Sneaking Veggies and Cheese: Why I Love This Soup

Alright, confession time. The first time I tasted Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, I was halfway through a long Saturday of errands and honestly, just needed something cozy (and, let’s be real, something I could eat one-handed in the car). Ever since, I’ve been slightly obsessed, so making a homemade version became a personal quest. There’s just something so right about dunking hunks of bread in a cheesy, broccoli-packed bowl. My brother calls this my “sneaky green soup”—the only way he’ll eat broccoli without making a face like he’s swallowed a lemon. Oh, and if you’ve ever tried grating a mountain of cheddar while your cat stares judgmentally? Highly recommend for the full experience.

Why I Keep Making This (Even When My Blender Explodes)

I make this when the weather gets weirdly cold (looking at you, April snowstorm), or if I want a "vegetable" dinner without feeling too virtuous. My family goes mad for this because, well, it’s just creamy, cheesy, and you actually notice the broccoli isn’t just a green afterthought. Back in the day, I tried skipping the flour once—ended up with a weirdly watery mess (blech). My partner wants bacon in it sometimes; I say fine, if you cook it yourself.

What You'll Need (and a Few Cheeky Shortcuts)

4 cups broccoli florets (fresh or frozen—don’t let anyone guilt you for frozen!)
½ onion, chopped (yellow, but red in a pinch—my gran used red onions, go figure)
2 carrots, peeled & grated (I’ve used pre-shredded carrots when lazy, nobody noticed)
2 cloves garlic, minced (jarred garlic totally works—I’d never tell a soul)
4 cups chicken or veggie broth (homemade is great, boxed saves loads of time)
¼ cup unsalted butter (honestly, I don’t always melt it first, seems to still work)
¼ cup all-purpose flour (tried whole wheat once; soup looked sad but tasted ok)
2 cups half-and-half or whole milk (creamier is, surprise, creamier—but milk is fine)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated by hand for best melt (pre-shredded works if you’re not in a grating mood)
Salt & pepper to taste
A pinch of nutmeg (sounds odd, but trust me!)
Optional: pinch of cayenne for heat, or a splash of hot sauce just before serving

Let’s Get Cooking (With a Few Real-World Wobbles)

Melt the butter in a big pot over medium heat. Throw in the chopped onion and carrots; let them hang out for around 5 minutes until soft (don’t stress if some bits get a bit golden—it’s called flavor).
Sprinkle in the flour and stir for a minute. It’s gonna clump up and look strange; don’t panic. Just don’t walk away, or it sticks (ask me how I know).
Pour in the broth, little by little, whisking to chase off the lumps. Add garlic, broccoli, and a solid dash of pepper. Bring it up to a gentle simmer. Stick a lid on (half-off is fine if you lose yours, like me) and cook for about 15 minutes, until broccoli is friendly and tender but not totally mush city.
Now for the fun. Either use an immersion blender right in the pot (my favorite, but one time the cord uncoiled and made a mess) or scoop out half, blitz it in a blender, then plop it back in. I leave some bigger bits for texture—you do you.
Pour in the milk (or half-and-half) and bring the heat down to low. Toss in most of your cheese, keeping a handful back if you want to sprinkle on top at the end. Stir until melty. If you see stringy cheese clumps, just keep stirring, in my experience they disappear if you threaten to call for takeout.
Add the pinch of nutmeg and any extra salt/pepper your heart desires. Taste test (I always burn my tongue here—never learn). Ladle into bowls and, if you’re feeling extra, top with that leftover cheese and maybe a drizzle of hot sauce.

Kitchen Discoveries (a.k.a. Notes to Self)

If you cook the broccoli until it’s falling apart, the soup gets super smooth but kinda loses its green pop—it’s a balancing act.
Pre-shredded cheese saves time, but the soup's not quite as velvety (but still tasty—I think the cheddar police are busy elsewhere).
Skipping the nutmeg feels wrong now. For years I left it out and the soup was good, but I never knew it could be that much better.

Soup Experiments That (Sort of) Worked

Adding roasted garlic once—super tasty but made the whole house smell like an Italian grandma’s kitchen for days (I kinda liked it, kids not so much).
Threw in cauliflower instead of half the broccoli during a fridge clean-out; actually, liked it! But if you use only cauliflower, it goes bland.
Tried adding smoked cheddar. Not my finest hour; it overpowered the whole pot. Maybe a little next time.

Pot, Blender, and... Honestly, That's Enough

Big soup pot (or Dutch oven, if you’re feeling fancy)
Immersion blender for easy blitzing—or a plain ol' blender with a tea towel over the top. If not, mash by hand; chunkier, but still good.
If you lose your whisk (like I do), a wooden spoon basically gets the job done. Soup is forgiving!

Keeping and Reheating (If You Even Have Leftovers)

Honestly, in my house this soup rarely lasts a day, but it should keep in the fridge, covered, for about 3 days. Reheat gently over low—cheese soups like to separate if they’re bullied into boiling. Might thicken up in the fridge, so just add a splash of milk when reheating to loosen it up. Or just eat it cold from the fridge, no judgment.

How We Eat It (Bread Involved, Always)

I usually serve this with big hunks of sourdough or crusty baguette (sometimes torn, never sliced, don’t know why, just tradition). If you want to be full Panera, hollow out a bread bowl—the mess is worth it. My niece dunks goldfish crackers in hers and declares herself a "gourmet".

What I Wish I'd Known (Pro Tips, Sort Of)

Rushing the cheese—don’t just dump it all in at once, or you’ll get a weird stringy funk. Scoop, stir, chill.
One time I forgot the flour step entirely and tried to add it after. Do not recommend. Just embrace it if you forget—soup's a liquid adventure some days.
Using skim milk sounds like a good idea but, trust me, the soup turns a bit sad and thin. Stick with whole milk if you can swing it.

Soup Questions People Actually Ask Me

Can you freeze this soup?
You can, but honestly, it does get grainy when thawed. If you’re cool with a texture change, go for it; otherwise, fridge is best.

Any way to make it vegetarian?
Oh for sure—just use veggie broth, and double check your cheese is veggie-friendly. Sometimes I throw in a little extra garlic, too.

What if I don’t have a blender?
I’ve mashed it with a potato masher before, turns out chunky but actually still so good. Or just leave it rustic!

Can I make it gluten-free?
Yeah, swap the flour for a gluten-free blend, or even cornstarch. Texture changes slightly but it's soup, not rocket science.

Is it really as good as Panera’s?
Look, nothing's exactly like that magical bread bowl moment, but homemade has its own charm (plus, way more cheese if you want!). And I swear mine reheats better.

By the way, if you ever find a cat hair in your finished bowl, you may have my cat to blame. He considers himself an assistant chef.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Copycat): Cozy, Cheesy Comfort

Sneaking Veggies and Cheese: Why I Love This Soup

Why I Keep Making This (Even When My Blender Explodes)

What You'll Need (and a Few Cheeky Shortcuts)

Let’s Get Cooking (With a Few Real-World Wobbles)

Kitchen Discoveries (a.k.a. Notes to Self)

Soup Experiments That (Sort of) Worked

Pot, Blender, and... Honestly, That's Enough

Keeping and Reheating (If You Even Have Leftovers)

How We Eat It (Bread Involved, Always)

What I Wish I'd Known (Pro Tips, Sort Of)

Soup Questions People Actually Ask Me

Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Copycat)

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

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