice at a time for easy melting.
- Use Frozen broccoli florets if needed.
- Measure the flour heaping for a thick soup.
Nutrition per serving
