• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
101 Cooking For Two
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
  • 📋About
  • ❓FAQs/Help
  • 🛒Shop
  • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • 👨‍🍳RECIPES
    • 📋About
    • ❓FAQs/Help
    • 🛒Shop
    • 📮Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    🏠Home » Recipes » Soup Recipes

    Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

    Sep 28, 2021 | Last Updated Apr 18, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.44 from 313 votes

    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.

    broccoli cheese soup in blue bowl

    Table of Contents
    • 🥦Ingredients
    • 👨‍🍳How to Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
    • 👨‍🍳Copycat Panera's Broccoli Cheese Soup
    • 🥣Variations of Broccoli Cheese Soup
    • ❓FAQs
    • ❄️Storage
    • 📖Comfort Soup Recipes
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • 📖Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    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

    My rating system. Great 5 out of 5

    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

    1. Prepare fresh broccoli by trimming the broccoli florets into bite size pieces.
    2. Mince a small onion and saute in butter in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the garlic near the end of cooking.
    3. Sprinkle in flour and make a rour.
    4. Slowly add chicken broth and milk while continuing to stir to thicken.
    5. When thickened, add the broccoli. decrease to simmer and cover.
    6. Cook until the broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.
    7. Puree a bit with an immersion blender or potato masher.
    8. 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

    What pan to use to make broccoli cheese soup?

    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.

    What broth to use for broccoli cheese soup?

    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

    Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

    Old Fashion Vegetable Beef Soup

    Tomato Basil Soup

    This recipe is part of our Our Best Soups.

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    101's Best Recipes, Comfort Food Recipes, Soup Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    raw broccoli with soup ingredients

    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.

    chopped broccoli on black board

    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.

    adding chopped onion to melted butter

    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.

    sprinkling flour to make a roux

    Decrease the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup flour and continue to cook and stir continually until browning some—about 3 minutes.

    adding milk to the soup pot

    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.

    broccoli added to the soup pot

    Add broccoli, cover, and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer until broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.

    using a potato masher on the soup

    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.

    adding cheese to soup

    Add 2 cups of cheese of choice. I used sharp cheddar and Velveeta. Simmer another 5 minutes and serve.

    broccoli cheese soup in ladel
    graphic Subscribe to 101 Cooking for Two

    📖Recipe

    broccoli cheese soup in blue bowl

    Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    One pot, one hour, one of the best broccoli cheese soups is yours with this quick and easy recipe. Make it a copy-cat Panera version or even better with your own variations.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.44 from 313 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 6

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 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.
      chopped broccoli on black board
    • 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.
      adding chopped onion to melted butter
    • Decrease the heat to medium. Add ¼ cup flour and continue to cook and stir continually until browning some—about 3 minutes.
      sprinkling flour to make a roux
    • 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.
      adding milk to the soup pot
    • Add broccoli, cover, and turn down the heat to simmer. Simmer until broccoli is tender—about 25 minutes.
      broccoli added to the soup pot
    • 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.
      using a potato masher on the soup
    • Add 2 cups of cheese of choice. I used sharp cheddar and Velveeta. Simmer another 5 minutes and serve.
      adding cheese to soup
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    My Private Notes

    Click here to save your own private notes only you will see. These will print and be saved for your next visit.
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips:

    1. Choose the cheeses you like. I prefer half Velveeta and half shredded sharp cheddar.
    2. Frozen broccoli works fine but may take a few minutes longer. Cook to the point of the broccoli is tender.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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

    Calories : 274 kcal (14%) | Carbohydrates : 12 g (4%) | Protein : 13 g (26%) | Fat : 20 g (31%) | Saturated Fat : 11 g (55%) | Polyunsaturated Fat : 0.3 g | Monounsaturated Fat : 2 g | Cholesterol : 62 mg (21%) | Sodium : 718 mg (30%) | Potassium : 259 mg (7%) | Fiber : 1 g (4%) | Sugar : 6 g (7%) | Vitamin A : 950 IU (19%) | Vitamin C : 38 mg (46%) | Calcium : 370 mg (37%) | Iron : 0.5 mg (3%)
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Soup
    Cuisine : American

    © 101 Cooking for Two, LLC. All content and photographs are copyright protected by us or our vendors. While we appreciate your sharing our recipes, please realize copying, pasting, or duplicating full recipes to any social media, website, or electronic/printed media is strictly prohibited and a violation of our copyrights.

    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.

