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Panera broccoli cheese soup Recipe
Nancy Wilson

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup A smooth, cheddar-forward copycat of Panera's broccoli cheddar soup, thickened with a butter-and-flour roux and finished with freshly shredded sharp cheddar.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 about 1.5 cups each
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 470
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tbsp 56 g unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced (about 1 cup / 110 g)
  • 2 medium carrots shredded (about 1 cup / 110 g), Panera's version uses shredded, not diced, carrot for color and a softer bite
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup 40 g all-purpose flour, this is the roux that thickens the soup; swap in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or 3 tbsp cornstarch (mixed into cold broth first) for a gluten-free version
  • 4 cups 960 ml low-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version
  • 2 cups 480 ml half-and-half, whole milk makes a lighter, thinner soup; heavy cream makes it richer and more forgiving if you're worried about breaking the sauce
  • 4 cups about 360 g broccoli florets, chopped small (fresh or frozen and thawed)
  • 3 cups about 340 g sharp cheddar, shredded from a block, pre-shredded bags are coated in starch to prevent clumping, and that same coating is what makes copycat versions turn grainy
  • 1/2 tsp ground mustard powder
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg optional, but it's the classic seasoning that rounds out a dairy-heavy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for background heat, not spice
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
Velveeta swap: Replace 1 cup of the shredded cheddar with 4 oz (about 1 cup) cubed Velveeta. It melts without any risk of breaking and gives a smoother, milder result, closer to a drive-through version than a sharp, cheddar-forward one.

Equipment

  • A 5–6 quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, thin pots scorch the roux and cheese
  • A box grater (or food processor with a grating disc) for the carrots and cheese
  • A whisk, for the roux and for stirring in the broth without lumps
  • An immersion blender (optional) for the partial-blend, Panera-style texture

Method
 

  1. Soften the vegetables. Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns soft and translucent with lightly golden edges, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  2. Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and whisk constantly for 60–90 seconds, until it turns a pale sandy color and smells nutty rather than raw. This step removes the raw-flour taste, don't skip it, even though it feels quick.
  3. Add the broth. Pour in the broth in a slow stream while whisking, to keep the roux from clumping. Bring to a gentle simmer, small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil, and let it thicken slightly, about 3 minutes.
  4. Add the dairy. Stir in the half-and-half. Bring the soup back to a bare simmer, not a boil. Boiling at this stage is the most common reason the sauce splits later.
  5. Cook the broccoli. Add the broccoli, cover, and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, until the florets are fork-tender but still bright green, not olive or gray.
  6. Blend partway (optional). For Panera's characteristic texture, smooth with visible broccoli bits, use an immersion blender to pulse the soup 3–4 times, just enough to break down some of the broccoli without pureeing it completely. Skip this step for a chunkier, homestyle soup.
  7. Melt in the cheese. Turn the heat down to low. Add the cheddar by the handful, stirring after each addition until fully melted before adding more. Keeping the heat low here is what keeps the sauce smooth, cheese added over high heat or all at once is the top cause of a grainy or broken soup.
  8. Season and serve. Stir in the mustard powder, nutmeg, and cayenne if using. Taste, then add salt and pepper, sharp cheddar varies a lot in saltiness, so taste before you season heavily. Serve immediately.

Notes

This recipe contains dairy and gluten as written. It is not vegan. For dairy-free, see the Variations section below, expect a noticeably different texture, not a direct swap. For gluten-free, use the cornstarch method above; the soup will be slightly glossier but just as thick.