Broccoli Cheese Soup
This broccoli cheese soup recipe is easy to make and loaded with broccoli and cheddar cheese. You can make it as chunky or as smooth as you’d like, and of course add more cheese on top! A wonderful copycat of Panera’s famous soup.
I’ve talked at length before about my aversion to vegetables growing up, and broccoli seemed to conjure up a special amount of disdain. Finally, my mom found a way to get me to eat it… she smothered my broccoli in melted cheese.
Artificial, processed cheese. I think that it was Cheez Whiz. Maybe Velveeta? I’m leaning towards Cheez Whiz. Turns out, I could stand those little green stalks when they were smothered with bright yellow liquid cheese.
No surprise, then, that eventually, as a certified grownup, became a big fan of the broccoli-cheese soup from Panera. Pieces of broccoli so small that I hardly notice them, in a creamy, cheesy soup? Pass me a bowl and the crusty bread, please.
This copycat recipe is a wonderful soup loaded to the brim with broccoli and cheese in a super creamy broth.
How To Make Broccoli Cheese Soup
I gave up on the condensed broccoli cheese soup canned version long ago in favor of take-out varieties from Panera, as well as the salad and soup bar at the local grocery chain (which makes really good soup, it turns out). Still, I wanted to have a recipe that I could make at home.
This easy broccoli-cheese soup starts with sautéing chopped onion in butter, stirring in flour for a thickener, and adding the half and half and milk. Next, fresh broccoli florets are added along with salt, pepper and nutmeg, the pot is covered, and left to simmer until the broccoli is nice and tender.
At this point, you can choose how chunky or smooth you’d like your soup – use a potato masher to break up the broccoli, use an immersion blender, or transfer some or all of it to a blender or food processor to puree. Once you have the consistency you’d like, whisk in some vegetable broth, warm it all up, and serve!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I like using mild cheddar cheese so that it doesn’t overpower the rest of the soup, but you can certainly use sharp if you prefer. If you are into Velveeta broccoli cheese soup (old school solidarity!), then you can substitute that for the cheddar cheese.
- If you cannot find half and half where you live, simply substitute heavy cream and whole milk in equal parts.
- You can substitute chicken broth or stock for the vegetable broth.
- Make a crockpot broccoli cheese soup by transferring the milk mixture, broccoli, seasonings, and cheese to the slow cooker after step #1. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, then proceed with mashing/pureeing the soup as you’d like and whisk in the vegetable broth as directed.
- If you like potatoes in your broccoli cheese soup, add some cubed potatoes along with the broccoli in step #2.
I love the subtle blend of seasonings that really lets the flavors of the broccoli and cheese come through in this soup, and I always add a big pile of fresh cracked black pepper to the top of my bowl before serving.
All I need is a big hunk of crusty bread to make this is the best cold-weather lunch, period.
If You Like This Broccoli Cheese Soup, Try These Recipes:
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Potato & Leek Soup
- Cheddar and Ale Soup with Potato & Bacon
- Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup
Watch the Recipe Video:
Four years ago: Chocolate-Dipped Banana Bread Biscotti
Five years ago: Snickerdoodle Biscotti
Six years ago: The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies
Nine years ago: BBQ Chicken Pizza
Ten years ago: Challah Bread
Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- â…“ cup (41.67 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (976 ml) whole milk
- 2 cups (473.18 ml) half-and-half
- 4 heads broccoli, stems removed and discarded, and florets cut into bite-size pieces
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 12 ounces (340.2 g) mild cheddar cheese, shredded
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups (470 ml) vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to soften. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to combine, cooking for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and half-and-half.
- Add the nutmeg, broccoli, a dash of salt, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring to melt the cheese after each addition.
- At this point I did a quick pass with my immersion blender on low to blend up the broccoli a bit, but still leave a good amount of texture. You could also choose to mash it with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender or food processor in two batches and puree completely. Finally, whisk in the vegetable broth, and re-warm over low heat, then serve.
