One pot, one hour, and one of the best broccoli cheese soups is yours with this quick and easy recipe. Make it a copycat Panera version, or even better with your variations.
Introduction
This is my favorite homemade soup. It is the perfect comfort food for a cold day, and I never make a single batch. We can't stop eating this soup.
I had researched for several weeks and had a couple of inspirational recipes. I ended up combining Pioneer Woman with an Allrecipes recipe.
I wanted one pot cooked on the stovetop. I wanted to cook the broccoli in the soup and not separately. And I didn't want to use any cream. I don't ever have cream, and although this is not low-fat, there are some things I just won't do.
Nothing matched my needs, so I combined recipes. The results are better than I ever expected.
I presented my wife with this wonderful homemade soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwich. She was a thrilled wife.
My Rating
A solid 5. One of my top recipes.
🥦Ingredients
Broccoli
I suggest fresh broccoli for this soup. One large head will make about 3 cups of broccoli florets. But it is acceptable to be a little over or under on the amount of broccoli.
I chop up the medium-sized stems, but I generally skip the large thick trunk.
The size should be relatively small to fit easily in a spoon.
Frozen Broccoli can be used. A 12 oz. bag of frozen broccoli will be about 3 cups or a bit more of florets.
Frozen broccoli is generally blanched before freezing. If you thaw the broccoli before cooking, it may cook a bit faster than fresh. But if frozen when added, it may take a few minutes than fresh.
Most frozen broccoli is large, so it must be chopped to spoon-size before cooking.
Cheese
Sharp cheddar is the most common cheese for this soup.
I fess up. I like Velveeta. I usually choose half Velveeta and half sharp cheddar cheese. But select the cheeses you like. Most will want a mixture of different cheddars.
Shredded cheese has some anti-clumping coating and is preferred to solid cheese—I use the brand name shredded cheese.
Velveeta is made for melting and will do well in this soup and make it creamier than all cheddar.
If your cheese separates or clumps, it is your cheese, not the recipe. Usually, this will be generic poor-quality cheese or outdated cheese. But it rarely will happen since we add it at the end of cooking and just melt it.
Dairy
Many suggest heavy cream or half&half. I find there is more than enough milk fat in the cheese. I always use lower-fat milk. The Velveeta also makes the soup creamier. But use the dairy of your choice.
👨🍳How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Prepare fresh broccoli by trimming the broccoli florets into bite size pieces.
- Mince a small onion and saute in butter in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic near the end of cooking.
- Sprinkle in flour and make a rour.
- Slowly add chicken broth and milk while continuing to stir to thicken.
- When thickened, add the broccoli. decrease to simmer and cover.
- Cook until the broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.
- Puree a bit with an immersion blender or potato masher.
- Add in cheese, simmer 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.
👨🍳Copycat Panera's Broccoli Cheese Soup
If you want to copycat Panera, just add carrot and celery simultaneously as the broccoli.
You will need about 1 cup of carrots. Matchstick cut carrots are available in most produce departments. Or one large or two medium can be cleaned and then diced or julienned.
The second component is one rib of thinly sliced celery.
🥣Variations of Broccoli Cheese Soup
Bacon Broccoli Cheese Soup
Everything is better with bacon. This is my wife's obsession. Chop three strips of bacon into ½ inch squares and fry until done. Drain and add along with the cheese.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Several commenters want to use cauliflower to replace the broccoli, but cauliflower may take a few minutes more to cook. So use the same volume, and the endpoint of the cauliflower is tender, and you should be fine.
Other Seasoning
Add some flavor with an optional touch of nutmeg or paprika. Add about ¼ teaspoon at the start of simmering if you wish—one or the other, not both.
❓FAQs
A single recipe makes about 7 to 8 cups of soup, and you need some working room in the pot to make the roux and mix.
For a single recipe, a four-quart or larger soup pot or Dutch oven. For the suggested double recipe, I use a 6 ½ quart Dutch oven.
