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Skip going out tonight because you can make this even Better than Panera Broccoli and Cheese Soup at home, all in under 30-minutes!
It's starting to get cold again, and that means it's once again soup season. Okay, I know there are those crazy people who eat soup all year long, but I am not one of them, haha. I do, however, LOVE soup, and when it's nice and chilly out, I eat it all the time.
When we lived in Kansas many years ago, before I went gluten-free, I used to meet up with some girlfriends and go to Panera for lunch with all the kids. I went between their salads and soups depending on the season but never changed which soup I got. I always got the broccoli cheese soup. There was just something delicious and comforting about it that made me keep going back.
Of course, once I had to go gluten-free, their soup was no longer an option since they put flour in theirs. So I decided I had to make this favorite at home to enjoy, totally gluten-free!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
30-Minute Dinner - It takes less time to make it than it would to get in your car and drive through at Panera and drive back home. Or get getting it delivered.
Easily Feed a Crowd - This recipe makes 4-6 decent-sized bowls of soup. You can just as easily double the batch if you have extra hungry family members you are feeding.
Keep it Vegetarian - You can swap out the chicken stock for vegetable stock, which keeps this whole recipe vegetarian.
Gluten-free - Traditional broccoli and cheese soup from Panera contains flour; therefore, it's not gluten-free. Don't worry, this version is, and you still end up with the perfectly creamy, delicious soup that the whole family will love!
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A Note on Ingredients:
This recipe comes together fast and with only a few ingredients, but sometimes there are better subs that should be used.
Broccoli - I think fresh broccoli works best for this soup. When I use frozen, the soup does not tend to thicken as much, and I like my broccoli cheese soup thick. If you are using frozen, I highly suggest letting it thaw and drain before using it in this recipe.
Carrots - I tend to do a thick shred, or you can also julienne your carrots depending on preference.
Cheese - Using a mixture in this recipe is my preference, but you can sub in all cheddar if you want to sub in all cheddar. I would suggest using a good cheddar cheese like Tillamook medium sharp cheese. Cheeses vary by flavor, and some lack it, which can lead to more seasonings to counter this.
Half and Half - This helps to yield a soup that is not too thick or too thin. You can use milk or heavy cream, but you might need to watch the thickness of your soup and adjust to your liking.
Stock - I prefer the flavor of chicken stock in this recipe, but it's still delicious with vegetable stock subbed in if you want to keep it vegetarian.
How long does this last?
Assuming this lasts beyond when you make it, this soup will nicely keep in the fridge for about 3 days.
Can this soup be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze this soup with a few tweaks. Dairy doesn't tend to freeze well without curdling, so if you want to freeze this, I would make it up until you add in the dairy and then add the dairy when you reheat it.
Can this soup be made in a slow cooker?
Personally, I am not a fan of the slow cooker, which is why I always use my dutch ovens, but it totally can be. Just make sure to add the dairy right before serving to keep it from curdling.
Tips and Tricks
- Chop the broccoli into small florets so they cook evenly.
- Help keep your soup from getting grainy by adding the cheese a little bit at a time and making sure it melts before adding more.
- Hand shred your cheese. Many pre-packaged cheeses have anti-caking ingredients, which can prevent the cheese from fully incorporating into the soup.
- If you want a thinner or thicker soup, you can always make a slurry with potato starch and some milk and stir it into the soup or add more cheese. For a thinner soup, use milk instead of the half and half that usually does the trick, or increase your chicken stock until the desired thickness is achieved.
Puree or Not?
This is a personal preference. If I cut the broccoli florets into small pieces, they fall apart nicely into the would, and then I don't tend to puree it. If your pieces are bigger, you might want to. If I do, I tend to use my immersion blender right in the pot, or you can use a traditional blender in batches if you prefer.
What to Serve with Soup
By far, I love to serve this soup with some homemade grain-free crusty french bread. I mean, what is more comforting than freshly baked bread?
If you like this soup, you might also enjoy my Apple Potato Leek Soup or my Loaded Baked Potato Soup.
It is time to make some soup!
Better than Panera Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 4 TBS Butter
- 1 Small Yellow Onion Diced
- 1 Large Head of Broccoli Chopped, about 6 Cups
- 1 C Carrot Shredded
- 8 OZ Cheddar Cheese Shredded
- 4 OZ Asiago Cheese Shredded
- 4 OZ Cream Cheese Soft
- 2 C Half & Half
- 2 C Chicken or Vegetable Stock
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 TSP Peper
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- ¼ TSP Nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, add the butter and onion and let it cook until the onion have softened and started to turn slighly golden in color.
- Pour in the stock, broccoli, carrots and seasonings and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer on medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until the broccoli and carrots are cooked through.
- Next stir in the half and half and cream cheese and stir until the cream cheese is incorporated and no clumps remain.
- Add in the shredded cheese and stir until it is melted.
- Add additional salt and pepper to taste if needed, let it slightly cool and enjoy!
lisa says
this is our go to soup! delicious every time!
Sara Vaughn says
Glad you love it!