What Is Broccoli Cheese Soup
Broccoli and cheese soup is essentially a blended cream of broccoli soup with cheese. We use 2 types of cheese sharp cheddar and shredded parmesan. For years, we have been working on developing a broccoli cheese soup that we loved and the key was in combining the two kinds of cheese for balanced and rich flavor.
Can I Use Frozen Broccoli Instead Of Fresh
We always prefer using fresh broccoli for this recipe. Its really easy to find, and the price is almost always right! That said, if you have a big bag of frozen florets in the freezer youd like to use, thats okay too. Just know that your soup may be a bit more watery due to the extra moisture. In that case, you can always add a bit more flour to thicken it back up!
How To Make Bread Bowls:
You can recreate the famous restaurant-style Broccoli Cheese Soup by serving it in a toasted bread bowl. Its truly easy to make homemade bread bowls and feels like dining out. When the bread is toasted, it crisps up on the outside and tastes like a fresh loaf out of a bakery delicious!
- What Kind of Bread for Bread Bowls? You will need 6 to 7 diameter sourdough round loaves also known as boules. Using a serrated knife, cut off the tops and scoop out the centers with a spoon to make room for the soup.
- To Toast the Bread: Place on a baking sheet then broil on high heat on the center rack of the oven for 2-3 minutes or until the tops are golden brown then remove from oven. Keep a close eye on your bread since it can burn quickly.
Cooks Tip: Keep those soft centers you scooped out to serve with the soup or use them to make croutons for your next Caesar Salad!
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All About The Cheddar
Our #1 tip for this soup is to use freshly grated cheddar cheese. Thats right, we suggest buying a block of yellow cheddar cheese and shredding it yourself.
We find that freshly shredded cheese melts and mixes so much better in this soup than pre-shredded cheese.
What kind of cheddar cheese should I use? We used sharp yellow cheddar cheese, but youre more than welcome to use white cheddar cheese or even a cheddar blend.
How Can You Make Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup Your Own

There are a few easy ways you can adjust this copycat recipe to customize it to your tastes:
- Make it gluten-free by using cornstarch in place of the flour. Of course, dont forget to skip the bread bowl as well.
- Add some heat with red pepper flakes.
- Make it thinner or thicker by using milk or heavy cream instead of the half-and-half.
- Swap in cauliflower for the broccoli. This will change the flavor of your soup, of coursebut if you love cauliflower, you may find you like this even better than the broccoli.
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Cheddar Broccoli Soup In Bread Bowl
Quick and easy homemade cheddar broccoli soup. Serve it in a bread bowl for a satisfying meal!
Sometimes all you need a bread bowl full of cheese. Its been one of those weeks. All the activities, events, and excitement of the last couple of weeks have finally caught up to me.
Half marathon, Coachella, Boston. Im pooped and exhausted. I cant wait for the weekend to begin.
Im kicking off Friday night with this super easy one pot cheddar broccoli soup.
Broccoli Cheese Soup In Bread Bowls
Broccoli Cheese Soup is creamy and loaded with broccoli and a blend of 2 kinds of cheese to give this amazing flavor. Serving broccoli soup in bread bowls is a real treat.
Watch the easy video tutorial below and enjoy this homemade version of Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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Bacon Broccoli Cheddar Soup In A Bread Bowl
Serves 6
- 5 cups broccoli florets, plus extra for garnish
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 6 bread bowls, tops cut off
- 4 slices bacon, plus extra for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large white onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
- freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat until thoroughly browned and crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.Add onions to bacon renderings and cook until softened and transparent, 5-7 minutes.Add garlic to the onion and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir frequently so it doesnt burn.Whisk in chicken broth, then milk and cream, and add broccoli. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce and let simmer for 20 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.Take your bread bowls and gently scoop out the bread from the inside, leaving about 1/4-inch all the way around. Set bowls aside.In batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree majority of soup until almost smooth, leaving some chunkier parts. Return to pot.Using a fork or whisk, mix together cornstarch and water in a small bowl or glass until smooth. Then add this slurry back into the soup and stir well to incorporate.Bring soup back up to a boil and let cornstarch cook, then stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper.Ladle soup into bread bowls and garnish with extra broccoli and bacon. Serve immediately and enjoy.
