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?
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
Made this for the first time. Followed the directions almost to the tee (added chopped celery) but doubled the receipe…. it was EXCELLENT!!! Huge hit with my family! I will definitely be making this again!!!!
This was so delicious!! I will for sure be making this again!!
This was the best recipe for broccoli cheddar soup! The only things it needed were white pepper and some garlic powder. Thanks for sharing!,
Great, as-is! Thanks!
I have made this two times this week because it’s so good and easy to make, thanks!
Absolutely brilliant soup. So tasty. Brought back happy memories visiting America!
I doubled this recipe as is. The only changes I made- I used a splash of white wine to reduce the pn when the broccoli was simmering in the broth. I was nervous about the broth to broccoli ratio but I wouldn’t change it if you like a thick and creamy soup! I also used Pamela’s gluten free all purpose flour blend.
I used heavy whipping cream and Kerrygold sharp cheddar and it was soo delicious and creamy. Whole family and the neighbors loved it!
Absolutely loved this soup! First time made it and couldnt be happier! Adapted the measurements for UK measures and it worked perfectly. Will definitely be doing again! Only question I have is can it be frozen does anyone know?
Great recipe. I doubled it and did have to add some extra cheese. I also took about one cup and blended it. Other than those little changes it is wonderful.
Thank you for this comment. I have a big family and was wondering if it was good to double it. Can’t wait to try it ☺️😋
Hello! Excited to make this. Does this freeze well?
Terrific recipe, family loved it!
This is my go to recipes when I want to make this soup. My mother in law really enjoys it and that’s always a plus in my book 🙂 especially since I’m not the best cook compare to her.
I will not lie here, I took my time with this recipe one nite and I followed the recipe closely!!!!!!!!!
I ended up doubling the broth!!!!!! Let me explain why… As I was making this recipe following the instructions closely during each step!!!!!
Once I added the broccoli into the 2 cups of broth/flour mixture…… THE BROCCOLI SOAKED UP ALL THE LIQUID IN THE POT!!!!!!!!! YIKES!!!!!!!!!
And to think I have been cooking and using recipes for the last 10 years for ALLLLLLL types of cooking and baking.
I was shocked to also discover that the broccoli florets were NO WHERE NEAR being cooked at 10-15 minutes!!!!!!
So what I did to fix this recipe on the fly in order to turn it into soup……
1. I added 4 cups vegetable broth (in addition to the supposed 2 cups that the broccoli sucked up)
2. Cooked the broth & broccoli florets for 20 – 25 minutes in the 4 cups of broth
This means that for MY alterations + the original recipe ingredients
I had a total of 6 cups of broth!!!!!!!!!!
Anywayyyyy….. after cresting the top of the hurtle….
I added MORE CHEESE!
I added a whole 16 oz block sharp cheddar cheese, grated.
I would suggest adding at least 8 oz sharp cheddar & a 8 oz “fancy” cheddar cheese.
With all these changes, I only added 1/2 cup more half/half.
My suggestion is to please try the original recipe as is.
However, I had to make these changes to end up with a broccoli cheddar soup. Try mine changes.
It is fabulous! So easy to make. I love it as is and also when I add diced ham to it. Making it now for a church function.
I don’t usually comment and usually think the reviews are true ? But I have to say this was one of the easiest recipes and followed to the end , all I can say it was FABULOUS!!!and I will be making it again and will recommend it to mr friends and family.
I made this today, and it was delicious. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Soooo looking forward to making this recipe! Need it to serve more though, so do I just double everything?
Exactly! Enjoy 🙂
Fresh or frozen broccoli?
Fresh is much better!
It said either. If frozen use 12 Oz bag
I’m on a low carb diet. Do you think it would be okay to leave out the flour?
You can go ahead and use almond flour or xanthan gum. For the xanthan gum, you would use just a pinch as it absorbs much more moisture than regular flour.
Would the almond flour be the same measurement as AP flour?
Wow!! This is the best! I haven’t made broccoli soup before so this was my first time. I will make it again. I did add extra vegetable stock to mine only because there was not enough liquid to cook the broccoli and carrots. This is easy and awesome!!
I realized I did not give it any stars….fixing that now. 🙂 Deserves 5 stars!