    Molly and Lilly Dog with a toy

    « Crock Pot French Onion Soup
    Old Fashioned Popcorn Balls Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Punam Paul @punampaul.com

      January 08, 2019 at 2:53 am

      Interesting soup easy and quick recipe. I first time tried a broccoli cheese combination. This soup is very delicious.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        January 09, 2019 at 6:19 pm

        Welcome to the blog.
        I do love this soup. Glad it worked well for you.
        Dan

    2. Michelle

      December 16, 2018 at 6:18 pm

      Made this for dinner. So easy and delicious. Next time will add bacon. Better than Panera's soup. Thank you. Will definitely make this a favorite.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        December 16, 2018 at 6:30 pm

        Hi Michelle,
        Welcome to the blog.
        I just had this soup again yesterday. It is a favorite of my wife's. I use bacon if I have it.
        Thanks for the note and Happy Holidays.
        Dan

    3. Erica Johnson

      December 07, 2018 at 11:05 pm

      My husband and I are new empty nesters and I have found cooking for two to be a challenge. I came across this recipe and tried it tonight. It was perfect and just enough left over for lunch tomorrow! Thank you so much for my new favorite soup!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        December 07, 2018 at 11:30 pm

        Hi Erica,

        Welcome to the blog.

        This is one of my most favorite recipes. I do it once or twice a month. Usually I double for leftovers and the freezer.

        Since you are really "cooking for two", you might want to check out my discussion about recipe size at https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/recipes-not-two-servings/ so you won't be too disappointed that all recipes are not for two servings.

        Have a look around and let me know if you have any questions.

        Thanks for the note.

        Dan

      • Betty Davis

        January 18, 2019 at 9:18 pm

        I love this recipe. I put the broccoli stock in my bullet with a little chicken broth then added it in.That made it more rich

    4. JC

      November 28, 2018 at 4:40 pm

      This soup is amazing! I didn’t have broth so just used water in it’s place and a couple drops of liquid smoke (I’m vegetarian and was thinking abt the bacon suggestion), then added the carrots and celery. My 11 year old son just had it and said, “this is my second favorite food of all time now even though i wasn’t expecting to like it after the strong smell of onions”, haha! He hasn’t loved any new foods for a couple years now. Our new favorite recipe. Thank you. :)
      PS- 6 year old loves it, too. Wow!

      Reply
    5. Kim

      November 19, 2018 at 5:02 pm

      I want to make homemade soup, but I am all’s trying to eat Keto, what can I use instead of cornstarch or flour to thicken the broth?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 19, 2018 at 5:15 pm

        Hi Kim,

        Welcome to the blog.

        About half the carbs are from the flour. The usual thickening products used in cooking are all basically carbohydrates. Due to all the cheese, this will still be fairly thick even without the flour and you can always add more cheese.

        Hope that helps.

        Dan

    6. Sarah

      November 16, 2018 at 3:57 pm

      Would it be ok to make this on the stove then transfer to a crockpot to keep warm? I’m wanting to take it to a get together with some friends.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 16, 2018 at 4:30 pm

        Hi Sarah,

        Welcome to the blog.

        It will be a little tricky. You need to keep it about 140 degrees but not higher than 155 or so. If higher, it continues to cook and if lower for 2 hours, you should assume it is not safe. "keep warm" on crock pots is very non-specific.

        It does reheat well and just reheating there would be safer. Keep below 40 degrees during transport.

        Dan

    7. Judy

      November 06, 2018 at 12:14 pm

      So if you were making a double batch in the pictures how many servings is that? Has anyone tried this in the crockpot?

      Reply
      • DrDan

        November 06, 2018 at 2:13 pm

        Hi Judy,

        A single batch is 4 good servings but no seconds for anybody. I did this last weekend for lunch for 4. I made a double. I had to buy that much broccoli and wanted some leftovers. My wife and I had two more good size meals. So truly 8 servings in the double batch.

        Crock pot - probably not too good. You need to make the initial roux for thickening and that just can't be done in a crock pot. Since you already have the pan dirty doing the roux and adding the broth and milk to thicken, I see no good role for a crock pot.

        Also, this freezes well.

        Dan

    8. Katelyn

      October 27, 2018 at 11:11 pm

      AMAZING! Instead of milk, I used half and half. I only had 1% milk and I was worried I wouldn’t have the same creamy text and taste. It came out amazing with the half and half sub. I definitely recommend! Will be making this often for my family!

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 28, 2018 at 9:07 am

        Hi Katelyn,
        Welcome to the blog.
        Glad it worked well for you. I use the milk I have which is almost always fat-free. There is lots of fat in the butter and cheese so it works well. But I will never argue with more cream. It can only make it better.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    9. Shauna Guymon

      October 24, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      Oh my heck This is so good and so easy!!! The only thing I did was add a pinch of thyme and about 1/2 a tsp. of brown mustard.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        October 28, 2018 at 9:28 am

        Hi Shauna,

        Welcome to the blog and sorry for the late reply.

        I do love this recipe. But I always love simple things.

        Thanks for the note.