How To Make Cheesy Broccoli Soup
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onion until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in the flour cooking until the color becomes golden, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream if necessary to keep the flour from burning, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Slowly pour the heavy cream into flour mixture while whisking constantly. Stir chicken stock into the heavy cream mixture. Bring this to a simmer continuing to cook until the mixture has thickened, about 20 minutes.
Add carrots simmer until they are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the frozen broccoli and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes.
Stir grated Cheddar cheese into vegetable mixture until cheese melts.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat Recipe
- Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup Copycat Recipe
- Makes about 4 servings
- 1/2 stick of butter
- 1/2 of a medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups half and half
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped small
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Cook the butter, onion, and garlic on about medium heat until tender.
- Slowly add the half and half and chicken stock. Mix the corn starch with a little bit of water until there are no clumps and add it to the rest. Add the nutmeg and bay leaves and cook on medium low until thickened.
- Add the carrot and broccoli and simmer until tender. Discard the bay leaves. Add the cheese and stir until melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve in bread bowls.
- Note: In the old post, I pureed it. You can do that if you want.
Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I love Broccoli Cheddar Soup . Its such a classic soup and it reminds me of childhood. I remember when I was in junior high going to Panera Bread for a quick dinner after tennis practice and the broccoli cheddar soup always hit the spot!
Our broccoli cheddar soup recipe is simple and can be made in just 30 minutes. Its super flavorful and has the perfect balance of a salty, cheesy soup base with loads of perfectly cooked broccoli goodness!
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Broccoli Cheese Soup Bread Bowl
- Prep Time:30 mins
- Total Time:1 hr 10 mins
- 4 7-inch sourdough round loaves
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
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Chop all vegetables into smaller pieces.
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Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat.
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Add diced onion into the pot and cook for about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the flour and cook until the onions become golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
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Stir in the half-and-half and stir until smooth.
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Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and nutmeg.
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Stir together ingredients and then add salt and pepper.
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Simmer for 20 minutes uncovered on medium-low heat.
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Step 9
Cut a circle into each sourdough, leaving a 1-inch border around. Remove the bread top and save for dipping. #SpoonTip: Hollow out the center of the sourdough with a fork or your fingers for more soup.
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Add broccoli and carrots to the soup and simmer 20 minutes, until tender.
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Add cheese to the soup and stir until melted.#SpoonTIp: Remove your bay leaves before this step.
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Pour soup into the bread bowls, garnish with shredded cheese.
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How To Make Our Broccoli Cheddar Soup
![[Homemade] Broccoli and Cheddar soup in bread bowl : food](https://www.breadloveclub.com/wp-content/uploads/homemade-broccoli-and-cheddar-soup-in-bread-bowl-food-scaled.jpeg)
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Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
by Brooke · This post may contain affiliate links, which can earn us a commission.
Do you find yourself ordering broccoli cheddar soup whenever you go to Panera Bread? Skip the drive thru and make this easy copycat recipe in the comfort of your own home. It’s easy, cheesy, and comforting.
If you love Panera soups, you’ll want to check out our copycat recipes for 10 vegetable soup and summer corn chowder.
Want to see our latest recipes? to get our latest recipes, fun food facts, food puns, and behind the scenes news about our blog.
How To Make Broccoli And Cheese Soup:
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Tired Of Bread Co Telling You They’re Out Of Bread Bowls
I always crave broccoli and cheese soup bread bowls. But on the other hand, there have been too many times I’ve gone to get one, just to be told they’re out of bread bowls… how does Bread Co. run out of bread bowls? That’s what you’re here for, bread. Do you understand my struggle yet? I never have to go out of my way to get a bread bowl with delicious broccoli and cheese soup again now that I know how easy it is to make.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup In A Bread Bowl
Warm a chilly night with a great-tasting bread bowl filled with our Broccoli Cheddar Soup then garnished with bacon, cheddar cheese and diced potatoes.
