Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Ever had the broccoli cheese soup on the Panera Bread menu before? Ever wish you could make it at home? Like a lot of restaurant recipes, it’s hard to exactly recreate the same creaminess, consistency, and color.However, this Panera broccoli cheese soup recipe is the closest I’ve ever found. It’s thick broth, full of gooey cheese, and filling. You can even spend the extra few bucks and put it in a bread bowl if you really want to get fancy.The secret is in the cook times. You have to create a rue and let it simmer, allowing the soup to thicken to the perfect consistency. It also helps if you have an immersion blender since pouring the soup into a regular blender for mixing can get messy and make extra dishes to wash. With this Panera broccoli cheese soup recipe, you’ll have friends thinking you picked up lunch instead of making it at home in under an hour and a half.

Total time:1 hr and 10 min

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

• 6 TB butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ TS nutmeg
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 ½ cups of cheddar cheese

Cook it:

• Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or in a large pot over medium heat
• Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes
• Whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes
• Gradually whisk in the half-and-half until the broth is smooth
• Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, nutmeg, and season to taste with Kosher salt and ground pepper
• Bring to a simmer then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until thickened, about 20 minutes
• When the broth has thickened, remove the bay leaves
• Add the broccoli florets and carrot to the broth and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes
• When the veggies are tender, puree the soup with an immersion blender or in a traditional blender until there are just flecks of the veggies
• If you used a traditional blender, return the soup to the pot
• Add the cheddar cheese and whisk over medium heat until melted
• If the soup is too thick for your liking, add water until the desired consistency is reached
• Pour the soup into bowls, garnish with some extra cheddar cheese and enjoy! Your friends will barely be able to taste the difference

Broccoli cheese soup is one of my favorites and to be able to replicate the recipe from Panera is not only a money and time saver but a taste bud pleaser. Take the soup to parties, add sour cream and thicken a little more for a delicious dip, or just take it for lunch. Maybe something you’d find on the Panera secret menu but not on the regular menu. This Panera-esque broccoli cheese soup recipe will keep you full, please your stomach, and impress even the pickiest of eaters.