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A spoonful of Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Sacha Hirschfeld

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

A cult favorite soup made easily and quickly at home. Perfect for a weeknight dinner the entire family will love!
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Soups
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 ½ cups onion white or yellow; chopped
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 garlic cloves sliced; see notes
  • ½ tsp turmeric amps up the orange color; optional
  • 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon paste chicken or vegetable
  • 3 cups half and half see notes
  • 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock I used chicken
  • ¾ lb broccoli florets coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cups carrots cut into matchsticks, aka: julienned
  • ½ cup celery cut twice lengthwise and chopped
  • 2 ½ cups extra sharp cheddar freshly grated; see notes
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly ground pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 large Dutch oven or soup pot
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 chefs knife
  • 1 vegetable peeler
  • 1 box grater
  • 1 silicone whisk
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • immersion blender optional

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté in the butter until soft. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Cook while stirring to burn off the raw flour taste, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add the sliced garlic, cook for 30 second while stirring, taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the turmeric and Better than Bouillon, quickly stir to combine.
  3. Whisk in half and half and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium.
  4. Add the broccoli, carrots, and celery. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
  5. Season with salt and pepper as needed. You can leave the soup chunky or blend a bit with an immersion blender for a smoother soup (that's my preferred method). See notes if you don't have an immersion blender.
  6. Turn the heat down to low. If the heat is too high your soup can get grainy. Add the grated cheese and nutmeg; stir to combine.
  7. Top with additional shredded cheese and serve with your favorite crusty bread. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Notes

Why does this recipe specifically call for sliced garlic? 
Simply put, the more cells you break, the stronger the garlic flavor will be. Sliced garlic falls in the middle of flavor intensity spectrum, with finely minced garlic on one end and  whole smashed cloves on the other. Another reason sliced garlic works nicely in this recipe is because it's less likely to burn. The pan is already going to be so hot and running dry from the flour, I don't want to run the risk of burning the garlic. That would lead us right back to square one; this recipe is supposed to be foolproof!
Do I have to use Half and Half?
My recipe calls for 3 cups half and half but this is simply a guideline. You could certainly use whole milk, half and half, heavy cream, or a combination of each. I've used a combination of whole milk and heavy cream and I didn't notice a significant difference. Because I love this recipe on the creamy side, I would err on incorporating at least a bit of half and half or heavy cream. 
Can I use pre-shredded cheese to save time?
Pre-shredded cheese contains potato starch and natamycin to prevent cheese from clumping together in the bag. Natamycin is used as a mold inhibitor and also as an anti fungal drug. Kind of gross eh? Just spend an extra minute grating cheese and the results will be worth it. Promise!
Don't have an immersion blender? No problem!
Although an immersion blender is more convenient and involves less cleanup, it's not necessary. You can also use a blender to smooth out your soup a bit. Take a cup or two (depending on preference) and blend until smooth. Make sure you remove the top center piece and cover with a kitchen towel. This will allow for steam to be released will blending the hot soup. When finished, stir the pureed soup back into the pot until incorporated.