Notes
- I like using mild cheddar cheese so that it doesn’t overpower the rest of the soup, but you can certainly use sharp if you prefer. If you are into Velveeta broccoli cheese soup (old school solidarity!), then you can substitute that for the cheddar cheese.
- If you cannot find half and half where you live, simply substitute heavy cream and whole milk in equal parts.
- You can substitute chicken broth or stock for the vegetable broth.
- Make a crockpot broccoli cheese soup by transferring the milk mixture, broccoli, seasonings, and cheese to the slow cooker after step #1. Cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, then proceed with mashing/pureeing the soup as you’d like and whisk in the vegetable broth as directed.
- If you like potatoes in your broccoli cheese soup, add some cubed potatoes along with the broccoli in step #2.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in March 2012. Updated in October 2018 with new photos, a video, and extensive recipe tips.
Can’t print any of your recipesÂ
I recently made this soup and it was OUTSTANDING.  The flavor is just what you were waiting for as you make this soup and imagine the creamy, cheesy taste. I can’t say enough about how good this soup turned out. Yummy, yummy and yummy.Â
Made this yesterday … it was super easy and turned out beautifully and delicious!
Made last night and it tasted ok but texture seemed weird. Maybe I got too hot but it was trying to separate. Flavor pretty good after adding a teaspoon of salt. Rewarmed this morning for my son’s lunch and it then curdled, :( Never have had Panera’s but not as good as McAlister’s Deli.
Could you use whole wheat flour in this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Debbie, Sure, I think that would work just fine!
This looks so delicious! Broccoli cheese soup is my fav!!
I actually made this delicious version of Broccoli & Cheese soup, everyone loved it. I do have to admit I am a Professional Chef and I have a few secret ingredients I add to get that Restaurant quality taste. With some freshly baked homemade Italian bread it’s a perfect Fall and Winter dish and like I said it’s delicious!
How many cups of broccoli should I get from 4 heads of broccoli.
Four heads (about 4 pounds) sounds like a lot.
Hi Charlotte, It’s about 14 cups of broccoli florets. Yes, it’s a lot, but this makes A LOT of soup (about 10 to 12 servings)! You can cut it in half if you’d like.
Oh YUM. On this very brisk day in Chicago this sounds perfect. Pinned!
…uh….for the broccoli-cheese soup, izzat right for FOUR heads of broccoli? we refer to that whole “head” a head, ya know? like 6 inches across….so…..
Yes, that’s correct!
LOVE your blog!!! Do you think this could be made in a crockpot?
Hi Mary, Thank you! Yes, I don’t see why not!
I made this for a family dinner today. There were six of us. Everyone asked for more, so there were no leftovers. Had lots of compliments. It really was quite fast and easy. I will be making it again soon. Thanks again for another dependable delicious recipe.
Sounds like my recipe, but the only thing missing was beer. I always add a small can of beer and it’s so yummy. One of my favorite soups!
Hi Mom,
What brand of vegetable broth do you recommend and why vegetable over chicken?
Thank you and best wishes with your new bundle,
Suz
Hi Suz, I actually use a gourmet house brand from a local grocery store. Vegetable broth just to keep it vegetarian, but you can use chicken if you’d like.
is this a thick soup? I looking for one which resembles a kelseys resturant soup I tried
Hi Celine, Yes, this is a thicker soup, although I’m not familiar with Kelseys restaurant.
I’ve pinned this one too. I promise I’m not stalking you. LOL :)
It’s funny broccoli used to be my favorite vegetable but now it’s one of the only ones I won’t eat.
Broccoli and cheese is one of my favs I love it with baked potatoes! I love how yours looks like it’s not skimpy on broccoli, just the way it should be!
I make a cauliflower and cheese soup that tastes like blended up cauliflower with cheese sauce. It has no cream, just cauliflower, onion, broth cooked together til the cauli is soft. The make a roux with flour, butter and milk, cook a minute or 2, then add milk and sir, cooking til thickened. Add cheese and still til smooth. Add to cauli-broth mixture, blend in a food processor or with a stick blender and gobble up…Yum! Declicious topped with freshly grated nutmeg (worth it no matter how expensive).
