Loaded with broccoli and two different cheeses, this creamy and delicious soup is the ultimate comfort food, especially when served in a bread bowl!
Soup Season is our favorite! Whether it’s Cheesy Potato Soup or Cheesy Cauliflower Soup, we love to enjoy these recipes all fall and winter long – especially when cheese is involved! If you love Broccoli & Cheese soup, be sure to check out our Copycat Panera version too!
Just like pacific wharf cafe!
Is it possible NOT to love soup?!
We count down the days until the weather is cool enough to enjoy delicious soups, and a favorite of ours (since childhood) is Broccoli Cheese Soup. We know it’s a popular one, and not only is this recipe super delicious, but it’s beyond simple too.
If you’ve ever been to the Pacific Wharf Cafe at California Adventure in Anaheim, you may have tried their Broccoli Cheese Soup in a Bread Bowl. If not, you must try it – it’s practically HEAVEN!
I have been dying to find a recipe that compares to this little piece of heaven. I’m happy to report that after a few tweaks (we used out Loaded Broccoli Potato Soup as a base), this soup tastes just like Disney’s Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
We’re big fans of the food at Disneyland, and have made several copycat recipes, including Dole Whips and Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewers.
Now we have this soup that can remind us of the happiest place on earth, too!
how to make Broccoli Cheese Soup
Believe it or not, this recipe is as simple as it is delicious. It only takes about 30 minutes to come together, and the ingredients are super simple. In fact, you probably have most of them on hand already.
SIMMER. In a large pot, add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
ROUX. While simmering, melt butter in a large sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute (or until golden brown). Whisk in milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
ADD. Add cheese and stir until it is all melted. Add salt and garlic pepper.
COMBINE. Pour cheese sauce into the large pot and stir until well combined.
NOTE: Add more milk for a thinner consistency and add any additional salt and pepper needed. Top with bacon pieces. Serve warm.
Crockpot instructions
Place butter and flour in your crock pot and let melt. Add milk and let set for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients but cheese. Cover and cook on high for 2 hour or on low for 4-6 hours, adding cheese 30 minutes before done.
Recipe Tips & VAriations
Thickening. Add flour or cornstarch to the soup to thicken it. To do that, just whisk a few tablespoons of cornstarch into a little broth in a separate bowl before whisking it into the main pot. This will help thicken up the entire soup.
- Vegetables: If you want even more veggies besides broccoli, you could add sliced/shredded carrots or diced onions.
- Cheese: Our recipe calls for mild or sharp cheddar cheese, as well as Swiss cheese. You could easily swap those out for white cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, jack cheese, or American cheese. It may have a slightly different flavor, but all would be delicious!
- Milk: The soup is plenty creamy with the use of milk, however if you prefer a thicker texture, you can use half and half or heavy cream instead.
- Broth: If you don’t have chicken broth on hand, you can use vegetable broth instead. Or, use a bouillon cube for the equivalent amount of broth (4 cubes + 4 cups of water).
- Broccoli: Make your broccoli as big or little as you like. You can use full broccoli florets, cut them into bite size pieces, cut off the broccoli stems completely, or whatever you prefer!
Tips for storing
Regardless of whether you’re putting it in the fridge or freezing, let the soup cool to room temperature before storing.
Fridge. Pour into an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days! Reheat in the microwave or on the stove and serve with some crusty bread. Yum!!
Freezer. Broccoli cheese soup is actually perfect for freezing! Once it has cooled, pour into a freezer safe bag/container. Keep the soup in the freezer for up to 6 months!
You could even make individual servings by pouring into paper/plastic cups, freezing, and removing from the cup after it has frozen. Store the frozen individual servings in a freezer safe bag.
For more soup recipes, check out:
- White Chicken Chili
- Spaghetti Chili
- Ham and Bean Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Potato Bacon Soup
- Loaded Broccoli Potato Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 14.5 oz cans chicken broth
- 2 small heads of broccoli, washed and diced small
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ -4 cups milk
- 4 cups cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, add chicken broth and broccoli. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While simmering, melt butter in a large sauce pan. Whisk in the flour and cook for another minute (or until golden brown). Whisk in milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Add cheese and stir until it is all melted. Add salt and garlic pepper.
- Pour cheese sauce into the large pot and stir until well combined.
- Add more milk for a thinner consistency and add any additional salt and pepper needed. Top with bacon pieces. Serve warm.
This wAs the best broccoli cheese soup i’ve eVer had!! There was no left overs! Sooo good!!
That makes me so happy! Thank you for sharing that!
I love this quick recipe so much. It’s the perfect recipe for whipping up a fast dinner. Also, my go-to if I feel like taking over a dinner to a friend on a whim. I trust they’ll love it too.
We tried the recipe. Did the butter flour and milk first then added in the simmered broth and broccoli. Let that sit for 1.5hr in thr crockpot on high and added in the cheese and let it sit and it looks like it separated and is kinda gritty. Now sure where I messed up? Has the general flavor but texture isnt good. Any ideas or thoughts?
I’m sorry the soup didn’t turn out the way that you had hoped. It could be that your crockpot’s high setting runs hotter than others. I’ve had different crockpots that cook food faster and slower on the same heat setting. I’m not exactly sure why that is but they must be calibrated differently. When cheese is melted at high heat it tends to separate and curdle. This may have been what was happening. Maybe try the low setting on your crockpot instead? Thanks so much for trying it!
This soup is so cheesy and creamy. This is one soup that the entire family will eat.
This is really tasty and easy to make! Will surely have this again, thanks a bunch for sharing this broccoli cheese soup recipe! Highly recommended!
It has been soup weather over here & we can’t get enough of this broccoli cheese soup!! My kids even love it! It’s so cheesy & smooth!
Super loved this amazing broccoli cheese soup recipe! Will surely have this again, super easy to make and tasted really delicious! Well done!
This was so easy to make and tastes perfect. Bring on soup season! I’m ready to try this in a bread bowl next time. But truly it’s still perfect without.
Just made this for dinner and it was fab! It was so easy and fast and I had all the ingredients on hand. I will absolutely be making this again!!
Yay!! So glad you loved the soup! Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
This is always my go-to soup! Everyone enjoys it and its such a comfort food on a cold day.
How much of the Swiss Cheese does the recipe need? I couldn’t find it where the ingredients were listed.
Also, where can I find garlic pepper?
Thank you!!
Very good & easy. I caramalized some onion & jalapeno before melting butter & threw in some minced garlic as I made the roux. 😋