Healthy broccoli cheddar soup packed with carrots, broccoli, garlic, and cheese. This creamy velvety soup is much better than Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup and can be made in under 30 minutes for a fraction of the price! 
Soup is an essential winter meal and when it comes to picking our absolute favorite soup, this cheddar broccoli soup has earned the #1 spot. It’s a favorite of kids because of it’s creamy texture and cheesy flavor, and loved by parents because it’s secretly loaded with a ton of nutritious veggies.
If you’ve ever had Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup then you will LOVE this soup. It’s almost a copycat version of it except with much more flavor and texture.
The soup is made with an almost caramelized onion and garlic-based and thickened with a roux (butter and flour mixture) then simmered with veggie stock, broccoli, and carrots. At the very end, half & half and freshly grated cheddar cheese are added to give it a velvety smooth texture.
The result is a deliciously rich, thick and creamy broccoli soup that is loaded with the comforting flavors of broccoli and cheddar. 
HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP (BETTER THAN PANERA’S)
To make this delicious cheddar cheese you will only need a handful of ingredients, a large pot, and 30 minutes. Gather all your ingredients and let’s get cooking!
Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets along with the stems chopped into small bite-size pieces. A 12oz bag of frozen broccoli will also work. The instructions and cooking time are exactly the same.
Carrots: You will need about 1 cup of grated, finely minced, or julienned carrots. It is about 1 large carrot or 2 small carrots. This ingredient is optional and can be adjusted to your taste preference.
Cheddar: To get the best possible flavor, we like to use an 8oz block of mild or medium cheddar cheese. You can also use 2 cups of pre-grated cheddar cheese.
Half & Half: Half and half will yield a texture that is not too thick or too thin. It can also be replaced with milk for a light soup or heavy cream for keto dieters.
Stock: Veggie or chicken stock will work great and if you don’t have any on hand, replace the stock with water and add a bouillon cube.
You will also need a chopped onion, minced garlic, butter, flour, salt pepper and paprika (can be subbed with nutmeg if desired).
Scroll down for the full recipe, video, and nutritional facts. Please don’t forget to rate the recipe below and tag us on Instagram @gimmedelicious!
CAN YOU FREEZE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP?
CAN YOU FREEZE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP?To refrigerate: Place any leftover soup in airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days. Reheat on the stove-top over medium-low heat.
To freeze: Place in freezer-safe zip bags and freeze flat or in freezer-safe containers. To reheat, thaw completely then warm on low heat to prevent curdling.
HOW TO SERVE BROCOLLI CHEDDAR SOUP
This delicious soup is packed full of veggies and texture and can be perfectly eaten stand-alone and will make a filling meal. It can also be served in a bread bowl (like in Panera) or with crusty bread for dipping or topped with croutons! If you’re a meat-eater, you can top it with chopped grilled or shredded chicken or mix them in.
30 Minute Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Better than Panera!)
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, ½ stick
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tablespoon AP flour
- 2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp paprika, or ground nutmeg, optional
- 3 cups broccoli florets, or 1 large head, cut into small pieces
- 1 large carrot, grated, julienned or finely chopped
- 2 cups half & half, or milk or light or heavy cream
- 8 oz block grated cheddar cheese, or 2 cups (mild, medium, or sharp )
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook 3-4 minutes or until softened and light gold. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
- Add flour and whisk for 1-2 minutes or until the flour begins to turn golden in color. Pour in the chicken stock, broccoli florets, carrots, and seasoning. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are cooked through.
- Stir in half & half and cheddar cheese and simmer for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve with toasted crusty bread or in a bread bowl if desired.
Video
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Excellent soup. I used 4cups of Broccoli.
I’ve made this soup a few times and I love it! I triple the amount of broccoli and carrots because I love vegetables. The first time I made it I added extra garlic and it tasted too garlicy the next day when I reheated it, so I would not recommend exceeding the specified amount.
i used the same ingredients but different quantities and it turned out great 😋 my picky little sister even loved it!!!
Delicious added a few extra seasonings and used Dubkinger, med cheddar, and mozzarella.
I used left-over boiled broccoli from dinner the night before, and doubled the recipe. I made just as the recipe directed, but chopped up all of the veggies and simmered for 30 minutes before adding the half-and-half and cheese. It was Amazing! Served it with garlic bisquick biscuits. My grandkids LOVED it!
Delicious, but “better than Panera’s” is an interesting claim because it is exactly Panera’s recipe plus some garlic.
Came across this recipe, so glad I tried it. I added cauliflower to it and used cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese .
In a word delicious.
i added chicken for some extra taste, extra broccoli as well! never will go back to panera!!
Yum!
Why isn’t there a print option?
There is, it’s in the big blue box right before the Ingredients section starts.
Delicious!! Has anyone tried freezing leftovers?
When I tell you this looked so good! I can’t wait for NY guests to compliment me!
Thanks for this great recipe! I did add garlic powder and white pepper, and more paprika! Substituted salt for vegeta to enhance color and taste!
This recipe was definitely a hit! Saved! Delicious 😋
When I tell you this looked so good! I can’t wait for NY guests to compliment me!
Thanks for this great recipe! I did add garlic powder and white pepper, and more paprika! Substituted salt for vegeta! Delicious 😋
This really does taste just like the Pan era version!! The seasonings in the recipe are SPOT ON!! I serve mind over air fryer biscuits and it is sooooo good!! I’m critical when it comes to copycat recipes, but this one is a 10/10!
I made mind with the following variations/mistakes:
I used 3/4 cup heavy cream and 1 & 1/2 cups whole milk
I used 1 cup sharp cheddar, 1/2 cup mild cheddar, 1/3 cup Colby Jack, and I shredded those myself.
I used an extra garlic clove. I would not do this again. My cloves were bigger to begin with, and in the end, it was just a little bit too garlicky.
I added a little bit extra broccoli. The amount of broccoli was fine, but a little too crunchy for the soup, even after I sautéed for an extra minute. I would probably steam them, and the carrot shreds before starting everything else, just to help with texture. I would maybe use an immersion blender next time as well, as my toddler didn’t like hers chunky like I do!
I also added probably two more cups of cheese to thicken it up, as I didn’t use the half & half the recipe called for.
I still THOROUGHLY enjoyed this recipe! SO good! I can tell a lot of work went into getting this right, and it shows!!!
Outstanding!!! Definitely restaurant quality. I followed the recipe exactly (which is rare for me because I usually add my own flair) and I used the half and half and it turned out amazing! I wanted to eat more than I did (knowing how much cream and cheese was in there made me pump the brakes). Thanks for the recipe! I’ll definitely make it again!
This has become my signature dish. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
The soup was delicious, I didn’t have cream and only had 2% milk and it was delicious, I left my broccoli in kind of big pieces, I usually purée recipes such as this but I just wanted a change.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reporting back!
Can’t wait to make this..
The best version I have ever tasted. Such an easy recipe, and so tasty. We are adding this to our home menu from now on.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks for reporting back!
I’ve been making this stuff for about 30 years but the only thing is,I’ve never thought to add fresh garlic or carrots. I’m going to try it your way for supper tomorrow night,gonna have that and some filet mignon with a side salad. Although if it weren’t for my husband I’d probably just have the soup😂🤣yummmm
Yes so good!
Delish made it tonight