Usually, chicken broth is used, but vegetable broth is also acceptable. I typically use lower sodium broth and add more salt later to taste.
❄️Storage
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. It will freeze well for 3-4 months. It never lasts more than two days at our house.
📖Comfort Soup Recipes
Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup
Old Fashion Vegetable Beef Soup
This recipe is part of our Our Best Soups.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
These are double batch pictures. The recipe discussion below is a single batch, and the ingredient list is for a single batch, but the images are for a double batch.
Rinse and spoon size chop one head of fresh broccoli with the broccoli florets being bit size. I discarded the broccoli stalk. This should be about two cups.
Mince a small or ½ of a medium onion. Over medium-high heat, melt four tablespoons of butter. Add onion and saute until clearing—about 3 minutes. Add one clove of minced garlic and cook one more minute.
Decrease the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup flour and continue to cook and stir continually until browning some—about 3 minutes.
Slowly add two cups of chicken or vegetable broth, and stir to mix in the flour mixture. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Allow to thicken some, then add two cups of milk. Bring to a low boil and allow to thicken.
Add broccoli, cover, and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer until broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.
Option: Some people like to puree with an immersion blender through the soup at this point. I only want a little of that blending, so I suggest a potato masher.
Add 2 cups of cheese of choice. I used sharp cheddar and Velveeta. Simmer another 5 minutes and serve.
📖Recipe
Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 1 head broccoli - large
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 onion - small
- 1 clove garlic
- ¼ cup flour
- 2 cups chicken broth - or vegetable
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheese of choice - assume 4 ozs. equals 1 cup if not shredded cheese
For Panara copycat soup-add with broccoli
- 1 cup carrot - matchstick, shredded, or diced
- 1 rib celery
Instructions
- Rinse and spoon size chop one head of fresh broccoli. I discarded the broccoli stalk. This should be about two cups.
- Mince a small or ½ of a medium onion. Over medium-high heat, melt four tablespoons of butter. Add onion and cook until clearing—about 3 minutes. Add one clove of minced garlic and cook one more minute.
- Decrease the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup flour and continue to cook and stir continually until browning some—about 3 minutes.
- Slowly add two cups of chicken or vegetable broth, stir to mix in the flour mixture. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Allow to thicken some, then add two cups of milk. Bring to a low boil and allow to thicken.
- Add broccoli, cover, and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer until broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.
- Option: Some people like to run an immersion blender through the soup at this point. I only want a little of that blending, so I suggest a potato masher.
- Add 2 cups of cheese of choice. I used sharp cheddar and Velveeta. Simmer another 5 minutes and serve.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Choose the cheeses you like. I prefer half Velveeta and half shredded sharp cheddar.
- Frozen broccoli works fine but may take a few minutes longer. Cook to the point of the broccoli is tender.
- If you want to copycat Panera, then add 1 cup matchstick-cut carrots and 1 stalk of thinly sliced celery at the same time as the broccoli.
- Make it Bacon Broccoli Cheese Soup. Everything is better with bacon. Chop 3 strips of bacon into ½ inch squares and fry until done. Drain and add along with the cheese.
- Great as leftovers. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's note: Originally published December 19, 2015. This has become one of my go-to recipes and is now updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Estelle Crawford
Love this receipe!
Definitely rate this a 5!
DrDan
Thanks, I love this one too.
Dan
Marms
Because I'm on a low-carb food plan I use an egg to thicken rather than flour. This is a terrific recipe. I can eat soup. everyday!
aizel
how much is a serving?
DrDan
About 1 - 1 1/4 cup. So not big servings. I do the recipe and then decide how many reasonable servings there are.
Dan
jc
This is very good I doubled the ingredients came out with plenty of leftovers.Will make again used velveeta only 16oz.
