Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe (2024)

Comforting, delicious, and easy, this Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe is one of our favorite dinner-time recipes that you won’t be able to resist.

I love a good soup, especially now that the weather is cooler and it’s time to warm up. I’m all about the comfort foods and this one really hits the mark.

I love Panera and I love it when I can recreate some of my favorite recipes at home so this Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe is one that we can’t stop making.

It saves us money having to travel and pay to get a soup that is super delicious when we can have this copycat version right from our own kitchen.

Let me tell you, this soup really is super close to the original, and you won’t believe how easy it is to whip up a batch! That is the best part.

I love easy recipes so much because we tend to be a busy family, and when I can make something quickly that tastes amazing, it is always a winner in my books!

Some of my other favorite soup recipes include: French Onion Soup, The Best Tomato Soup and Stuffed Pepper Soup!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

1. Easily available and customizable ingredients help this come together quickly.
2. You can double this recipe to serve a larger family or crowd.
3. This is a filling soup, so a little goes a long way.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

• Unsalted butter
• Onion
• Celery
• Garlic
• All-purpose flour
• Whole milk
• Chicken stock
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• Sharp cheddar cheese

HOW TO MAKE A BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP RECIPE:

1. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery, cook until tender and transparent for about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute. When finished cooking, remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Melt the remaining ½ cup of butter in the pan and whisk in ½ cup of flour until thoroughly combined, for about one minute.
4. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. The mixture should be smooth and thick.
5. Add the chicken broth, broccoli, carrots, cooked onions, garlic, and celery.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about 30 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are tender, uncovered.
7. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, salt, and pepper and stir until melted and evenly distributed.
8. Place half of the soup in a blender and give a few quick pulses, then return to the pan.
9. Serve with a side of sourdough bread or in a sourdough bread bowl for a classic Panera-style meal.

DO I HAVE TO BLEND THE SOUP?

You can skip the blender part if you are short on time, but pureeing some vegetable chunks gives it that smooth Panera texture.

Alternatively, you could also use an immersion blender to blend the soup in the pot, which is quicker than placing it in a blender.

WHY IS MY CHEESE NOT MELTING?

Using freshly shredded cheese from the block is recommended instead of using bagged cheese which has preservatives in it where it will take longer and be harder to melt.

So if you can, use freshly shredded cheese for this recipe, it tastes really good, and you can get most cheese in block form.

DO I HAVE TO SERVE THESE IN BREAD BOWLS?

While we love serving these in bread bowls to get that extra flavor and can eat the bread afterward as it soaks up the soup, you do not have to use them.

You can serve this in a bowl, just like any normal soup. But if you can find bread bowls or make your own, then I highly suggest doing that.

HOW TO STORE:

You can store this Broccoli Cheddar Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place in pan on the stove over medium-low heat until heated through.

This can also be frozen. Place in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers where it will keep for up to 3-4 months. To reheat, thaw completely in the refrigerator, then heat on the stove.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

• Adding the broccoli and matchstick carrots later in the recipe helps them keep a bit of their texture.
• You can adjust the sodium level of this recipe by using low-sodium chicken stock and omitting the salt.
• Make sure to use matchstick carrots for this recipe to ensure they cook through.
• Easily double this recipe to serve a larger family or a larger crowd.
• Use freshly shredded cheese in this recipe to ensure that your cheese melts well.
• This can be frozen, see my tips above.
• We recommend blending your soup but it is optional.

If you want the perfect restaurant-style meal, then you need to try my Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe!

If you like this recipe you might also like:

• Alice Spring Chicken Copycat
• Copycat Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Copycat Cracker Barrel Grilled Chicken Tenderloins

If you’ve tried this COPYCAT PANERA BREAD BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!