Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup

This easy broccoli cheddar soup is thick, creamy, cheesy and loaded with flavors. It’s better-than-panera-bread-soup. Don’t forget warm crusty bread to dunk in this filling, comforting and hearty soup.

This is Panera Bread copycat broccoli and cheddar cheese soup recipe that can be easily created at the comfort of your home. The flavors might be slightly different from Panera Bread but that’s the beauty of this recipe. It’s very versatile and you can enhance the flavors the way you like.

If you like to add a bit of kick to the cheesy soup, add paprika or cayenne pepper. If you don’t like sharp cheddar taste, substitute with light cheddar. This soup is low-carb, takes under 30 minutes to prepare. So why hop on to your car every time you crave for this cheesy, gooey soup. Simply make it at home.

What is that you crave to have during colder months? Is it warm bowl of soup? Something cheesy in it? And maybe veggies added to it for nutrition?

That is exactly what this broccoli cheddar soup recipe is. Broccoli and carrots for the nutrition, sharp cheddar cheese (and Parmesan- which is optional) for flavors. A bowl of warm broccoli and cheddar soup and warm crusty bread to dunk into this cheesy goodness. HEAVEN!

Usually Panera’s broccoli and cheese soup is served in bread bowl. Definitely serve it in bread bowl if you have. But it’s equally good served in normal soup bowl.

We use roux to make thick creamy soup. Flour added to melted butter, cooked with stock and half n half until it’s consistency is thick. If you do not want to add flour to your soup and want to make it gluten free, you can use potatoes. Broccoli cheddar potato soup when blitzed gives you thick consistency soup just like the way you would want without the addition of flour.

Today we are making broccoli and cheddar soup recipe on stove top. You can follow the steps to make instant pot broccoli cheddar soup too.

Ingredients For Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Broccoli Heads – 2 large heads, chopped fine

Carrots – chopped into small pieces or grated (chop into chunks if you plan on blending the soup)

Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Cheese adds flavors and body to the soup. Best with sharp cheddar, yellow or white sharp cheddar can be used.

Parmesan Cheese (Optional) – Commonly Parmesan cheese isn’t used in broccoli cheddar soup, but adding little freshly grated Parmesan enhances the flavor and taste of this soup. You can’t deny cheddar and Parmesan cheese combination as one delicious combo.

Butter – Onions, garlic will be sautéed in butter. Flour is cooked in butter.

Yellow Onions – sauté onions in butter. Don’t skip onions.

Garlic – Garlic is cooked in butter before adding flour.

All Purpose Flour– For the roux. Cooking flour in butter and then whisked with stock and half n half to get thick consistency to the soup.

Chicken Stock (or Vegetable Stock or Water) – Chicken stocks again gives wonderful flavor to the soup. You can use water instead.

Half n Half – For creamier, rich taste, half n half is used in the recipe.

Pepper– Very important to season the soup. Don’t skip pepper.

Mustard Powder– Ground mustard powder or classic mustard sauce can be used.

Paprika (Optional) – I like little kick added to my soup.

Cayenne Pepper (Optional)– A combination of paprika and cayenne pepper adds wonderful kick to the soup. Adding these spices is optional. Use it only if you want like kick in your soup. Skip it otherwise.

NOTE : I did not add any salt to the soup. As cheddar cheese, parmesan (which is naturally salty enough) and chicken stock together has enough salt in it. This seasoned broccoli and cheddar soup enough.

Add salt only towards the end after you taste test the soup. If needed add to taste.

How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Cheese

In a soup pot, melt butter.

In melted butter saute diced yellow onions and minced garlic. Saute for 2 minutes until onions begins to sweat.

To make roux (to thicken the soup) add all-purpose flour(for gluten free option use gluten-free all purpose flour). Using a whisk, mix flour in butter and cook on low flame for about 2 minutes. Do not stop whisking.

Pour chicken stock gradually while whisking flour and cooking it.

