This healthy alternative to Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup is healthy, wholesome, and protein-rich. It has all the creamy, comforting flavors of the original but with nutrient-dense, from scratch ingredients like bone broth and freshly milled whole grain flour. A crowd pleaser immediately!
This healthy alternative to Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup is healthy, wholesome, and protein-rich. It has all the creamy, comforting flavors of the original but with nutrient-dense, from scratch ingredients like bone broth and freshly milled whole grain flour. A crowd pleaser immediately!
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An Old Favorite
My high school was right next to a Panera, so growing up I used to always go to Panera during my lunch breaks from school. Their broccoli cheddar soup was my favorite.
Now fast forward (too many years to count!) to today, I still think about that soup. With all the soups I like to make these days, I figure there’s no reason why I can’t recreate that one, only using my favorite ingredients like raw milk, freshly milled whole grain flour, and homemade bone broth.
What makes this soup a little healthier is the use of milk instead of cream, the homemade bone broth, and freshly milled whole grain flour. And of course, all the veggies blended together. To give the soup extra creaminess, we add yogurt, and of course, lots of healthy cheese. It’s deliciously creamy yet healthy at the same time.
I know you and your family will love this Panera copycat broccoli cheddar soup as much as we do!
Actual Ingredients in Panera’s Version
For those who are curious, the actual ingredients of Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup are: Milk, chicken stock, water, broccoli, pasteurized process cheddar cheese, heavy cream, carrots, corn starch, onions, wheat flour, butter, Dijon mustard, salt, spices, hot pepper sauce, whey, whey protein concentrate, skim milk, milkfat, sodium citrate, lactic acid, annatto coloring, paprika coloring, nisin preservative.
The chicken stock itself contains: chicken meat and juices, chicken fat, yeast extract, sugar, natural flavor, potato flour, carrot powder, turmeric
……..YIKES!
Why We Love This
I love that I can use my favorite ingredients, like raw milk, raw cheddar cheese, homemade bone broth, and freshly milled whole grain flour in this recipe. And of course, all the veggies blended together!
This broccoli cheddar soup tastes just like the Panera version, only with real food ingredients. After making this for my family over and over, I can say that I wouldn’t want to go to the restuarant again to order this. Our version is too good!
Good use for leftover broccoli. I always save leftover broccoli in freezer bags and use them up for this soup. Makes a great use of leftover broccoli scraps from our dinner table!
Kid approved! My 4.5 and 2.5 year old love it, and my 9 month old baby does too. I actually put some of this leftover broccoli cheddar soup into little ice cube trays and froze it to pull out for her on nights when she’s hungry but I don’t have dinner ready yet!
Tips for Making Panera-Style Broccoli Cheddar Soup (healthier version)
This is very important – don’t add the yogurt or cheese until right before you’re going to serve it. Also, make sure the soup is medium warmth, not HOT, before adding the cheese. Too hot will cause the cheese to curdle. Our favorite cheese is the raw cheese from Azure Standard.
Only simmer the soup with the veggies until the veggies are soft, then remove them from the heat. Don’t let the soup simmer too long.
Use an immersion blender to blend the soup up to your liking – you can blend for just a second to make it super chunky, or a medium amount of chunk, or completely smooth with no chunks.
More Soup Recipes From the Homestead
Best Bratwurst Soup with Cabbage and Potatoes
Tools Needed:
Cutting board and knife
Panera Copycat Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup Ingredients
Roux:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour (we like freshly milled hard white or einkorn berries for this, but any flour will do)
1 1/2 cup milk
Soup Base:
2 tbsp butter
1/2 large white onion chopped
3 medium size carrots, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
2 large heads of broccoli or about 2 cups chopped broccoli
1 clove garlic chopped
2 cups bone broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
Finish with:
1/2 cup yogurt
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
How to Make Healthy Version Panera Style Broccoli Cheddar Soup
In a large stovetop pot on medium heat, whisk together the roux ingredients. Continue whisking until a thick paste is formed. Scoop out the roux and set it aside in a bowl.
To the same pot add the butter, onion, carrots, celery, and broccoli. Stir to combine for about 5-10 minutes.
Add the garlic and simmer another 2-3 minutes.
Then add the rest of the soup base ingredients: the bone broth, salt, pepper, and mustard, as well as the roux. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
Turn the heat off the soup and let sit until you’re ready to serve. Before serving, turn it back on low heat, and then add the yogurt and cheese, and stir to combine. Be sure to only add the cheese when the soup is warm and not hot or else it’ll clump together.
Serve and enjoy!
Save It For Later!
FAQs:
Can I make this healthy broccoli cheddar soup ahead of time?
Yes! This soup stores well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. For the best texture, reheat it slowly over low heat and avoid boiling after adding the yogurt and cheese, as high heat can cause the dairy to separate or become grainy.
What makes this broccoli cheddar soup healthier than Panera’s version?
This homemade version uses wholesome ingredients like bone broth, yogurt instead of heavy cream, and fresh vegetables. You can also use freshly milled flour or einkorn flour for extra nutrients and a more nourishing option.
Can I use frozen broccoli instead of fresh?
Absolutely! Frozen broccoli works great if you need a shortcut. Use about 2 cups of frozen broccoli florets and add them directly to the soup base during cooking.
More recipes from the homestead:
Sweet and Spicy Pumpkin Beef Stew
30-Minute Tomato Pasta Sauce with Canned Tomatoes
Best From-Scratch Shepherd’s Pie
Homestyle Corn Chowder with Bacon
Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Healthier Version)
This healthy alternative to Panera’s broccoli cheddar soup is healty, wholesome, and protein rich. It has all the creamy, comforting flavors of the original but with nutrient-dense, from scratch ingredients like bone broth and freshly milled whole grain flour. A crowd pleaser immediately!
Ingredients
Roux:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup flour (we like freshly milled hard white or einkorn berries for this, but any flour will do)
- 1 1/2 cup milk
Soup base:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 large white onion chopped
- 3 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 large stalk celery, chopped
- 2 large heads of broccoli or about 2 cups chopped broccoli
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 2 cups bone broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp dijon mustard (optional)
Finish with:
- 1/2 cup yogurt
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- In a large stovetop pot on medium heat, whisk together the roux ingredients. Continue whisking until a thick paste is formed. Scoop out the roux and set it aside in a bowl.
- To the same pot, add the butter, onion, carrots, celery, and broccoli. Stir to combine for about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and simmer another 2-3 minutes.
- Then add the rest of the soup base ingredients: the bone broth, salt, pepper, and mustard, as well as the roux. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the heat off the soup and let it sit until you’re ready to serve. Before serving, turn it back on low heat, and then add the yogurt and cheese, and stir to combine. Be sure to only add the cheese when the soup is warm and not hot or else it’ll clump together.
- Serve and enjoy!
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