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You can make a creamy, Panera-inspired broccoli cheddar soup at home with fresh broccoli, carrot, onion and freshly grated cheddar. The method below builds a flour-and-fat roux, adds milk and chicken stock, then simmers the vegetables until tender before stirring in the cheese. It is a home adaptation—not Panera’s disclosed restaurant recipe: Food Network reports that Panera spokespeople would not share how the chain makes its extra-creamy soup.
What “Panera-style” means here
Broccoli cheddar is a useful Panera-style example because Panera At Home publishes an ingredient list for its packaged soup, and Panera named broccoli cheddar among its classic soups in a 2024 announcement. The packaged ingredient list includes milk, chicken stock, broccoli, cheddar, heavy cream, carrots, corn starch, onion, seasoning, butter, Dijon mustard and hot pepper sauce. That list describes the packaged product; it does not establish the restaurant soup’s exact formula.
The recipe below adapts techniques and proportions from independent home recipes. Panera’s restaurant preparation remains undisclosed in the sources cited here, so treat this as a fresh-ingredient interpretation rather than a replica.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFresh broccoli cheddar soup: a four-serving recipe
This version follows Food Network Kitchen’s four-serving framework, using half-and-half and butter for richness. Total time is listed as 1 hour 10 minutes. Vegetable size and freshness affect cooking time, so use tenderness—not the clock alone—as your cue.
#1 Best Overall
- One 16 oz cup of Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Bakery-cafe inspired Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup cup that’s easy to enjoy at your convenience
- Thick soup that is made with chopped broccoli and shredded carrots and simmered with select seasonings in a velvety smooth cheese sauce
- Whether you have a busy schedule and need a quick meal or you just want to enjoy a warm cup of soup, this Panera soup is perfect any time of day
- Store Panera soup in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to prepare
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped to bite-size pieces
- 1 large carrot, diced or shredded
- 2 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated from a block
Method
- Soften the onion. Melt the butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring, until softened.
- Cook the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and butter. Stir and cook for a few minutes to remove the raw-flour taste, without letting it brown heavily.
- Whisk in the liquids. Gradually whisk in the half-and-half, followed by the chicken broth, to keep the mixture smooth. Add the bay leaves, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
- Thicken the base. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stirring regularly, and cook until it begins to thicken. Avoid a hard boil.
- Simmer the vegetables. Add the broccoli and carrot. Cook gently until the pieces are tender when pierced but still hold their shape; larger pieces may need longer.
- Melt in the cheddar. Remove the bay leaves. Lower the heat and stir in the grated cheddar a handful at a time until melted. Avoid boiling after adding cheese, which can make the texture less smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Why grate the cheddar fresh?
Grate a block of sharp cheddar on a box grater just before adding it. Cat Cora’s ABC recipe notes that starches used on pre-shredded cheese can make soup grainy. Freshly grated cheese also lets you choose the sharpness and control how quickly it melts. No particular grater brand is required.
How to adjust the soup to your taste
| Choice | What changes | Practical approach |
|---|---|---|
| Milk instead of half-and-half | A lighter, less rich base | Cat Cora’s ABC method uses milk; Food Network Kitchen’s framework uses half-and-half. Both use flour to thicken. |
| Olive oil instead of butter | A different fat for the roux | The ABC method uses olive oil to cook the onion and make its roux; the Food Network framework uses butter. |
| Smaller or larger vegetable pieces | Changes how the vegetables feel and how quickly they soften | Chop broccoli and carrot evenly. Simmer until tender rather than relying on a fixed time. |
| Sharper cheddar | More pronounced cheese flavor | Use sharp cheddar as in both cited home methods; grate it fresh. |
| Bowl or bread bowl | Changes the serving style, not the soup method | Serve in ordinary bowls with bread, or use a hollowed sourdough boule as a bread bowl. |
Alternative: Cat Cora’s milk-and-olive-oil approach
For a less rich version, ABC publishes Cat Cora’s method, which uses milk and olive oil rather than half-and-half and butter. It also includes celery alongside broccoli and carrot.
Rank #2
- One 32 oz cup of Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Store Panera soup in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to prepare
- Thick soup that is made with chopped broccoli and shredded carrots and simmered with select seasonings in a velvety smooth cheese sauce
- Made with no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors or colors from artificial sources
- Heat this Panera soup in the microwave on high for five to six minutes, or cook on the stove top until to 165 degrees F
- Cook 1.5 cups diced onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil until softened.
- In a separate pan, whisk 1/4 cup olive oil with 1/4 cup flour. Toast the roux for 3–4 minutes.
- Gradually whisk 2 cups milk into the roux, then whisk in 2 cups chicken stock. Simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Add 2 cups chopped broccoli, 1 cup shredded carrot and 1 diced celery stalk. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes; check them as they cook.
- Stir in 2.5 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar until melted. Season to taste and serve, optionally in a bread bowl.
Allergens and ingredient checks
Panera At Home identifies milk and wheat as allergens in its packaged broccoli cheddar soup. That packaged-product information is not a complete statement about every restaurant location. Panera’s allergen guidance, effective September 2, 2026, says menu details can vary by cafe; check the specific location’s item information and ask a manager about ingredients when you have an allergy concern. Restaurant cross-contact is separate from the ingredients you choose in a home kitchen, and substitutions do not by themselves establish that a dish is safe for a particular allergy.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- One (1) 10.5 oz can of Campbell's Condensed Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Vegetarian soup crafted with broccoli, rich cheddar cheese and farm-fresh cream for a rich and cheesy flavor
- Use it as an ingredient in recipes like Cheddar Broccoli Frittata, try it as a broccoli cheddar soup base, or substitute it for roux or bechamel
- This convenient canned soup is also delicious on its own, topped with fresh herbs or olive oil, or enjoyed with a sandwich or salad
- Each 10.5 oz recyclable can contains about 2.5 servings of microwave soup and features a non-BPA lining
Rank #4
- Creamy cheddar, sharp cheddar, and broccoli with a touch of nutmeg and lemon
- Vegetarian
- Heat Up, Spoon In
- Empty soup into bowl and heat in microwave 5-6 minutes or pour into pot and simmer on stove 12-15 minutes
- Brought to you by Amazon Kitchen, grab-and-enjoy meal solutions, prepped for what’s next
Rank #3
- Bear Creek Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix, 10.6 Ounces (Pack Of 6)
Sources
- Panera At Home: Broccoli Cheddar Soup ingredients and product information
- Food Network Kitchen: Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- ABC: Cat Cora’s broccoli cheddar soup recipe
- Panera Bread: Allergen information
- Panera Bread, September 18, 2024: soup-season announcement
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