Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
This homemade Panera-inspired broccoli cheddar soup brings tender broccoli, shredded carrots, and sharp cheddar together in a creamy broth. It makes about 7½ cups-roughly six 1¼-cup servings-and works as a filling lunch or a cozy dinner with bread or a sandwich.
For smooth soup, cook the flour briefly with the butter, simmer the vegetables until tender, then take the pot off the heat before adding the cheddar. That last step helps keep the cheese creamy instead of grainy or oily. If you're in the mood for a different café-style soup another day, try our Panera Bread chicken and wild rice soup.
Choosing the ingredients
Cut the broccoli into small, spoon-friendly pieces, no larger than about 1 inch. You can finely dice the tender, peeled part of the stalk, too. Shredded carrots soften quickly and distribute throughout the soup better than thick slices.
This version uses low-sodium chicken broth and half-and-half for a savory, creamy base. Panera lists chicken base in its restaurant Broccoli Cheddar Soup, so don't assume the restaurant soup is vegetarian. To make this homemade version vegetarian, use vegetable broth and check that your cheddar is made without animal rennet. www.panerabread.com
Grate an 8-ounce block of sharp cheddar just before adding it. It melts more smoothly than many packaged shreds. Extra-sharp aged cheddar can be delicious, but it may produce a less even texture.
How to make Panera broccoli cheddar soup
Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for another 1 to 2 minutes; it should cook without turning brown.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth, then gradually add the half-and-half. Stir in the dry mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
Add the broccoli and carrots. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender. For a creamier texture with some broccoli pieces still visible, give the soup two or three brief pulses with an immersion blender. You can skip blending if you prefer a chunkier bowl.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it stand for 2 minutes. Stir in the grated cheddar one handful at a time, allowing each addition to melt before adding more. Taste before adding any extra salt; the cheese brings salt of its own.
Keep the cheddar smooth
Once the cheese is in, don't boil the soup. High heat can make melted cheddar separate or turn grainy. Stir over the pot's residual heat first. If a few shreds remain, return it to the lowest heat briefly, stirring gently, without bringing it back to a simmer.
The soup also thickens as it stands. If it's thicker than you want, stir in extra broth a tablespoon or two at a time. If it seems a little thin, let it rest off the heat for 5 minutes before adjusting it. Avoid stirring dry flour into finished soup; it can clump.
What to serve with it
Crusty bread, a warm baguette, or a sandwich makes this an easy meal. A crisp salad is a good choice alongside the rich soup.
Want another hearty option for a soup night? Try our Panera Bread baked potato soup. For a brighter soup to pair with grilled cheese, there's also our Panera Bread creamy tomato soup.
Make it ahead
For the smoothest make-ahead result, cook the soup through the vegetable-simmering step and leave out the cheddar. Divide the base into shallow containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours. Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
When ready to serve, warm the base gently, stirring often. Take it off the heat, wait 2 minutes, and stir in the freshly grated cheddar a handful at a time. akaprod-www.foodsafety.gov
Store and reheat leftovers
Refrigerate finished soup within 2 hours and use it within 3 days. Reheat it gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently and adding a splash of broth or half-and-half if needed. For individual portions, microwave at reduced power in short intervals, stirring between them. Avoid boiling the soup as it reheats.
Freezing is possible, but dairy-and-cheese soup may separate when thawed, so it's a poor choice if you want the same smooth texture.
Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Equipment
- 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Chef's knife and cutting board
- Box grater
- measuring cups and spoons
- Immersion blender, optional
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced, about 1 cup
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus up to ½ cup more for thinning, if needed
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 4 cups small broccoli florets about 12 ounces, cut no larger than 1 inch
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots about 4 ounces or 2 medium carrots
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated; about 2 cups
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Sprinkle the flour over the onion and butter. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously.
- Gradually pour in 2 cups of chicken broth while whisking until smooth. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half.
- Stir in the dry mustard, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Heat until the liquid reaches a gentle simmer; do not allow it to boil vigorously.
- Add the broccoli and shredded carrots. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the broth has thickened.
- For a creamier texture with some broccoli pieces remaining, pulse the soup two or three times with an immersion blender. Leave the soup unblended if a chunkier texture is preferred.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the soup stand for 2 minutes.
- Add the grated cheddar one handful at a time, stirring until each addition has completely melted before adding more. Do not boil the soup after adding the cheese.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If the soup is thicker than desired, stir in additional broth a tablespoon or two at a time, using up to ½ cup as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Grate the cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese may contain anti-caking ingredients that keep it from melting as smoothly.
- Cut the broccoli into pieces no larger than 1 inch so it becomes tender in the stated cooking time.
- Add the cheese with the pot off the heat. Excessive heat can make the cheese grainy or cause the soup to separate.
- Vegetable broth may be substituted to make this homemade recipe vegetarian. Panera's restaurant Broccoli Cheddar Soup should not be assumed to be vegetarian because its published ingredient listing includes chicken base.
- The soup thickens as it stands and after refrigeration. Thin it with broth or half-and-half during reheating.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat without boiling.
- For make-ahead preparation, refrigerate the cooked soup base before adding the cheddar. Reheat the base gently and add the cheese off the heat shortly before serving.
- Freezing is not recommended when a consistently smooth dairy-and-cheese texture is important.
