The Best Soup Dupe Recipe Ever

One thing about me: I love a good restaurant copycat recipe. These dupe recipes, as they're also commonly called (short for duplicate), can sometimes be simple reproductions or a surprising combination of ingredients. Many dupe recipes are tasty drinks or flavorful fast-food sauces, like the McDonald's Big Mac dressing or the popular Chick-fil-A dipping sauce. While I've successfully reproduced several of these, my favorite copycat recipe of all time is for Panera Bread's broccoli cheddar soup. If you've never tasted this restaurant chain's signature soup, you're missing out. It's rich, cheesy and well-seasoned with chunks of broccoli and shreds of carrot. However, thanks to the power of the internet, you can recreate it at home almost perfectly. For the most authenticity, use sharp cheddar cheese, but I've also made this recipe using Monterey Jack cheese and thought it was equally good. My only substitution in making this recipe was to use a can of evaporated milk rather than half-and-half because that's what I already had on hand. If you prefer, or if sodium level is a dietary consideration, use unsalted butter and a low-sodium chicken broth and add salt at the end only if needed. Cheese is pretty salty, too, so be sure to give it a taste first before adding more. The original recipe calls the nutmeg optional, but it seems to add a certain depth of flavor to the soup. I chose not to remove and blend a portion of the soup, preferring to leave it chunky. Serve with a crusty chunk of bread for dipping, or you could even ladle this soup into a nice bread bowl. As far as copycat recipes go, I found it to be relatively spot-on and delicious. Even if you've never eaten at Panera Bread, this version of broccoli cheddar soup is sure to warm your belly and satisfy your comfort-food cravings this winter season. Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup Adapted from the-girl-who-ate-everything.com Ingredients: 1/4 cup butter Half of medium onion, chopped 1/4 cup flour 2 cups half-and-half, or 12-oz can evaporated milk 2 cups chicken stock or broth (add extra half-cup if using evaporated milk) 3 cups broccoli, chopped into bite-size pieces 1 cup shredded carrots 2 cups (8 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese OPTIONAL: 1/8 tsp. nutmeg Salt and pepper to taste Instructions: Melt butter and sauté chopped onion in butter until soft. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, then cook while stirring over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the half-and-half or evaporated milk and the chicken stock or broth. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium. Add chopped broccoli and shredded carrots. Cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until broccoli and carrots are tender. Leave the soup chunky or remove and blend about a cup of the soup and stir it back in for a slightly smoother soup. Return to low heat and add grated cheddar cheese (if heat is too high, soup will become grainy). Add nutmeg if desired and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with crusty bread.