Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup
45 mins
Serves 6
A copycat recipe of Panera Bread's famous creamy broccoli cheddar soup
Ingredients
Scale:
1x
- 1 tablespoon Butter (for sautéing onion)
- 0.5 medium Onion , diced
- 0.25 cup Butter (for roux)
- 0.25 cup Flour
- 2 cups Half and half
- 2 cups Chicken broth
- 0.5 pound Broccoli florets
- 1 cup Carrots , julienned or shredded
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- 0.25 teaspoon Grated nutmeg
- 8 ounces Sharp cheddar cheese , shredded
Instructions
- In a small skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat
- Sauté onion until softened, about 3-4 minutes, then set aside
- In a large pot, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat
- Add flour to make a roux, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes
- Gradually add half and half while whisking continuously
- Add chicken broth and continue to whisk until smooth
- Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add broccoli, carrots, and sautéed onions
- Cook over low heat for about 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are tender
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Working in batches, carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth
- Return pureed soup to the pot over low heat
- Add shredded cheese and stir until well blended and melted
- Stir in grated nutmeg
- Serve hot
Tips
For a chunkier soup, reserve some of the broccoli florets before blending and add them back to the pureed soup. Use a good quality sharp cheddar cheese for the best flavor.
Soups
Cheese Soups
Vegetable Soups