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January 26, 2018

Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup–reminiscent of Panera Bread’s broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 

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Get the INSTANT POT version of the recipe here

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Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup--reminiscent of Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 

Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

YUM is all I can say about this broccoli cheddar soup. The vegetables and broth are slow cooked and then the creamy and cheesy goodness is added in to the pot to produce a soup that will knock your socks off. This slow cooker panera broccoli cheddar soup is amazing served in bread bowls or served with some crusty bread…or just some crackers on top.

Some notes about the recipe:

Better than Bouillon Chicken Base*: I don’t always have a carton or can of chicken broth in my pantry but I always have Better than Bouillon in my fridge. I buy the big jars at Costco…they are so much cheaper. Then when a recipe calls for a cup of chicken broth I simply add in one cup of water and one teaspoon of the chicken base.

Broccoli: I chose to go with fresh broccoli for this recipe. You could totally go a lot heavier on the broccoli if you like to have broccoli in every bite. I just used the florets but if you like the stems you could dice them up and throw them in as well.

Carrots: I used only 2 carrots for this recipe but again, you could totally throw in a third carrots if you like to have more vegetables. I chose to cut my carrots up matchstick style which took a while but you could also just used grated carrots or diced carrots.

Sharp Cheddar: I love that sharp cheddar can bring so much more flavor to a dish than mild or medium cheddar. Don’t worry it’s not overwhelming. I used an entire 8 ounce block of cheddar. I grated my own. I don’t like to use pre-grated cheddar for soups because it has that weird powdery substance on it. What is that stuff anyway?

Pin this recipe for later!

Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup--reminiscent of Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 

More recipes you’ll love…

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Pizza Soup

Instant Pot or Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup

Pin this recipe for later!

Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup--reminiscent of Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 

What Slow Cooker Did You Use?

For this slow cooker panera broccoli cheddar soup recipe I used my 6 quart oval Kitchenaid slow cooker.* I love this slow cooker (you can see me talking about it in a video here). It cooks low and evenly. I love the medium heat choice because most slow cookers that I’ve seen only have the option of cooking on low or high. If you’re going to buy just one slow cooker, this is the one that I recommend.

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Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup


★★★★★

4.4 from 14 reviews

  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 hours
  • Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 1/2 cups of soup 1x
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Description

Reminiscent of Panera Bread’s broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 or 3 celery ribs, diced
  • 2 or 3 carrots, match-stick style or grated or diced
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped fresh broccoli florets
  • 3 cups chicken broth (or 3 cups of water and 3 tsp of Better than Bouillon Chicken Base)
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3 Tbsp of cornstarch and 3 Tbsp of water
  • 2 cups milk, warmed
  • 1 (8 oz) block of sharp cheddar, grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a pan, melt the butter over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted stir in the diced onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add the onion to the slow cooker.
  2. Add in the celery, carrots, broccoli and broth.
  3. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
  4. Turn the slow cooker to high. In the microwave or on the stovetop melt the 1/4 cup butter. Slowly whisk in the 1/4 cup flour until a creamy mixture forms. Stir one cup of the broth from the soup into the flour/butter mixture. Whisk until smooth. Then whisk the entire mixture into the slow cooker. In a small bowl stir together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in the milk, cheddar and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for another 60 minutes.
  5. Remove the lid, ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes

I used my 6 quart oval Kitchenaid slow cooker.*

  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Slow Cooker

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*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Pin this recipe for later!

Slow Cooker Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup--reminiscent of Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup this slow cooker version has chopped broccoli, shredded carrots and celery simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce. I believe this version is just as good or better than you could order at any restaurant! Try it for dinner this week. 

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54 Comments Filed Under: All Recipes, Meatless, Soups, Slow Cooker Tagged With: copy cat recipe, 5 stars, 4-6 hours

Recommendations

Comments

  1. Robert says

    October 22, 2022 at 1:05 pm

    I love Panera broccoli cheese soup. So I made this recipe on the stove top. The soup came out very salty per the recipe. Dumped that batch. Made a new batch without any salt added . It was delicious so close to Panera’s original soup.

    Reply
  2. Nick says

    January 26, 2022 at 9:07 am

    This soup was amazing! We used a mixed bag of frozen broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots. Cooked on high for 2hrs, added a little shredded chicken, and put it in a bread bowl. 10/10 will be making this again and sharing with family and friends!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 26, 2022 at 1:43 pm

      I love love love the idea of a bread bowl. That sounds awesome!