I’ve made this recipe, except with chicken broth because that was what I had. Also, I found that using 2% milk and fat free half and half, while not as rich as this version, will also yield a very edible and delicious soup if you’re trying to watch caloric content. LOVE IT!
Ohh this sounds so simple yet delicious. Soups are my favorite this time of the year ♥ You should try cauliflower cumin soup. So good.
I love broccoli cheddar soup and this one looks amazing! I’ve never tried to make it, so will definitely need to try this recipe. Pinned!
Oh yes! I did that easy cheese and crackers! Love it!
LOVE broccoli cheddar soup! yum!!
For some reason I was thinking of broccoli cheese soup the other day and wishing I knew a good recipe for making it myself. Thanks!
Can this soup be made with frozen broccoli?
My mom had a very similar tactic. Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole. Although, I’m pretty sure I still ate around the broccoli ;) SO. GOOD. And yes, mine had cheese whiz in it, too!
Mmmm, Easy Cheese. I too had it at sleepovers, and other random times in my childhood. I bet my kids (7 and 4) would love it, but I have resisted the urge so far to buy it. It’s so processed… but so good. Who knows, maybe it won’t taste as good as we remember?
Honey, I was in grade school in the 60s – and we had Easy Cheese, told ghost stories and recorded silly things on our reel to reel tape players and played games like The Man from U.N.C.L.E.! It was a board game where the agents of U.N.C.L.E (Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin- known to you youngsters as Ducky on NCIS) fought the agents of T.H.R.U.S.H! I regress . . .
Anyway, no matter what decade, we girls all have the same fun!
Thanks for this wonderful soup recipe – I think it will be on my menu this weekend!
My favorite creamy soup! So nice on a cold winter day. I might just have to make it this weekend. Thanks!
I use to order broccoli cheese soup from a restaurant called Black-Eyed Pea and fell in love. It’s so smooth and creamy. I’ve tried it a few times at home and turned out pretty food.
Mmmm! Broccoli and cheese soup sounds like the perfect combination!
This looks wonderful! My garden is producing broccoli right now, so this will be lunch. Thanks for the recipe!
I just made this for my man- I didn’t have nutmeg (and it was ridiculously expensive in the store) so I omitted it. I also didn’t chop up the onions as finely as I would have liked- I’m not a fan of onions. Icky. But it came out really good! Tasted great, I think I added too much liquid because I would have wanted it a little creamier. I’m definitely putting this in my recipe book for future meals!
And my man loves it!!
I am making this soup today….just noticed that you said 12 ounces of cheese is 3 cups…unless your measures are different than mine in Canada it is only 1 and a half cups for 12 ounces..so I am just going to go by how thick and how it tastes as to how much cheese I put in
Hi Carolyn, The whole 8 ounces = 1 cup is true for liquid measurement, but except for a few exceptions (like butter), that’s it. Solid ingredients have different volumes, thus 1 cup of cheese does not weight as much as, say, 1 cup of sugar (4 ounces vs 7 ounces, respectively). 1 cup of shredded cheese is about 4 ounces.
I made this and it is by far the best broccoli soup ever…made it better then my momma!!
It took a bit longer than half an hour for my broccoli to get tender. Did I miss something? It’s still got a solid crunch.
This recipe looks awesome!!
Do you think I can use fat-free or low-fat milk instead of whole milk?
Hi Rachel, The lowest I would probably go is 2%.
Don’t understand the part, where you said something about addung the broccoli and blending it?
You add the broccoli, simmer, and then (if you choose), use an immersion blender, regular blender or masher to break up the broccoli.
Outstanding! 5 star flavor… will definitely be making this again and again and AGAIN!!! There is no restaurant version that is this delicious.
Thanks for posting it.
Tasty blessings to you all ~~
I have made this soup for the third time, and this time substituted the half and half for goat cheese (chevre). A gourmet twist on what should be a staple for those cold Canadian winters. Hope you give this variation a try. Yeah for goat cheese!
