Panera Bread Broccoli Cheese Soup

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft.

Sprinkle the flour over the butter and onion in the saucepan. Stir to incorporate into the butter. Cook, stirring, for 3-5 minutes.

While stirring, slowly add the half and half and whisk with a wire whisk until smooth.

Continue to stir and add the chicken stock. Bring the soup to a simmer and let cook at a simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrots to the soup and let cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the soup as thickened. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the soup, in batches if needed, to a blender. Process until smooth. Return the processed soup to the saucepan and heat gently over low heat. Add the grated cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts. Do not melt the cheese over higher heat or it may separate or become grainy.

Sprinkle the soup with the nutmeg then serve immediately.