      Reply
  3. Jasmine says

    November 8, 2021 at 3:37 pm

    I have a question, if I don’t have 4 hours. Could I cook on high for 2 hours and get the same results??

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 8, 2021 at 3:55 pm

      Yes should be great!

      Reply
  4. Mikki Krupowski says

    July 22, 2021 at 6:26 am

    I have cooked this many times NOW. I use extra sharp cheddar made by cracker barrel. Delish! I’m wondering how I could do this And add potatoes to it?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      July 22, 2021 at 11:54 am

      Yes I think that would be great. Cube them up!

      Reply
  5. JOJO says

    February 11, 2021 at 8:34 am

    Easy, quick and very filling! Was a little bland, so added some hot sauce. I agree with a comment above, about reducing the cornstarch. Will make again. Thank you for the recipe!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      February 11, 2021 at 1:35 pm

      you’re welcome Jojo!

      Reply
  6. Barryb says

    January 26, 2021 at 5:37 pm

    Loved it. I drank a glass of dry red wine with the soup. The soup and wine were made for each other.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 28, 2021 at 10:29 am

      So glad you liked it Barry!

      Reply
  7. Shannon Crowe says

    January 17, 2021 at 6:27 pm

    I made a bigger batch and it came out pretty good. No complaints over here!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 18, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      👏👏👏

      Reply
  8. Christine says

    January 10, 2021 at 6:13 pm

    Made this for me and my 80-yr old father tonight. He thought it was delicious and ate 2 full bowls. I just thought it was okay, but that’s just my taste difference, not the recipe. I thought 3 tbsp of cornstarch was too much because the soup already looked pretty thick, so I used 2 instead of 3, and it was still thick n creamy. Thank you for the recipe!

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      January 11, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      Glad he liked it! What a nice daughter you are!

      Reply
  9. Lisa Osborne says

    December 17, 2020 at 9:53 am

    DELISH! My kids and husband request this to be made on all cold snowy days, like today! Great with some french bread!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 17, 2020 at 11:33 am

      Yes yes yes to the French bread!

      Reply
  10. stephanie says

    December 10, 2020 at 6:36 pm

    I made it according to the recipe. I used what block cheeses I had and it was delicious!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 14, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      Good to hear it Stephanie!

      Reply
  11. Sharmin Begum says

    October 11, 2020 at 4:56 pm

    I absolutely loved this recipe, and so did everyone who tried it! I used apple wood cheddar cheese, but other than that followed the recipe. For me, the vegetables didn’t get as soft, so I left it for longer. Delish!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 12, 2020 at 8:41 pm

      Apple wood cheddar cheese sounds so good!

      Reply
      • G.A. says

        October 13, 2020 at 1:38 pm

        Just made this recipe and used heavy cream, Vermont cheddar, smoke Gouda and Parmesan cheese for a three cheese soup. OUT OF THIS WORLD.

        Reply
        • Karen says

          October 14, 2020 at 8:07 pm

          wow that sounds truly amazing!

          Reply
  12. Jennifer L Gordon-Gird says

    May 22, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    Loved this recipe! Want to save some for another day. Can I use my a vacuum sealing system & freeze it?
    I love Panera! I just found this 376 days of crock pot Panera recipes & can’t wait to try more of them.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 25, 2020 at 12:43 pm

      I bet you could do that!

      Reply
  13. barry raines says

    April 18, 2020 at 9:35 am

    Great! I used frozen broccoli and heavy cream. Super easy. Delicious.

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 18, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Good to know! Glad you liked it!

      Reply
    • Victoria says

      August 5, 2020 at 1:24 pm

      Hi there,

      I’m trying to make this recipe and have heavy cream as well. Did you do this in place of the flour, cornstarch and milk?!

      Reply
  14. Stephani Howell says

    April 11, 2020 at 5:30 pm

    Loved it! It will be my go to. I immersion blended it a little at the end so the broccoli was pretty small.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      April 13, 2020 at 12:30 pm

      Glad to hear Stephani! Thanks for sharing your experience.

