Mains | Soups

Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Pretzel Bun Bowls

I’ve always loved broccoli cheddar soup in a bread bowl, so when I found pretzel buns big enough to hollow out, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with them: Broccoli Cheddar Soup in Pretzel Bun Bowls. The buns get brushed with butter and baked until lightly crisp, then filled with creamy broccoli cheddar soup, and it has that café-style bread bowl feel that I am always nostalgic for.

I used Spotted Cow for the beer, which is a Wisconsin cult favorite that friends recently brought back to Texas for us. It gives the soup a subtle beer cheese flavor, but you definitely don’t need to track down a Wisconsin-only beer to make this—any mild lager or ale you like will work well here, just not one that’s too hoppy.

The broccoli is chopped really finely so it softens right into the soup and you get some in every bite, which also makes it a little more kid-friendly. You can even blend a bit of the soup for an even smoother texture. Sharp cheddar keeps the flavor familiar, and Gruyère adds a little extra nuttiness and depth without overcomplicating things. I apologize in advance because you’re probably going to want to eat every soup out of a pretzel bun for the foreseeable future.

three pretzel bun bread bowls filled with broccoli cheddar soup on a white platter with blue leaf motifs

Why You’ll Love this Recipe:

Pretzel. Bread. Bowls: The soup gets served right inside a buttery, toasted pretzel bun, which makes the whole thing more fun to eat.
Classic broccoli cheddar flavor: Creamy, cheesy, and nostalgic in exactly the way you want broccoli cheddar soup to be.
Beer cheese twist: The beer adds subtle flavor in the background that makes things more interesting.
Broccoli in every bite: Chopping it really finely helps it soften into the soup, which works well for both kids and adults.
Extra depth from Gruyère: Sharp cheddar keeps the flavor familiar, while Gruyère adds a deeper, nuttier flavor.

Ingredients

4-6 pretzel buns (about 4-5” diameter)
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup beer (an ale or lager, nothing too hoppy)
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups fresh broccoli, finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sharp cheddar, freshly grated
½ cup Gruyère, freshly grated
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Garnish: extra shredded cheddar + freshly cracked black pepper

Mine pretzel buns were from Trader Joe’s, where they’re usually seasonal from around May through August. You can also typically find pretzel buns year-round at Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, H-E-B (for my Texans), and most larger grocery stores.

Prep Steps

There’s not too much to prep for this one!

Chop the broccoli up as finely as possible, using the florets and the stems.
Peel and dice the yellow onion.
Mince the garlic.
Freshly grate the cheddar and Gruyère.

bowls of chopped onion and broccoli on a cutting board alongside a chef's knife and minced garlic

How to Make It:

Step One:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step Two:

Slice about ½ inch off the top of each pretzel bun to create a flat surface, then cut a circle into each bun, leaving about a ½-inch border around the edge. Pull out the center and remove some of the bread from inside, keeping about ½ inch around the sides and bottom so the bun stays sturdy. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and brush the insides of the buns, then bake for 10-15 minutes, until lightly toasted.

three pretzel buns with the middle scooped out to make a bowl

three pretzel buns with the middle scooped out to make a bowl, after being baked in the oven

Step Three:

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Step Four:

Sprinkle in the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden.

Step Five:

Pour in the beer and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the beer reduce by half, then slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirring/whisking to incorporate, then bring to a gentle simmer.

Step Six:

Add the broccoli and simmer over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, until tender. Mash some of the broccoli directly in the pot, or blend about half of the soup and stir it back in. If your broccoli is chopped very finely, you may not need to blend/mash much at all.

broccoli cheddar soup simmering on the stocve in a large white dutch oven next to a baking sheet with the toasted pretzel bun bowls

Step Seven:

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Add the cheddar and Gruyère a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until melted, then stir in the Dijon mustard.

a large white dutch oven with the broccoli cheddar soup and a small blue ladle in it

Step Eight:

Ladle the soup into the toasted pretzel buns and top with a little extra cheddar and freshly cracked black pepper!

Substitutions

Pretzel buns: f you can’t find pretzel buns, regular bread bowls work too. You can also ladle the soup into bowls and serve with toasted bread or pretzel breadsticks on the side.

Broccoli: Fresh broccoli works best here, but frozen broccoli can also be used. Thaw it first and drain off any excess water, then chop it finely before adding it to the soup.

Beer: Any mild lager or ale will work here. I’d avoid anything too hoppy or bitter. You can also use a dry white wine for a slightly brighter flavor, or nix the alcohol and use additional stock.

Chicken stock: Vegetable stock works well too if you want to keep the soup vegetarian.

Heavy cream: Half-and-half can be used for a slightly lighter soup, although the final texture won’t be quite as rich.

Sharp Cheddar: Medium or mild cheddar works if that’s what you have, but sharp cheddar gives the soup more flavor. Colby jack also works if you already have it on hand. Be sure to freshly grate as pre-shredded cheese doesn’t melt as smoothly.

Gruyère: Swiss, fontina, comté, or a little extra cheddar can be used instead.

Dijon mustard: You can omit it if you don’t like Dijon, but I really recommend it for the subtle kick it adds.

Make it Vegetarian: Use veggie stock instead of chicken stock.

Make it Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour, choose a gluten-free beer or replace the beer with white wine/additional stock, and serve the soup in a gluten-free bun or regular bowl.

Storage & Reheating

If you’re only making a few bowls of this soup, you’ll likely have some left over, but don’t worry as it saves well and can be ladled into fresh pretzel bun bowls when you’re ready to enjoy it again.

Fridge: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring often. If the soup thickens too much in the fridge, add a small splash of chicken stock or heavy cream until it reaches the consistency you want.

Freezer: You can also freeze the soup for up to 2 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat slowly over low heat, whisking as it warms. If needed, add a small splash of cream or stock to bring it right back to a smooth, creamy consistency.

Reheating Note: Because this is a cream and cheese-based soup, it can separate a little as it cools or reheats. If that happens, keep the heat low and whisk it well as it warms. A small splash of cream can also help smooth it back out. Avoid bringing it to a hard boil, which can cause the cheese to separate even more.

Pretzel Buns: If you already hollowed and toasted extra pretzel buns, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days and reheat them in the oven until crisp again before serving. If you have extra buns that haven’t been cut or toasted yet, leave them whole and store them according to the package directions, or freeze them and thaw before using.

I don’t know if I’ll ever stop eating my soup out of pretzel buns now.

If you make these, tag me (@britacooks)on Instagram or TikTok, I’d love to see your recreations. It also means so much when you leave a review in the comments below!

You can save this recipe for later on Pinterest, or head over to my YouTube channel to cook along with me while I walk through the whole recipe. And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty more recipes to try next!

@britacooks

Mains | Soups