Very tasty. I’ve just made this soup and we all loved it including my dad who doesn’t really like veggies. He actually chose to eat this over his meat dish. My dog also cried until we gave her a bowl of this soup (after a quick internet search to see if broccoli is safe for dogs) and she licked the bowl clean. We do not have half and half here in South Africa so I just mixed a cup of cream with a cup of milk. Also didn’t have stock so I just added water and celery, thyme and spring onions. :-)
I’m making my signature soup, mushroom for my group of 8 yummy mummies for lunch tomorrow, gonna make this too, sounds simple and delish, I hope they’ll be all impressed ;-)
Made this today and it was lovely! I added garlic when cooking the onions and a cup of carrots (I needed to use them), heavy whipping cream and 1% milk and added extra cheese. So, good! Thanks for sharing. I will be following you for sure.
Total flop- is sounds like the soup “broke”, meaning it separated. Sometimes it can be fixed but, if not, it’s very unappetizing.
I just finished my second cup of this soup and I loved it. Only difference, I added a bit of cayenne. Delicious!
I tried this recipe turned out to be a total flop! Not sure what I did wrong but it’s texture was like curdled milk.
Chances are you boiled the soup. It’s never a good idea to boil milk or cream. You end up separating the milk solids from the whey and that’s what makes it appear curdled. This is a great recipe so I recommend you try it again but this time, heat the soup to only a gentle simmer but no higher. I think you’ll be pleased with the results.
I made this for myself while housesitting for a few days and halved it. It turned out great! I didn’t have any veggie broth so I substituted with chicken broth and it was delicious. I did have to cook for the full 30 minutes for the broccoli to be tender. This is a deliciously dangerous recipe! Yay for cheese!
That is some really nice looking broccoli and cheese soup!
This soup was delicious! Thanks for sharing!
It sounds lovely. I think the way you describe broccoli is exactly how I feel about cauliflower! I have always happily eaten broccoli but I need a lot of cheese or spice to enjoy its paler cousin.
I love broccoli cheese soup, and this sounds like the perfect version! I’d probably try to make it a bit lighter but otherwise wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing!
That was my approach – I cut the cream in half and used half butter and half vegetable oil to lower the cholesterol. Very, very good. The nutmeg is a winner, and the fresh black pepper a must. Excellent.
The Broccoli Cheese Soup looks and sounds delicious. What a tasty way to get your veggies:)
I love this soup and your made it to look so pretty and appealing! Beautiful photos and awesome recipe!!! Congrats on top 9!!!
dis is mean nicely cooked!
I made this for company yesterday and it was wildly praised! I also made; for the same meal, your cheddar bacon onion biscuits and the Ginger tea lemonade. Great tip about using the immersion blender. One of the best broccoli cheese soup recipes I’ve had/tried!
Broccoli in soup is one of my favorite things. This looks great!
I’d been craving this soup so I think I might be making it soon. But I’ll probably halve the recipe since it seems like a lot.
I started off as a veggie hater too (though I’ve always adored broccoli, and later spinach and brussel sprouts) but I grew out of it rather young, while still in elementary school and now, I lean more towards a vegetarian lifestyle than anything else. It’s funny how our tastes change as we get older…
This looks sooooo good, have saved recipe for another day.
You are welcome to join in my food blogger event THE SOUP KITCHEN, here all bloggers are welcome, hope to see you participate soon.
Such a comforting bowl of soup that it! Perfect for the gloomy weather in Texas right now :)
I have this exact recipe! It tastes a lot like Panera Bread’s broccoli cheese soup, which is why I love it so much. The nutmeg definitely adds a little something to it. It’s pretty easy to make, and is a loved recipe.
Haha – great post! I always LOVED my veggies, even as a kid, but smother them in cheese and they’re all the better. I really like broccoli cheddar soup, but haven’t had it in ages… this brought back a lot of nostalgia. I’ll have to try making it for myself sometime! Thanks for sharing. :)
Making this tonight. Buying the ingredients today.