      Reply
  15. Saige Vanessa says

    March 11, 2020 at 2:38 pm

    Could I add chicken breasts in the slow cooker before I put the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      March 12, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      Yes I think that would work very well.

      Reply
    • Natasha says

      January 5, 2021 at 8:51 am

      Was wondering if you tried the chicken in with it? I plan on doing that as well

      Reply
  16. Jennifer says

    December 10, 2019 at 2:09 pm

    Should all Vegetables be covered by broth while in the crockpot. I added more veggies and wasn’t sure if I need extra broth

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 11, 2019 at 1:59 pm

      It should be fine Jennifer.

      Reply
  17. Audrey says

    December 3, 2019 at 10:58 pm

    Can I refrigerate it for serving two days from now?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 5, 2019 at 1:11 pm

      Yes you can!

      Reply
  18. Chris says

    November 7, 2019 at 9:58 pm

    trying and sticking to someone elses recipe for something I make all the time was hard but the end result wasn’t bad let me know if I’m allowed and I’ll share my crock pot broccoli cheese soup here in the comments for you and your readers

    ★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      November 8, 2019 at 8:18 pm

      sure that’s fine

      Reply
      • Jane says

        November 15, 2019 at 4:48 am

        Can I use frozen broccoli? Our store was out of fresh and I am making this for a family dinner tonight. Will it change the cooking time? I don’t want it to be too mushy. I have to make it shortly, so please answer ASAP!

        Reply
        • Karen says

          November 16, 2019 at 8:13 pm

          I think that will work! How did it go?

          Reply
  19. J.B. Bulharowski says

    October 24, 2019 at 11:53 am

    Have you used the Slow Cook function on the Instant Pot? Any comments, criticisms?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 25, 2019 at 5:01 pm

      I don’t use it because I’ve heard a lot of negative things about it. If you do use it make sure to adjust to the highest setting. Otherwise it cooks like it’s on warm.

      Reply
  20. Beth says

    October 12, 2019 at 6:09 pm

    I made this today and I’m in love! Added some coked chicken breast for that last hour. Yummmy!

    Reply
    • Karen says

      October 21, 2019 at 8:02 pm

      Sounds like a great meal!

      Reply
  21. Martha says

    August 13, 2019 at 8:05 am

    Loved it. Tossed everything in the ninja blender before serving. Even better on day 2.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      August 13, 2019 at 11:01 am

      nice! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂

      Reply
  22. Rosanne says

    December 12, 2018 at 2:48 am

    Made this for a ladies meeting. They liked it 🙂 I didnt use any of the butter but used EVOO, did’nt make the rue (so no flour or corn starch) and…This is terrible but I had a solo cup full of nacho sauce so I threw that in instead, (just the saice, not the cup 😉 lol. In place of the milk I used heavy cream. Looking forward to making this again according to recipe. Only thing I will add for my liking is turmeric to counteract the inflammatory dairy ingredients, because it has beautiful color in such a soup and simply because I love it! Thanks for the great recipe!

    ★★★★

    Reply
  23. Lente says

    December 6, 2018 at 4:25 pm

    I just made this but with old dutch cheese because they don’t have cheddar here (netherlands) and It was amazing

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Karen says

      December 6, 2018 at 5:44 pm

      Wow the Netherlands! How cool!

      Reply
  24. Julie says

    October 2, 2018 at 5:48 pm

    WILL NEVER MAKE THIS AGAIN I FOLLOWED IT WORD FOR WORD & IT WAS FLAVORLESS & NOT ENOUGH CHEESE

    Reply
  25. Lisa says

    July 3, 2018 at 10:28 pm

    Way too much onion. I used only 1/3 instead of a whole onion and it was still too much. Also, I don’t think Panera uses celery. This doesn’t taste anything like Panera’s and I can’t tell if it would or not because of the overwhelming taste of onions.

    ★

    Reply
  26. Bethany says

    May 2, 2018 at 1:52 pm

    If I need it done faster can I slow cook it on high?

    Reply
    • Karen says

      May 2, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      Yep for about half the time.

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Karen. I know that dinner time can be less than relaxing. Busy schedules and cranky kids and a hundred other things can lead to weariness when it comes to putting dinner on the table. I can help! I make homemade, family-friendly slow cooker and Instant Pot dinners and share the recipes with you.

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