Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Price, Calories and Nutrition (2026)

Broccoli Cheddar Soup is the item that built Panera’s soup reputation, and it is still the soup most regulars order without looking at the board. The build is straightforward: chopped broccoli and shredded carrots simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce, served steaming hot. It is the soup Panera is known for, the one competitors try to copy, and the bowl that turns a casual lunch into comfort food. In 2026 a cup runs from $5.29 at most US cafes, with 230 calories per cup according to Panera’s official menu boards.

Panera prices vary by cafe and market, and delivery orders run higher with fees and tips. Menu aggregators have listed the cup between $4.39 and $5.29 in 2026, so the from $5.29 figure is a market-varied estimate; check your local cafe’s menu for the exact price. The bowl runs 360 calories. A half portion in the Pick Two combo is the lighter way in, and adding the bread bowl changes the math entirely.

Last updated: June 11, 2026

Table of contents

• What is in the Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup nutrition facts
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup ingredients and customization
• Allergens
• Broccoli Cheddar Soup vs Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
• Getting the best value on the Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Frequently asked questions

What is in the Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Chopped broccoli florets and shredded carrots, simmered in a velvety smooth cheddar cheese sauce with select seasonings. That is the whole pitch, and Panera has not felt the need to complicate it. The broccoli stays tender but recognizable, the carrots add a mild sweetness and color, and the cheese sauce carries everything. It is thicker than a broth soup but not a gluey chowder: it coats a spoon without standing up on it.

At 230 calories for a cup, it is the heavier of Panera’s two signature soups, and the macro profile explains why: 15 grams of fat, 9 of them saturated, against 9 grams of protein and 17 grams of carbs. The 960 milligrams of sodium is the real watch point; that is nearly half a day’s guideline in one cup. This is a comfort soup, not a health soup, and the honest read is that the cheese is doing the heavy lifting on both flavor and calories.

The bread bowl version is the famous serving: a round of Panera’s sourdough hollowed out and filled with soup. It is the photo-order, and it roughly doubles the calorie count once you eat the bowl itself. Served in a regular cup with a baguette on the side, it is a much more reasonable lunch.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup nutrition facts

Full nutrition breakdown for one cup of Broccoli Cheddar Soup, based on Panera’s official nutrition values, consistent with 2026 menu boards.

Nutrient	Amount per cup
Calories	230
Total fat	15g
Saturated fat	9g
Cholesterol	45mg
Sodium	960mg
Total carbohydrates	17g
Dietary fiber	1g
Sugars	6g
Protein	9g

The 230 calorie figure covers a cup. The bowl runs 360 calories, and the bread bowl adds the bread on top of that. The 9 grams of saturated fat is nearly half the daily guideline’s recommended limit, and the 960 milligrams of sodium is the bigger concern for anyone watching blood pressure. The 9 grams of protein is modest but real, and the 6 grams of sugar is relatively low for a comfort food.

Context against the other soups: the Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup cup runs just 100 calories, which makes the Broccoli Cheddar the richer choice by a wide margin. If you want the cheese and the comfort, this is the order. If you want the soup habit every day, the chicken noodle is the sustainable one. Panera does not disclose trans fat for this item.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup ingredients and customization

The standard build is chopped broccoli, shredded carrots, and a cheddar cheese sauce made with milk, cream, and select seasonings, simmered until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is smooth.

Customization runs through the usual Panera options. The Pick Two combo pairs a cup with a half salad or half sandwich, which is the standard lunch move. Extra black pepper and a squeeze of lemon are the counter-level upgrades regulars ask for. There is no light or reduced-fat version of this soup on the standard menu, which is part of the point: it is the indulgent soup, and Panera sells it as such.

Allergens

This soup contains milk and soy, and Panera’s kitchens handle wheat, egg, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and sesame, so cross-contact is possible. The broccoli itself is naturally gluten free, but the cheese sauce is prepared in a shared kitchen where flour and other allergens are present throughout the day. Anyone with a dairy allergy should skip it entirely. Guests with severe allergies should speak to the cafe team before ordering, since Panera’s open bakery case and shared soup station mean cross-contact is a real possibility.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup vs Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Panera’s two signature soups, settled with numbers. Broccoli Cheddar Soup (cup): 230 calories, 15g fat, 9g saturated fat, 45mg cholesterol, 960mg sodium, 17g carbs, 9g protein, from $5.29. Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup (cup): 100 calories, 2g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 1040mg sodium, 11g carbs, 10g protein, from $5.29.

The chicken noodle is the clear nutritional winner: less than half the calories, a fraction of the fat, and slightly more protein. The one category where the broccoli cheddar looks better is sodium, and that is only because the chicken noodle’s 1040 milligrams is even higher. Flavor-wise they are different animals: the broccoli cheddar is rich, creamy, and indulgent, the chicken noodle is light, brothy, and classic. Pick the Broccoli Cheddar for comfort and the cheese flavor Panera is famous for; pick the Chicken Noodle for the lighter lunch you can eat all week. Both cost the same at the cup size.

Getting the best value on the Broccoli Cheddar Soup

• The Pick Two is the value play: a cup of soup plus a half salad or half sandwich runs less than the two items bought separately, and it is the standard Panera lunch.
• The cup at 230 calories is the smarter buy than the bowl at 360 if you are pairing it with anything else. The bread bowl is the fun order, not the value order.
• MyPanera rewards run soup deals and free-item offers regularly. A free bakery item with your soup is a common promotion, and it effectively cuts the lunch price.
• Skip delivery when you can. The soup price itself barely moves, but delivery fees and tips add 30 to 40 percent to the total on a single cup.

Frequently asked questions

ManuBite Team. We track fast food prices and nutrition across the USA so you always know what your meal really costs, in dollars and in calories.