I am addicted to soups! Can’t wait to try this one! Thanks for posting this recipe!! Yum!
YUMMY!!! THANKS
Having a good recipe for broc cheese soup in the arsenal is always a good thing. This looks delicious and I’m saving it! Thanks :-)
loved it! so good…thanks for sharing
Will it make a big difference if I substitute half and half with heavy cream? This is the only broccoli dish I like!
Hi Esther, Sure, you can definitely substitute half-and-half, it will just be a little less rich.
Ah my favorite soup. It’s sad but I usually settle for the Panera version. So if that’s good enough for me, I’m sure to be addicted to a richer, tastier homemade version!
This soup looks amazing! I haven’t had broccoli cheese soup in a long time!
Your soup looks wonderful! I had to laugh about the sleep overs…I remember those days…down to the squirt can of cheese!
Yum! Have pinned it!
Eeeek! Clue is one of my favorite movies of all time!! I quote it frequently, and hardly anyone has seen it. If you haven’t, go buy it from Amazon right now.
And I will definitely be trying this soup – I wish I already had the ingredients so I could make it tonight. It’s cold, rainy, and windy in Texas!
Looks delicious!! Can’t wait to make it.
Do you think half of it would freeze well?
Hi Danielle, Yes, I think it would freeze just fine!
I absolutely love broccoli cheese soup, and this one looks amazing!
This looks so hearty and soothing.
The weather has actually been pretty nice in LA but as soon as it gets chilly again, I will have to make this! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe :)
I love a good broccoli cheese soup. And the canned versions really are not that great.
this is one of my favorite soups. But have yet to find a recipe I like. This one sounds like a winner!!
One of my favorite soups! Your version looks so creamy and wonderful!
Wow, your childhood memories brought back so many of my own. My mom would top broccoli with a slice of processed American cheese! This soup looks wonderful–can’t wait to try it!
I was never a huge broccoli fan either, but I do like the sound of broccoli smothered in cheese!
The soup look delicious. I love broccoli cheese soup. I have a recipe for the soup and homemade bread bowls on our blog. Come check it out!
http://sistersplayinghouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/homemade-bread-bowls.html
http://sistersplayinghouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/broccoli-cheese-soup-from-scratch.html
Always love your recipes!
Yum!! I love broccoli!!!!
I have not had a good bowl of soup in a while, and that looks so good!
Mmmm … this looks divine! I was just craving this recently. Thanks for sharing!
That’s too funny! My husband is a veggie hater and I can already foresee the trouble convincing my future child to eat veggies… I love broccoli cheese soup, and have a version I’ve been making, but this one looks wonderful too!
Your soups always looks so delicious. Makes me want to make more homemade soup.
So simple and delicious! I, too, grew up with broccoli smothered in cheese sauce and brussels sprouts breaded and sprinkled with parm cheese :) I secretly love it.
Your soup looks amazing!! I just love a cream brocolli soup! This is one to bookmark! Thanks for the great recipe!
Wow, this looks so rich, creamy & divine… stunning photography as always!
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.com/
One of my most favorite soups EVER!! Can’t wait to try this :)
My favorite part of this post I have to admit (besides the soup that looks yummy even though I’m not a big fan of soup) is the sleepovers watching Clue! My bff, my brother and I used to watch it (and reenact scenes!) constantly, and I was starting to think we were the only ones! I hardly ever run into anyone who has even seen it!
Mmm, what a great, comforting soup for the last of winter.
Great blog.. yummy..
This is my all time favorite soup! Yum!
I was right there with you with the broccoli aversion! Now I love pretty much any veggie I encounter, but it took me a good 20 years to see reason. Looks like a wonderful, creamy soup, well done!
This soup sounds like delicious comfort food to me. When you mentioned Velveeta cheese it also brought back memories to me of my grandma’s grilled cheese sandwiches. I had no idea there was any other kind of cheese out there back then.