One of the first places I head when I drive up to Kansas City to see my parents is Panera. I am totally smitten with their soups, and the sandwiches aren’t bad either. One of my favorite Panera soups is Broccoli Cheddar. Since I live 100 miles from the closest Panera, I decided I had better figure out how to make a copycat version of their broccoli cheddar soup. Let me tell you. This soup really delivers. It is delicious! This soup is extremely easy to make and, trust me, it will cost you a LOT less than buying it from the restaurant.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh broccoli (about 1 ¼ pounds), chopped
1 carrot, shredded
4 cups chicken broth (32 ounces)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
8 oz. cheddar cheese (mild, medium, or sharp)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
The Step-By-Step:
1) Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.
2) Add onion and garlic to the pot and sauté in the butter until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
3) Stir in broccoli and chicken broth and turn heat to medium-high. Simmer vegetables for about 10 minutes or until broccoli is beginning to get tender.
4) Whisk together flour and milk in a bowl. Add milk/flour mixture to soup pot and turn down heat.
5) Simmer soup until it begins to thicken slightly, another 5 or 6 minutes.
6) Add shredded carrot, cheese, cayenne pepper, and black pepper and simmer another 3 minutes, until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
Tips:
Stir the soup frequently once the milk/flour mixture goes in so you don’t burn the milk.
I use whole milk in this soup to make sure it thickens up properly. You can easily substitute skim or 2% milk without sacrificing taste, but the soup will be much thinner.
Makes 5 bowls
