This Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup is rich, creamy, and packed with tender broccoli, shredded carrots, and sharp cheddar cheese.

It’s a cozy homemade version of the classic restaurant favorite, perfect with crusty bread or a simple salad.

The soup starts with a simple butter and onion base, then thickens with flour, half-and-half, and chicken broth. Tender vegetables and freshly shredded cheddar give it the familiar creamy texture and savory cheese flavor.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

• Creamy texture: Half-and-half and freshly shredded cheddar create a rich, smooth soup.
• Tender vegetables: Small broccoli florets and shredded carrots cook directly in the creamy broth.
• Simple preparation: The soup comes together in one large pot with straightforward steps.
• Easy to customize: Blend part of the soup for a smoother consistency or leave it chunky.
• Freshly shredded cheese: Sharp cheddar gives the soup a stronger cheese flavor and melts beautifully when added off the heat.
• Comforting and practical: It makes six servings and works well as a warm lunch or dinner soup.

Ingredients You’ll Need and Easy Swaps

1. Unsalted butter: Butter provides the rich base for sautéing the onion and helps create the roux with the flour. Using unsalted butter also gives you more control over the final seasoning.
2. Yellow onion: Finely chopped onion adds savory depth and subtle sweetness. Cooking it until softened before adding the flour helps build the soup’s base flavor.
3. All-purpose flour: Flour thickens the butter, dairy, and broth mixture, giving the soup its characteristic creamy consistency.
4. Half and half: Half and half provides richness without being quite as heavy as heavy cream. It also creates a smooth base for the vegetables and cheese.
5. Broccoli and carrots: Broccoli supplies the main vegetable component, while shredded carrots add sweetness, color, and texture.
6. Sharp cheddar cheese: Freshly shredded sharp cheddar gives the soup a pronounced cheesy flavor. Adding it after removing the pot from the heat helps it melt smoothly.

Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup is rich, creamy, and packed with tender broccoli, shredded carrots, and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a cozy homemade version of the classic restaurant favorite, perfect with crusty bread or a simple salad.

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Prep Time 7 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Calories: 415

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups broccoli florets cut into small pieces
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

• Large Dutch oven or soup pot
• Whisk
• Wooden spoon
• Immersion blender
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Ladle

Method

 

1. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.
   
2. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes. This cooks the flour and creates the base that will thicken the soup.
   
3. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, followed by the chicken broth. Continue whisking until smooth, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
   
4. Add the broccoli and shredded carrots. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 18–22 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender.
   
5. For a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to briefly blend part of the soup while leaving plenty of broccoli and carrot pieces intact. You can also leave it completely chunky.
   
6. Remove the pot from the heat and gradually stir in the shredded cheddar until melted and smooth. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Adding the cheese off the heat helps prevent the soup from becoming grainy.
   
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve immediately with crusty bread, sourdough, or a simple green salad.
   

Nutrition Information

Expert Tips and Common Pitfalls

• Browning the onion too much: The onion should become soft and translucent rather than deeply browned.
• Skipping the flour cooking step: Whisking the flour with the butter and onions for 1–2 minutes helps remove its raw taste.
• Adding the dairy too quickly: Slowly whisking in the half-and-half helps create a smoother base.
• Boiling the soup aggressively: A gentle simmer is enough to cook the vegetables and maintain the creamy consistency.
• Adding cheese over high heat: High heat can cause cheddar to become grainy, so remove the soup from the heat before adding it.
• Over-blending: If you want texture, blend only part of the soup and leave plenty of broccoli and carrot pieces intact.

Tasty Variations You’ll Love

• Chunkier texture: Skip the immersion blender and serve the soup with all the broccoli and carrot pieces intact.
• Smoother texture: Blend a larger portion of the soup while keeping some vegetables visible.
• Stronger cheese flavor: Use a sharper cheddar for a more pronounced cheese taste.
• More vegetable texture: Cut the broccoli slightly larger if you prefer noticeable pieces in every spoonful.
• Extra carrot flavor: Increase the amount of shredded carrot slightly for additional natural sweetness.
• Milder seasoning: Reduce the black pepper if you prefer a softer spice profile.

More Recipes to Try

1. Outback Steakhouse Potato Soup
2. Sesame Apricot Tofu Bowl
3. TikTok Ramen
4. Creamy Brie Chicken and Mushrooms
5. Healthy Sticky Chicken Bowls

How to Store Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

1. Cool before storing: Allow leftover soup to cool appropriately before transferring it to a covered container.
2. Refrigerate promptly: Keep leftover soup refrigerated rather than leaving it at room temperature for an extended period.
3. Use an airtight container: A well-sealed container helps protect the creamy soup from absorbing other refrigerator odors.
4. Store portions separately: Dividing the soup into individual containers makes it easier to portion when reheating.
5. Stir before serving leftovers: The ingredients can settle as the soup sits, so stir gently to bring the texture back together.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is my broccoli cheddar soup grainy?
   High heat can cause cheddar to separate or become grainy. Removing the soup from the heat before gradually adding the cheese helps maintain a smoother texture.
2. Can I blend the entire soup?
   Yes, but the supplied method recommends briefly blending only part of the soup if you want to retain plenty of broccoli and carrot pieces.
3. How small should the broccoli pieces be?
   Cut the florets into small pieces so they cook evenly and are easy to scoop into each serving.
4. What does nutmeg add to broccoli cheddar soup?
   The small amount of nutmeg adds a subtle warm note that complements the creamy dairy and cheddar without dominating the soup.
5. Why is flour added before the half-and-half?
   Cooking the flour with the butter creates the thickening base before the liquids are gradually whisked in.
6. Can I leave the soup completely chunky?
   Yes. The recipe specifically allows you to skip blending and keep the broccoli and carrot pieces intact.

Anjali Arora

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