Jackie Z
Loved this soup, was easy to make, did it on the stove top in a Dutch oven. This will be my go to since all in ingredients I usually have on hand. Liked using milk instead of half and half. I rate this 5 excellent.
Carole
This is delicious and is one of my comfort foods. My son and husband don't like creamy soups, so it is my "prizer" when they are not home for supper. No changes to make - simply wonderful
DrDan
Hi Carole,
They really need to try this one.
Thanks for the note. So happy it works for you.
Dan
Tammy
Very good and easy. My entire picky family liked it. My son was disappointed that it was all gone. ?
DrDan
Hi Tammy,
Thanks for the note. I'm making this tomorrow for a light lunch before our evening Thanksgiving pig out.
Have a good holiday
Dan
DrDan
Thanks for the note.
You can adjust the number of servings in the recipe care above and then print. The 6 servings are average size so cutting in half would be 2 large servings.
The trouble with cutting in half will be only using half a head of broccoli and I usually use canned both (OK it is 14 oz and not 16 oz but close enough) so I would also have half a can of broth. Plus... I love leftovers.
Dan
Payton
I love this soup !!! It's so rich and creamy, full of flavor . Is it possible to make this for only 2 people ???
Martha Worley
Have made your recipe several times. Easy easy & so delicious. This freezes great. Just thaw completely & heat up slowly! Thanks a lot!!!
PS Didn't see any stars to click on. Would have a top rating for this.
DrDan
Hi Martha,
Thanks for the note. This is one of my favorite "original" recipes.
The ratings are now in the "recipe card" and not in the comments like it was before.
Dan
Megan
Just tried this and it was definitely yummy! Next time you make it try adding 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of prepared yellow mustard after the cheese is integrated - it really adds that certain something :-)
Andrea
I've used frozen broccoli and it was great. Tonight I'm using 3 cups chicken broth and only one cup of milk. I'm trying to decrease my dairy. Thanks for the recipe. It is my go to for broccoli and cheese soup.
DrDan
Hi Andrea, I'm sure that will "work" but there will be a little less creaminess I believe.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
karlagso
your soup was a hit with my 16 yr old daughter who's favorite soup was Panera...until yours!!!! question, if you are lactose intolerant and/or calorie conscious can you substitute unsweetened coconut milk or would that affect the flavor?
DrDan
So sorry I missed your comment. I suspect the coconut milk would be fine. As for the lactose issue, generally the harder the cheese the less lactose but you should be checking with the manufacture about that.
Dan
Brooke
Made this soup tonight for dinner and it turned out great! It was my first time making a broccoli cheese soup but this was easy to follow and delicious! Thank you for the recipe.
karlagso
correcting the stars as I had trouble with my ipad
Carole
Absolutely the best soup, and it heated up great the next day too. Thank you so much!
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I do love this soup.
DrDan
Joan
The soup is excellent! It does make more than enough for two as I have three pints in the freezer now. Until now, my favorite broccoli cheese soup was at T E Murches and it had the ends of cheese floating in it. Next time I make this, I will put in a few chunks of cheese to float around in the soup.
Chris
I like Velveeta for things like this too, I don't care, it's too wonderfully creamy! Printed this one off, I know my youngest boy will like this. Happy Holidays to you and your family, Dan!
Cheri
This looks wonderful and easy. Do you think it would turn out as well with thawed - previously frozen - broccoli?
Thank you for another great recipe to try.
DrDan
I'm almost positive and it probably would be fine with just putting it in frozen but remember to check for the end point of it being tender before adding the cheese.
DrDan
Sharon Hofmann
I always use frozen chopped broccoli, but pre cook it in broth for 10-15 min. I have always used Velveeta, bu am using half cheddar with it this time.
Mang
I found this soup quick and easy. Also added nutmeg, grated carrot and fine diced celery. I hope my friends like it! I eat plant base diet.
Saundra Kelley
Due to time constraints, I deliberately thawed the broccoli and it worked out just fine. I also used a blend of cheeses - delicious