Better Than Panera Broccoli Soup (2024)

Thick, cheesy and loaded with broccoli! This Better Than Panera Broccoli soup is a delicious homemade version of a restaurant favorite.

The first time I went to Panera I ordered their broccoli cheddar soup and I have never looked back. It’s been a favorite of mine for years! I’m positive it’s loaded with all sorts of strange additives which is why I’ve been dying to make my own version. This is NOT a copycat version- it’s waaay better! I’ve added a few things here and there to make it healthier and more flavorful.

I started by cutting up 3 medium heads of broccoli. I know, that seems like a lot, but this is broccoli soup! I also cut up a leek and a small yellow onion. Instead of chopping up the carrot I julienned it into 1-inch long ribbons. I also minced up two cloves of garlic. I had to think about how long each ingredient needed to cook, so the leek, onion and garlic went in first. Then the broth, seasonings, and carrot.

I turned to mycheesy vegetable chowderfor the creamy base. In a separate pan I added butter, flour, milk, and cream, then cooked it until it was extra thick. That way when I added it to the broth it wasn’t super watered down. It gave it that nice consistency that Panera’s soup has without it being gelatinous (often a result of using cornstarch instead of flour).

All that was left to do was add the broccoli and cheese. It may seem weird to wait and add the broccoli until the very end, but trust me, no one wants to eat (or smell) soup with overcooked broccoli in it. Give it 6-8minutes to boil before removing the soup from the heat. The broccoli will continue cooking as you stir in the cheese.

Now comes the hard part. Let the soup sit for a good 10 minutes before you plan on serving it. As it sits the soup with thicken even more, and it won’t burn your taste buds when you eat it! ? We enjoyed eating ours with a big slice of my no-knead artisan bread. So good together! We had leftovers the following day for lunch and they reheated beautifully. And that’s saying a lot if you know me! I hope you’ll enjoy this version of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup as much as we did. Drop a comment below if you give it a try or if you just want to say hi.