Thank you!! <3
Absolutely delicious!!! I fixed it tonight for first time. We will be eating this all winter! Thank you for sharing. Loved it!!!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the soup, Marsha! 🙂
This soup was so good I’m leaving my first ever recipe review! So this was excellent recipe, of course there’s a but…I added two extra cups of water, omitted the salt because I used regular chicken broth and I used my immersion blender to make it less chunky. I didn’t cut my broccoli small enough. I always would recommend prepping all ingredients before you start cooking. Sooo yummy! Thank you! I’ll definitely make this easy soup again!
Oh wow thank you, Joyce!! <3
This was an absolute disaster. I’m sure some of that was user error but it just went from bad to worse. It was chunky (needs about half the flour or double the liquid) and has ZERO flavor. I had to keep adding salt until eventually it was beyond repair. I’m sure that part was my fault but I hate I had to even get to that point. Chef beware!
This is probably the first negative comment I’ve ever received on this recipe! Not sure why it did not work out for you but the flavor might have been diluted when you continued to add more liquid. Hope it works out for you next time. Thanks for stopping by 🙂
Even though I totally messed this up, it still turned out pretty yummy! I had grated both the carrots and the cheddar cheese, and when it was time to put the broccoli and carrots in, I accidentally put the cheese in because they looked the same! I was concerned about the cheese boiling, so I didn’t keep the veggies simmered for the full 15 minutes–maybe only 6 minutes. Despite the veggies not being thoroughly cooked, and the cheese being put in too early, it was still good. Next time, I’ll forgo the added salt or buy low-sodium chicken stock because it was pretty salty. And I also feel it could use one extra carrot. Otherwise, great recipe!
I make this almost every week 🤣 it comes out perfect everytime! Even my kids love it!
This is the best cream of broccoli soup that I’ve ever had. I was searching for a new recipe to replace one that I’ve used for years. I finally found it.
Recipe needs about 50% more liquid for that much flour or it’s never even going to boil, it’ll just turn into a dumpling, but besides that it’s good.
I agree needs Way more liquid than my flower I also strained my room once I added the water because it was so unbalanced this recipe is really good it just needs to be edited if you know how to cook you editing the recipe should be no problem it taste great
You strained your room?
Haha. Just playing
This was amazing! I have never made broccoli cheddar soup before but WOW! I did add one additional cup of chicken broth. Thank you!
The whole family loved it. I used 1c heavy cream and 1c whole milk and it turned out a little thin so I think next time I’ll use only heavy cream since I like my soup thick. Other then that perfect and really easy to make.
I made this today. Used both nutmeg and paprika. Added about a half cup of white wine. Had no carrots so just added more broccoli.
It was wonderful.
Thank you for such a great base recipe.
Can I substitute vegetable broth with water?
If you want to, sure. However you will lose that base flavor the broth provides.
Yes, that works!
Absolutely delicious soup! Followed the recipe as-is (aside from doubling the batch) and LOVED it! Made for a late Sunday lunch and my family have it 5 stars! Thank you 🙂
I’m a fairly good home cook. I’ve made Broccoli Cheese soup many different ways BUT this recipe is now my go to Broccoli Cheese soup recipe. I’ve always puréed it and I’ve discovered that I prefer it in blended. It’s a forgiving recipe. I had an odd small sweet potato and diced that up with the carrots and broccoli. 😋
This recipe gave me the base way to make the soup. But ofcourse I pizazzed it with my own seasonings. Thank you
Delicious! I used sharp cheddar, vegetable broth, nutmeg, and added a bit of mustard powder. I also used a whole onion. My only suggestion is that if you used chopped carrot, you will need to cook longer before that is done. So next time, I will grate that. And I plan to try subbing part swiss cheese next time. (Have always done that for broccoli quiche.)
Great soup recipe. Easy and anyone can add delete and make it their own. I followed the recipe snd found to be perfect for us. Happy cooking everyone!
I had been craving broccoli cheddar soup for at least a week, but had never made it myself. I found this recipe, and holy cow! It was fantastic!! After reading comments, I added about 1 extra cup of chicken stock and about 4 extra ounces of (extra sharp) cheese but otherwise followed it as written (maybe some extra broccoli)….and YUM!!
