Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-18When my sister Elina and I were teenagers, we would really love to hang out at Barnes and Noble bookstore. We were both bookworms growing up, so sitting in a quiet bookstore surrounded by hundreds of volume was our cup of tea. It was especially fun when we were planning our weddings. There was a Panera Bread just a few minutes away, and it became our tradition to stop by for soup and sandwiches either before going to the bookstore or right after. 100% of the time, we would both order the Broccoli Cheddar Soup. Elina was always such a picky eater, but she could eat broccoli a hundred different ways and cheese was always a big hit with her too. I’m not picky at all, and I just love the flavor of this soup. It’s so comforting.

It turns out we aren’t the only ones who love this creamy, cheesy and thick soup. Try googling “Broccoli Cheddar Soup”. You’ll get a ridiculous number, like 2,030,000 search results .  I have no idea how Panera Bread makes their soup, but this is my version of it. Enjoy. By the way, aren’t the country boules that I found in a local grocery store super cute? 

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, minced

2 carrots, peeled and grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)

2 cups half and half

1 dry bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

salt, pepper, to taste

6 cups broccoli (cut into florets and 1 1/2 inch pieces) (3 broccoli crowns with the stems)

2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1Melt the butter in a medium or large cooking pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-2Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the flour and mix it until it’s completely incorporated.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-3Cook it for about a minute to get the raw flour taste cooked out. Add the chicken broth and the half n half, mixing until it’s smooth. Add the bay leaf and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-4

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-5

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-6Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened. Discard the bay leaf. Add the broccoli and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender too. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-8

 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-9Add the cheese to the soup and mix it until it melts. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-10

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-11Pulse the soup in a blender in batches until it is the consistency that you like; you can make it completely smooth or chunky. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-12

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-13

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-19I like to set aside some of the cooked broccoli florets to add to the soup. Cut a circle off the top of some small sourdough or country boules. Take out the inside of the bread with your fingers or using a fork to make a cavity. Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-7Pour the soup inside the bread.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup-1-18

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
 
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Author:
Recipe type: Soups
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, minced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and grated
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 1 dry bay leaf
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • salt, pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups broccoli (cut into florets and 1½ inch pieces)(3 broccoli crowns with the stems)
  • 2 cups Cheddar cheese, grated
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Melt the butter in a medium or large cooking pot. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
  2. Add the flour and mix it until it's completely incorporated. Cook it for about a minute to get the raw flour taste cooked out.
  3. Add the chicken broth and the half n half, mixing until it's smooth. Add the bay leaf and the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the soup has thickened. Discard the bay leaf.
  5. Add the broccoli and cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the broccoli is tender too.
  6. Add the cheese to the soup and mix it until it melts.
  7. Pulse the soup in a blender in batches until it is the consistency that you like; you can make it completely smooth or chunky. I like to set aside some of the cooked broccoli florets to add to the soup.
  8. Cut a circle off the top of some small boules. Take out the inside of the bread with your fingers or using a fork to make a cavity. Pour the soup inside the bread.

40 Comments

  • Tanya

    Thank you so much for posting this! I’ve been looking for a great recipe and the one time I tried making it, it was not good. I can’t wait to finally try your version!

  • Natasha of Natashaskitchen.com

    Wow Olga this sure looks delicious! I do love the bread you found! It looks perfect! Pinning! 🙂

    • olgak7

      Thanks, Natasha! I thought it looked adorable; couldn’t pass it up. I might be weird, but I get strangely excited when I go grocery shopping:). I get so many great ideas and walk through the aisles with a silly grin on my face:).

  • Doug Hitchcock

    Will you be posting the instructions for the bread bowl tomorrow?! (I just don’t think I could properly enjoy it without the bread bowl!)

  • Alexandra

    This is totally everyone’s favorite soup! Broccoli and cheddar were practically made for each other. Yum 🙂

  • Olya

    Made it this morning! “Just like panera bread” stated my husband. I also made the bread bowls! Yummy! I ommited nutmeg (didn’t have any). Taste was still amazing! Thank you Olga! Gods Blessings for your family!

  • liz

    Olga, Can I use Heavy Whipping cream instead of the half and half. I know it has a thicker constistency, but would it work? I have some in my fridge now. Thanks!

  • Enessa

    Just made this with my toddler. He loves breaking apart the broccoli 🙂 so delicious too!! Thanks for the great recipe.

  • Tracee

    First, you are adorable! I love reading your stories as they relate to your recipe. I love this soup too and have tried different recipes 4-5 times. They were a disaster! I love Panera’s soup but don’t like the price of a quart! I am going to try yours tomorrow!

  • Hailey

    This is some of the most amazing soup I’ve ever had. I have a homesteading blog and I made it with some of the fresh veggies from my garden. May I share it as part of a recipe roundup?

  • Maryna

    I LOVE this soup! Thank you so much for the recipe, I already cooked it like 4 times and now hosting a family dinner for my parents and siblings to try. Love this recipe, it’s delicious!
    Quick question, for cheddar cheese does it mean I need to buy 16 oz of cheese or will I just measure out 2 cups as I shred it?

    • olgak7

      That’s awesome, Maryna. Thanks for your feedback.
      2 cups of cheese is actually 8 oz, not 16. But the amount of cheese is totally up to you. Add as much or as little as you prefer.

  • marina

    I made this soup before and it was so so good. I’m seven months pregnant now and craving panera bread every day. Going to make this again, save me some money! and it’s so much better! Also, I use organic white cheddar cheese. Healthier and richer taste. Thanks for the recipe, Olga.

    • olgak7

      Congratulations on your precious baby, Marina.
      When I was pregnant and on the days that I had an appetite, I would often crave this soup too:). I love using the white cheddar cheese too.

  • Lily

    I just made this today and it was a big hit!
    Since I have a Russian mom who loves to say “на глаз”, the main way I have been able to learn how to cook is through your recipes and a couple other Russian ladies. Thank you 🙂

  • Nicki

    We like a chunkier soup so I only puréed about 1/3 of it. I’m pretty sure it’s the best broccoli soup I’ve ever eaten. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  • Allie

    Phenomenal!!!! The flavors are amazing! Better then Panera. The only changes I made were: half the butter and nutmeg and more broccoli. Instructionsry are very easy to follow. Thank you Olga.

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