Broccoli Cheese Soup

Tender broccoli simmered in a rich, creamy cheesy broth makes this easy Broccoli Cheese Soup a family favorite. Prepared in just a few minutes, this flavorful soup is ideal for busy weeknights. 

I am a creature of habit. Whenever I eat at Panera Bread, I always order the pick two: Broccoli Cheese Soup and a Greek Salad. My kids all love the broccoli cheese soup too, so when they were little, I came up with this recipe so we could enjoy it at home. It’s an easy recipe, that turns out well on the stovetop or your slow cooker. This was one of the soups I made every year that we enjoyed before heading out to go trick-or-treating each year. (most years I snuck in another bowl to warm up when we returned, too!)

Now, if you ask anyone who’s tried it, it’s their go-to recipe, telling me it’s so much better than Panera’s Broccoli cheese soup, they would rather make it at home. Don’t forget to serve it with some crusty bread for dipping – or really up your game and serve it in a bread bowl. 

Broccoli Cheese Soup

There’s nothing quite like the combination of broccoli and cheese. Stir in some cream of mushroom soup and some cream of celery soup mixed with cheez whiz and you’ve got a bowl of soup that rivals even Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup, according to my family at least. 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

With just a few simple ingredients you can whip up a batch of this homemade broccoli cheese soup in no time. Using frozen broccoli, canned soup, and cheez whiz makes it super simple to have all the ingredients on hand. All you need to do is pull them out, throw them in the pot, and let them simmer. 

If you love this broccoli and cheese soup recipe, you are sure to love these too: Creamy Chicken Parmesan Soup, Cream of Reuben Soup, and this Cheesy Potato Soup. 

Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe

You can’t go wrong when serving this soup as the ultimate comfort food on a cold winter’s day or rainy fall day. A real crowd-pleaser it’s also great for potlucks, family gatherings, or whenever the mood for a rich and hearty soup hits. Serve with a side of crusty bread, extra veggies, or a light salad and you’ve got the perfect meal. 

Ingredients for Broccoli Cheese Soup

For complete ingredients and instructions scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe. 

• Potatoes: I used white potatoes, peeled and cubed. Any type of white potato is good.
• Celery: Chopped celery adds flavor, I throw some in almost all my soups. 
• Onion: Add a white or yellow onion, chopped, for more flavor. 
• Butter: I used butter to simmer the veggies; you can use salted, unsalted or olive oil if you prefer. 
• Chicken stock: Chicken stock adds to the flavor; use unsalted so you can control the amount of salt in the soup. You can also use chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even beef broth. 
• Broccoli: Frozen broccoli comes in handy to make this soup but you can also use fresh. 
• Cheese whiz: Cheez whiz adds the cheesy flavor to this broccoli cheese soup. 
• Canned soup: I added both cream of potato soup and cream of celery soup for flavor and creaminess. 
• Sour cream: Sour cream makes the soup silky smoothie and creamy. You can use regular or low-fat or substitute with heavy cream for a super creamy soup. 

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this broccoli cheese soup recipe. 

How to make cream of broccoli and cheddar soup

It couldn’t be easier to make this simple broccoli cheese soup.

In a large pot, saute your onion and celery in butter until soft. 

Add potatoes and chicken stock and simmer covered until potatoes are soft. 

Add broccoli, and simmer for about 15 minutes more.

With a potato masher, mash vegetables until they are small. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, season with salt and black pepper, and warm on medium heat until ready to eat.

Allow soup to come to room temperature and then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat over the stove top or in the microwave. 

How to make crock pot broccoli cheese soup

Cook all the veggies on low all day or until they are soft and mashable in the chicken stock. About 30 minutes before dinner, mash, add cream-based ingredients, warm, and serve.

Love it? Pin it!

If you love this best broccoli cheese soup,  make sure that you don’t lose it! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

• Instead of cheez whiz use sharp cheddar cheese, extra sharp cheddar, or mild cheddar cheese. Pick up pre-shredded cheese so it melts more easily. 
• Use fresh broccoli florets or whole broccoli, cut into small pieces, instead of frozen. Don’t discard the broccoli steams, you can chop them and add them to the soup.  

Remember that when it comes to making substitutions in recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your personal taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

FAQs about broccoli cheese soup

• What is the best cheese to melt in soup? The best cheese to melt in soup depends on your taste preferences but common cheeses added to soup include cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, gouda, and mozzarella. 
• What is broccoli cheese soup made of? Broccoli cheese soup can have different ingredients based on the recipe you are following but for the most part, it should have a broth, broccoli, and cheese. 
• How to thicken broccoli cheese soup? You can thicken broccoli cheese soup with cream, cheese, or potatoes or you can puree a portion of the soup to thicken it up. 
• What are the ingredients in Panera broccoli cheddar soup? The broccoli cheddar soup recipe from Panera, has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots, and select seasonings.   
• Is broccoli cheese soup healthy? Broccoli cheese soup can be part of a healthy diet. Everything in moderation is my motto. 

Tips & Tricks

• For a smoother texture use an immersion blender to puree the soup. 
• To make a thicker soup you can mix in some all-purpose flour. 
• If you prefer a lighter soup you can use whole milk instead of sour cream.
• Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to make the soup vegetarian.
• Add a touch of spice and sprinkle with some red pepper flakes. 

More Easy Soup Recipes to Love

If you are looking for some soup recipes to enjoy try next time, this Fire Roasted Tomato Soup, this Easy Black Bean Soup, and this Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup are all good meatless options. If you want a heartier, meat-based soup this Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup, or this Stuffed Pepper Soup, or Cabbage Roll Soup (pictured above) are good options. 

Don’t wait for soup season to make this best broccoli cheese soup recipe. This cheesy soup tastes great any time of year. 

4.92 from 12 votes

Print Recipe

Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup (Better than Panera!)

Tender broccoli simmered in a rich, creamy cheesy broth makes this easy Broccoli Cheese Soup a family favorite. Prepared in just a few minutes, this flavorful soup is ideal for busy weeknights. 

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time55 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: broccoli, Broccoli Cheese Soup, slow cooker, with Cheese Whiz

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 185kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3-4 potatoes peeled and cubed
• 6 stalks celery chopped
• 1 small onion chopped
• 3 Tablespoon butter
• 1 32 ounce chicken stock
• 2 16 ounce packages of frozen chopped broccoli
• 1 16 ounce jar cheese whiz
• 1 can cream of potato soup
• 2 cans cream of celery soup
• 1 8 ounce container sour cream

Instructions

• Saute your onion and celery in butter until soft. Add potatoes and chicken stock and simmer covered until potatoes are soft. (20-30 minutes)
• Add broccoli, simmer about 15 minutes more.
• With a potato masher, mash vegetables until they are small. Add to this the rest of the ingredients, stir and warm until ready to eat.

In the Crock Pot:

• This recipe is also easy in the crock pot. When I make it in the crock pot I cook the veggies until they are soft and mash-able in the chicken stock. (on low all day)
• About 30 minutes before dinner, mash, and add cream based ingredients, warm and serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 689mg | Potassium: 546mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 512IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 1mg

This recipe was originally posted on November 10, 2011. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on May 30, 2024.