        Dan

    10. Kim

      October 13, 2018 at 8:02 pm

      Dr Dan Thank you. This is great soup. Will have to try more later. 😍.

      Reply
    11. Vickie

      July 26, 2018 at 12:19 am

      I wander if I could use a can of Campbell’s cheddar cheese soup if I have no velveeta cheese

      Reply
      • DrDan

        July 26, 2018 at 8:41 pm

        I would just use a more cheddar or other cheese. I'm not a fan of the cheese soup in a can but it is up to you if you want to try it.
        Dan

    12. Michelle

      June 04, 2018 at 7:58 pm

      I found this recipe surfing around on Pinterest,figured it was easy so I tried it. Let me tell ya this is now my go to recipe. It is quick and easy and DELICIOUS! Thanks for a pin win !!!

      Reply
    13. Rondi

      March 24, 2018 at 7:32 pm

      This soup is very, very good. Pretty fast from start to table. I always feel like I am making something so good and nutritous for us when I make this soup. Your recipe is easy to follow. Perfect quantities of ingredients. It also freezes well. I look forward to following more of your recipes.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 25, 2018 at 10:20 pm

        Hi Rondi,
        I do love this soup. I have totally lost count of the number of times I have done this. I had another similar soup on the blog and last week I deleted it and redirected all the traffic to this recipe.
        Thanks for the note and have a look around the blog. Let me know if you have any questions.
        Dan

    14. Rhonda

      March 13, 2018 at 3:47 pm

      Love the recipe it's so good. Try with a little cayenne pepper it give it just a little more flavor and heat

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 17, 2018 at 10:15 am

        Hi Rhonda,
        I like the cayenne idea.
        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    15. Sara

      March 13, 2018 at 1:25 pm

      Great soup easy and quick to whip up with ingredients you have to use up in your kitchen and fridge. Thanks a bunch it's gonna be dinner for my family and I tonight ❤❤❤

      Reply
      • DrDan

        March 17, 2018 at 10:14 am

        Thanks for the note.
        Dan

    16. Jean Green

      February 20, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      Great soup, I doubled the recipe using broccoli and shallots from my garden
      And Half and half with my 1% milk. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    17. Melissa Morgan

      February 14, 2018 at 11:11 pm

      Made this tonight, first time ever making broccoli cheddar soup which I love. Some changes were required. I didn't have chicken or veg broth so I used water w/ some soy sauce. (Advice from the internet) I used fresh broccoli and sharp cheddar. It was simple to follow and came out really good. Next time I will not add 1/2 tsp. salt as it seemed too salty. Could have been the soy sauce. It was a success nevertheless, I will make it again. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        February 14, 2018 at 11:20 pm

        Hi Melissa,
        Yep, probably the soy sauce, it is loaded with sodium.
        Glad it worked for you and thanks for the note.
        Dan

    18. Marcy

      February 10, 2018 at 11:28 am

      Dr. Dan, this soup is delicious! Had a fail with another recipe and glad I was brave enough to try again. Sooo good! I have made many of your recipes over the years and they are all excellent! I have learned a lot from you. Thank you.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        February 10, 2018 at 11:40 am

        Hi Marcy,
        I consider this one of my best recipes. I love simplifying recipes like this. I just add the bacon option for my wife last week.
        Thanks for the note, enjoy the site and let me know if you have any questions.
        Dan

    « Older Comments
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Comment (Policy Link in Footer) Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    DrDan image Hi, I’m DrDan and welcome to 101 Cooking for Two, the home of great everyday recipes with easy-to-follow step-by-step photo instructions. About DrDan

    Popular Recipes

    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Filet Mignon
    • Pan Seared Oven Baked Chicken Breast
    • Oven Baked Chicken Legs - The Art of Drummies
    • Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
    • How To Cook Sausage in the Oven
    • How to Cook Bacon in the Oven - Step by Step
    • Oven Pulled Pork - Low & Slow Pork Butt
    • Pan Seared Oven Roasted Strip Steak

    kitchen reference sheet graphic wide blue
    graphic of sites that I work with or have had recipes featured or referenced.
    SITES THAT I WORK WITH OR HAVE HAD RECIPES FEATURED OR REFERENCED.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top ↑

    About

    • About DrDan
    • Sign up for Emails
    • Contact Me
    • The Shop
    • Links, Ads, and Guest Posts
    • Helpful Reader Links

    Top Content

    • Saved Recipes Collections
    • 101's Best Recipes
    • Recipe Index

    Policies

    • Comment Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Copyright Policy

    Educational

    • Food FAQ
    • Kitchen Reference Sheets
    • Guide To Cooking for Two

    dogs by the pond

    COPYRIGHT © 2010-2022 101 COOKING FOR TWO. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BASED ON FOODIE PRO THEME