Delicious! I made this tonight after having a broccoli cheddar soup craving and I chose this recipe and I am so glad I did! I’ll be having leftovers for lunch tomorrow! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the wonderful feedback!
My 18 year old granddaughter requested I make a broccoli cheddar soup and I chose your recipe. She loved it. Said it was better than Panera. I had to try it even though I m doing weight watchers. Great and easy recipe. Thanks for the recipe.
Happy to hear that!
Delicious soup way better than Panera bread. I do buy the bread bowls and put this soup in it amazing a must try.
this was soooo good. I did use half and half and some 2% and a little less cheese. Hey we all do our little things but this was so good.
Oh my god. Hands down one of the best soups I’ve made to date! Was a HUGE hit with my mom and sister and they demanded I print this one to make again and again! So easy to make too, and takes no time! Thank you for the recipe, this one is a long time keeper!
So Happy to hear that, Samantha 🙂
I’m not a fan of cooked onion, would I be able to add it in raw or completely leave it out?
onion powder to give it the flavor you need
You can leave it out if you’d like 🙂
Smokey remix.
I finely diced about 4oz of bacon and rendered it down over med-low heat until there were a few tbsps of visible liquid fat. Then (after separating the solids), I used the rendered fat to sauté the aromatics and make the roux. I added the bacon solids back with the other veggies.
I also subbed smoked paprika and swapped half my cheddar (4oz) for smoked gruyere. Fantastic!
This is a great recipe and tastes exactly like Panera bread but wayyy better. I make my own veggie broth to control for sodium so pairing this with a salad (usually copycat Fuji apple), I don’t feel even the slightest bit guilty about digging into a bowl. Highly recommend sticking to the recipe and giving it a try. Thanks for posting!
My husband said “can we have this soup on a routine basis?” He never says that.
Amazing! We are soup lovers, and this is now on our regular rotation. We used 3 cups of homemade broth, and I don’t know how this recipe would have worked without the extra cup; there was just enough liquid to keep the veggies submerged. I used smoked paprika and doubled the amount, and then I added a half a bottle of some stout beer. Before adding the heavy cream and cheese, I used an immersion blender to make it a smooth consistency. I used a little extra cheese, butter, and garlic, too. We used Walmart’s Great Value brand shredded Triple Cheddar. Next time, I am planning to add some chipotle chili powder for a little kick and some more smoky flavor.
This was good! Had to double the broth… 2 cups is nowhere near enough. Even the 4 cups was barely enough. But everything else was spot on!
Loved this soup. Made a couple of substitutions: used 2% milk, extra sharp cheddar, replaced chicken broth with vegetable broth and omitted garlic (not a fan of garlic). Was so delicious. Loved some of your reviewers suggestions. Next time we will try adding 1 stalk diced celery, 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast 1/2 tsp dry mustard and a dash of cayenne. Thanks for the great recipe and your reviewers great suggestions.
This broccoli cheddar soup was super delicious!
Fixed this for my parents. They loved it. When the conversation stops and all you hear is spoons hitting bowls…it’s gooooood.
Thanks for sharing.
OMG! Delicious!! Just had this for supper with salmon sandwiches on fresh, homemade buns. Perfect meal. I left the cheese out cuz one family member cant eat it. Thosebwho wanted cheese, grated it over the hot bowl. Amazing.
Way too fatty with the flour, butter, and tons of cream and cheese. No wonder we are so obese these days. Substitute with a potato, cashews, and nutritional yeast to make it a little more healthy.
It’s called broccoli CHEDDAR soup! Obviously, there’s going to be lots of cheese and will be fatty. It’s not a potato/cashew/nutritional yeast soup. Give me a break.
Right on, Mike!
Good grief life is too short! I feel bad for you.
A great recipe! My family loved it and this will be our go to from now on. I did add a bit of chopped celery, and I like a bit of bite from cayenne and dry mustard, but otherwise, perfect!!! Oh yes, and be sure to use extra sharp cheese.
Extra sharp all the way!
Before I start making this should mix in the flour with a little chicken broth so it does not come out clumpy?
I didn’t and it was not lumpy at all.