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COPYCAT PANERA CREAM OF BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP RECIPE
The whole family will love this healthier copycat Panera cream of broccoli cheddar soup recipe.
If you have been looking for a cream of broccoli cheddar soup that both your spouse AND your kids will eat: This. Is. It!
This is a gluten-free soup recipe, however if you are not worried about gluten you can easily use regular flour instead of potato flour, and serve it in a bread bowl or with a crusty bread for dipping!
It can also be prepared vegetarian by using vegetable stock rather than chicken stock.
Though it is a cheese soup, it is not very thick and thus not as heavy as most.
The flavor is fantastic with the combination of the roasted veggies and extra-sharp cheddar cheese – a nice balance between a cheese soup and a veggie soup.
Be sure to join our community for more nutritious soup recipes from Blender Babes! If you try this, be sure to let people know by rating it in the comments. HAPPY BLENDING!
Panera Copycat Recipe: Roasted Broccoli Cheese Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or butter-flavored extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into 8 pieces
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 1 medium carrot cut into one-inch chunks
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- ¼ cup potato flour*
- 1½ cups full-fat milk
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- 4 oz extra-sharp cheddar cheese chopped or shredded
- Sea salt to taste and additional cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Place the chopped onion, broccoli florets, and chunked carrot into a large, stainless steel skillet. Drizzle with the olive oil, and then toss/stir to coat the vegetables throughout.
- Place in a 400F degree oven and roast for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- While the vegetables are roasting, chop the 4 oz. of cheddar cheese in your blender. Using a 64 oz. wet Vitamix container, place half of the cheese in the container at a time, pulsing** four or five times at Variable 3, until the pieces are pellet-like. Set the chopped cheese aside. In a Blendtec, place the cheese in a Fourside or Wildside container, and pulse for one second three or four times.
- Remove vegetables from the oven, and place them in a dish, covering to keep warm.
- Sprinkle the potato flour* into the same pan, and add ½ cup of the milk. Stir to incorporate over medium low heat.
- As the mixture thickens, gradually add the rest of the milk, and 1 cup of the chicken or vegetable broth. This mixture will become thicker as it cooks.
- Put the remaining cup of broth in the same Vitamix or Blendtec container, followed by the hot, thickened milk and broth mixture, Dijon mustard, paprika, cayenne pepper, and freshly-ground black pepper.
- For Vitaimx: Start the machine at Variable Speed 1, slowly increase to Variable Speed 10/High, and process for two minutes, until the mixture is hot throughout.
- For Blendtec: Use the Soup setting one or two times OR blend on a High speed for 90-180 seconds, until hot throughout.
- Add the cheese and secure lid, reserving enough to garnish the bowls of soup.
- For Vitamix: Start the machine at Variable Speed 1, slowly increase to Variable Speed 10/High for 20 seconds.
- For Blendtec: Blend on Speed 3 for 20 seconds
- Taste for seasoning, and if desired, salt to taste, and add additional cayenne (if you want to give it some kick).
- Blend on Speed Low for 10 seconds to incorporate.
- Place half of the roasted vegetables in the container with the mixture.
- For Vitamix: Pulse** at Variable Speed 3 five or six times.
- For Blendtec: Pulse four or five times, one second each.
- Place the remaining vegetables in your container and pulse three or four more times, until you have small chunks or reach your desired consistency.
- Serve the soup in a bowl or in a (gluten-free) bread bowl and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- All done! Enjoy!! Now take a photo, rate it, and share your accomplishments! 🙂 Tag @BlenderBabes & #BlenderBabes
Notes
** If your Vitamix does not have a pulse feature, turn to desired variable speed and turn on and off to equal 1 pulse.
Nutrition
HEALTH BENEFITS BROCCOLI
Broccoli is a hearty and tasty vegetable rich in dozens of nutrients. It is said to pack the most nutritional punch of any vegetable. Here are just a few of the benefits of broccoli:
1.Cancer prevention: Like other cruciferous vegetables cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage, broccoli has been shown to kill cancer stem cells, striking the root of the tumor growth.
2. Cholesterol reduction: Like many whole foods, broccoli is packed with soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of your body.
3. Powerful antioxidant: Of all the cruciferous vegetables, broccoli stands out as the most concentrated source of vitamin C, plus the flavonoids necessary for vitamin C to recycle effectively. Also concentrated in broccoli are the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and beta-carotene, other powerful antioxidants.
I really liked this soup and will make again! I used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and was very happy with this choice. The broth that I used may have had a strong onion flavor as the onion was a bit strong. Next time, I will use half of the onion and add a small clove of garlic.
Thanks for sharing Kristi! I always like to add a bit of garlic too 🙂
Not certain what a g is in the Nutrient label assuming it means Glass? or gram or cup?
Hi, Mau…..the g means grams.