2
- 2 Cuisine Adventures Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- 1 large potato, diced
- 2 Small round bread loaves
- 4 slices cooked bacon, diced
- 1/2 cup White cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 Green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp Sour cream
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Tips For The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup:
- Why is my soup grainy? Cook Soup until the veggies are tender and it will blend easier. If you want a completely smooth soup, be sure to blend until desired consistency with an immersion blender or a high powered blender.
- Can I make this vegetarian? For a vegetarian soup, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Can I make this Gluten-Free? Substitute all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour to make this a GF soup.
- Is this soup healthy? Since we blend most of the veggies into the soup, it naturally starts with a creamy base and only needs 1/2 cup of cream to finish it off. This homemade version is healthier than most of the recipes I have seen and is fairly low carb. Check out the nutrition label below the recipe card for calories.
- Can I use frozen broccoli? You can use frozen broccoli. Add frozen florets to the recipe just like you would fresh and cook to desired doneness.
- Can I use the broccoli stems? You can use the broccoli stems, but make sure to peel the stems first since they can be tough and fibrous then dice the tender broccoli stems and add them with the broccoli florets.
How Do I Thicken Cream Of Broccoli Soup
The addition of flour does a lot for the consistency that you all know and love. Add it to the sautéed onions in order to create a roux, and youll end up with a perfectly thick and creamy soup every time. The heavy cream will also thicken it up nicely.
To use cornstarch as a thickening agent in place of flour in soup, you will need to first make a slurry. To make a slurry, mix equal parts cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Once your slurry is ready, slowly whisk it into your soup while it is simmering on the stove. Be sure to add the slurry slowly and continue to stir the soup as you add it to avoid clumps. You may need to let the soup simmer for an additional few minutes to allow the cornstarch to fully thicken the soup. Taste the soup and add more cornstarch slurry if needed to reach the desired thickness.
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How To Thicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup
For this Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe, we used flour to thicken it. In our expert broccoli cheddar soup opinion, a roux tastes so much better than corn starch and does the job to thicken it as well.
If you want your soup thicker, you can add more flour, but believe us 1/2 cup should do the trick!
Can I swap the flour for a different flour? The only other flour we suggest swapping all-purpose for in this recipe is white whole wheat flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Broccoli Cheese Soup Video Tutorial:

We love to re-create famous restaurant soups at home like our Zuppa Toscana and Chicken Wild Rice Soup. This homemade version is even better because its loaded with fresh broccoli, is low carb, and healthier than most with just 1/2 cup of cream.
I hope this Broccoli Cheese Soup becomes a new favorite soup recipe for you. P.S. Here is the kitchen tour I mentioned in the video.
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Broccoli Cheddar Soup Bread Bowl
Jan 30, 2017·
This blog post has been compensated by Borden® Cheese. All opinions are mine alone. #BordenCheeseLove #CollectiveBias #Ad
My 315th recipe, “Broccoli Cheddar Soup Bread Bowl,” a perfectly rich, creamy and ooey gooey soup to warm you up in this cold winter weather. Made with the love of broccoli, loaded up with the warmth of Borden® Cheese and served in a crusty bread bowl this soup is a perfect match for the definition of comfort food.
My love affair with homemade soups extends for a short duration of probably only a few years. There was a time in my life when soup just meant something which was served at a restaurant along with appetizers. Or something which comes out straight from a packet, just simmered in water until ready.
The whole perspective took a big u-turn about a few years back, when I made my first batch of homemade soup. It was so easy to make, loaded with flavor and so comforting to have by the bowlful without any guilt. Ever since, homemade soups have become one of my favorites to rely upon for dinner, any time of the year.
Living in Texas, I never experienced what a real winter storm is. Winters were always mild with only an occasional drop in mercury, and it was all manageable. I also do a lot of roadtrips, but it would mostly be in the months between spring and fall. Most of the time, winter is for me to hibernate in the comfort of my home.