Add the half n half as well. Continue to whisk and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in diced carrots and finely chopped broccoli. Use grated carrots and chop broccoli fine if you don’t want to blend this soup and if you like to leave it chunky.

Add in all the spice powders. Freshly ground pepper, ground mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and nutmeg(I skipped nutmeg) to the soup pot. Mix well until combined.

Cover soup pot with lid and let it simmer for 15 minutes on low flame until broccoli and carrots are cooked and tender.

If you want to have smooth creamy soup, blend it with immersion blender. Skip blending if you like chunky soup.

Blend soup. If you liked smooth creamy soup, blend for few extra seconds. Or you want to leave some chunks do not blend all the way.

Turn off flame. Add cheese in 3-4 parts.

Cook’s Tip : Make sure heat is off before you start adding cheese to the soup and stir until all cheese melts. Add the next portion of cheese only after the first batch of cheese is completely melted. This will prevent cheese turning grainy.

Once all cheese is added to soup pot and it’s melted, serve immediately hot in bread bowl and in regular soup bowl with crusty bread to dunk.

Garnish with steamed broccoli florets and extra cheddar cheese on top before serving.

How To Make This Vegan Broccoli Cheddar Soup

If you want to make vegan broccoli cheddar soup, substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock or water. Use olive oil in place of butter. Leave out half and half. And for cheese – soak raw cashews overnight, and then blend it with nutritional yeast, water and little lemon juice.

How To Store Broccoli Cheese Soup

Though this cheese soup is BEST when served fresh immediately, it can be made and stored for few days in fridge.

Once you make the soup, allow it to cool completely. Then store in air tight containers covered tightly for about 3 to 4 days in fridge.

Refrigerated soup may sometimes separate due to diary products added to it. You can reheat it with constant stirring and it will come together. Or simply blend it to make it smooth.

Can I Freeze Broccoli And Cheddar Soup

Yes you can but you’ll need to tweak the recipe little bit. The diary products in the recipe once frozen will separate and when reheated it will turn grainy. Do not add half n half to the recipe if you plan of freezing. Also if you notice soup has split once reheated, don’t worry i

Don’t worry it won’t taste bad. You can fix it by blending the soup for few seconds. It will turn smooth and creamy.

How To Thicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Without Flour – If you want to naturally thicken soup without adding flour you can simply puree or blend the soup. The cheese, half n half cream will add thickness to the soup. Add more cheese if you like to thicken it even more.

Alternatively add few pieces of potatoes to the soup and cook it well. Potatoes will thicken the soup. Blending this soup will potatoes in it will make it super thick and rich.

With Flour – Simply follow this recipe. The recipe uses flour to thicken. And if you want to make it gluten-free use gluten-free all-purpose flour or use starch thickener like arrowroot powder or corn starch.

Tips For Making Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• Chop vegetables fine to help turn veggies tender fast. It’s also easy to eat the soup with finely chopped vegetables.
• Do not add salt to the soup at the beginning of cooking. Cheese and stock will have enough salt. Taste and add salt only if necessary at the end. Else you’ll end up with salty soup.
• Pureeing soup is completely your choice. There are 3 ways to serve this soup –

• Serve it chunky consistency with vegetables cooked to tender and left as it is in the soup.
• Blend soup using immersion blender until it smooth and creamy.
• Or blend half quantity of soup into smooth texture and leave the other half chunky without blending. You’ll have soup that is creamy and has chunky bits to bite into.
• For best results use fresh vegetables instead of frozen veggies.
• To prevent grainy soup, use freshly grated cheese instead of pre-grated cheese which more likely has fillers and preservative. Also do not add cheese while soup is boiling on stove. Turn off heat and stir in half full of cheese at t time, stirring until cheese melts. Add next portion of cheese only after all added cheese is melted.
• To get thick, rich tasting soup use half n half cream or heavy cream. I wouldn’t recommend milk if you are after rich soup.
• Adding paprika and cayenne pepper is optional, but highly recommended. It adds heat to the soup which goes so well with the heaviness and rich taste.

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