This broccoli cheddar soup is the perfect recipe to serve up on a cool spring evening or to bring to a gathering. I love how easy this recipe is because it’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner and the kids love it too! Personally, I love everything I eat to be spicy (hence the blog name), so I added a healthy amount of pepper flakes to this, which can very easily be omitted.
The ingredients used in this soup are very easily accessible and found in most (all) grocery stores. This broccoli cheddar soup is also very budget friendly, with a lot of the ingredients being pantry/fridge essentials. I wouldn’t consider this and exact copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe as I slightly tweaked it and in my humble opinion, this recipe is better.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
- Broccoli: You can buy this as a full head or as cut up florets. I personally just buy whatever is on sale and then cut the florets a bit smaller.
- Cheddar: I love using extra sharp cheddar because it adds a stronger cheese flavor to this soup. I used the Cabot Aged Extra Sharp Cheddar!
- Carrot: You can either buy pre-shredded carrots or shred it yourself. I like the texture of shredding my carrots at home because they become softer when cooked.
- Aromatics: I don’t think a recipe is complete without garlic or onions, so this recipe has both! They add tons of flavor.
- Seasonings: I only used freshly cracked black pepper and pepper flakes, which added a ton of flavor!
- Half & Half: I used half & half because I like this soup creamy, not super thick. If you prefer it thicker, use heavy cream!
Tips for broccoli cheddar soup
- You want to make sure to cook your broccoli until tender, not super soft. Broccoli cooks fairly fast when boiled, so you don’t need to overdo the simmering process.
- Once the cheese is added and fully melted, turn the heat off! I don’t to cook the soup too much after adding half & half because it could separate.
- Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese! The pre-shredded kind has a non-caking agent dusted on the outside to prevent sticking, which could alter the consistency of the soup.
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup
DifficultyMedium
Servings6
Prep time30 minutes
Cook time45 minutes
Total time1 hour15 minutes
A creamy and cheesy soup filled with broccoli, carrots and cheddar cheese. Broccoli Cheddar soup is a fan-favorite from Panera Bread making this perfect to serve up to guests.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Broccoli Florets, Chopped Small
- 8 Ounces Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
- 1/2 White Onion, Minced
- 1 Head Garlic, Minced
- 2 Cups Carrot, Shredded
- 1/2 Stick Butter
- 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 Cups Half & Half
- 2 Tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, melt the butter. Then add the minced garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Sauté until lightly golden and fragrant.
- 2
Add in the all purpose flour and mix well to create a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- 3
Add roughly 1 cup of broth and whisk well. Then add the remaining broth and whisk.
- 4
Toss in the broccoli and carrots. Cover and simmer on medium for 5-7 minutes.
- 5
Once the broccoli is tender, add in the half&half and mix well. Also toss in the shredded cheese and mix until the cheese in melted.
- 6
Use an immersion blender to very slightly blend the soup. Do 2-3 blitzes of the blender to thicken the consistency.
- 7
Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper and enjoy hot!
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