This copycat Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli soup recipe features tender broccoli simmered in a rich and creamy soup. It takes less than 35 minutes to make, and it's even tastier than the original!
Can't get enough of Tim Hortons copycat recipes? Check out my Copycat Tim Hortons Chili, Tim Hortons Iced Coffee, and Chicken Noodle Soup.
As of 2023, there are no copycat Tim Hortons cream of broccoli soup recipes on the internet - until now! Tim Hortons broccoli soup is warm, comforting, and filled with creamy broccoli goodness. Keep reading as I spill all the secrets on replicating the best copycat soup at home.
⭐ My Copycat Guarantee
I take a lot of pride in my copycat recipes. People have very specific expectations for how they should turn out, so I work extra hard in developing these recipes. I’ll only post a copycat recipe if I believe it tastes the same (or better) than the original. That's my promise.
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🥦 What Is Tim Hortons Cream Of Broccoli Soup?
Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli soup is a classic broccoli soup made with pureed broccoli in a velvety, creamy soup. It's rich and creamy with delicious cheesy undertones.
You can buy Tim Hortons soup in-store or in ready-to-serve cans at select retailers in Canada.
Did you know Tim Hortons' in-store offering isn't even made on-site? All Tim Hortons soups come pre-packed in large plastic bags and are poured into holding containers where its held warm throughout the day.
So no, I couldn't bribe a Tim Hortons employee to tell me how they make their Cream of Broccoli soup. But luckily, their canned soup label tells us a lot about how it's made.
🍲 Deconstructing the soup
With the production of Tim Hortons canned soups, they've made it really easy to deconstruct. The ingredients are listed right on the can! However, remember that many ingredients are used to keep the soup shelf-stable and can be ignored when recreating at home.
Here's the list of ingredients from the can:
Water, Broccoli, Corn starch, Modified corn starch, Onions, Cheddar cheese, Cream, Canola oil, Salt, Titanium dioxide, Sodium phosphate, Potassium chloride, Skim milk powder, Sugar, Cabbage powder, Spinach powder, Yeast extract, Spices, Onion powder.
The ingredients are all pretty standard - nothing too out of the ordinary. We can ignore titanium dioxide, sodium phosphate, and potassium chloride, which are additives used for big-factory, food-production purposes.
Cornstarch is most likely the main thickening agent, so we'll use that in our copycat recipe. Cabbage and spinach powder are added for a bright green color and to provide additional nutrients - but we can ignore those too. We'll use fresh vegetables in their place.
As for the "spices", they're the biggest unknown. But don't worry, I spent countless hours dissecting the Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli soup to figure out what they use, and I think I've nailed it down. The full ingredient list is in the next section.
🧂 Ingredients
Produce:
- Onions - provide the savory base for our soup. We cook them gently to tame their pungency while retaining their delicious flavor.
- Celery - I can't imagine a soup without celery; celery adds a unique grassy aroma essential for soups and stocks.
- Broccoli (fresh or frozen)- the star ingredient! We'll use both the stalk and florets.
Dairy:
- Butter - for sauteing the vegetables.
- Cream - heavy cream is essential for getting that velvety, rich texture. If you're concerned about the amount of fat, you can substitute it with half and half.
- Cheddar Cheese - any cheddar cheese (white, orange, mild, or old) will work but try to avoid pre-shredded cheese since it doesn't melt as easily.
- Milk powder (optional)- the secret ingredient to adding richness and depth to our broccoli soup. Christina Tosi, celebrity chef and owner of Milkbar, describes milk powder as the MSG of baking. We can add it to our soup to add a ton of umami and savoriness.
Seasoning:
- Chicken (or vegetable) stock - Use a good brand like Better than Bouillon. The soup will only taste as good as your stock, so pick a high-quality one.
- Black pepper - the only spice used in this recipe; use freshly cracked black pepper for the best flavor.
- Salt - to enhance all the flavors of the soup.
- Cornstarch - for thickening the soup; mixed with water so it doesn’t clump up.
- Marmite (optional) - also known as yeast extract - adds umami to savory dishes. We add a small amount since Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli soup uses it; be careful not to add too much as it has a deep brown color which will darken the soup.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1. Saute veggies
Melt butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Saute onions and celery for about 5 minutes until tender but not browned.
Step 2. Simmer broccoli
Add broccoli and stock, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.
Depending on how much broccoli you add, you might need to add additional stock or water.
Step 3. Blend soup
Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
You can use a regular blender if you don't have an immersion blender. Working in batches, fill the blender no more than halfway with soup, and blend, starting on low speed and increasing to high. Transfer to a clean pot.
Step 4. Season
Bring the pureed soup to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in cream, cheddar cheese, marmite, milk powder, salt, and pepper.
Cook for 2-3 minutes, then season with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional)—season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
💭 Top Tips
- Use an immersion blender to puree the broccoli. It's so much easier than using a blender which requires the soup to cool down and to be done in several batches.
- Leave some chunky bits of broccoli to add extra texture.
- Use high-quality chicken or vegetable stock. I recommend Better than Bouillon.
👩🏻🍳 Substitutions
- Heavy cream - substitute with half and half, milk, or even Greek yogurt.
- Marmite (optional) - substitute with ¼ teaspoon of MSG or equal parts Vegemite
- Milk powder (optional) - use fresh or evaporated milk, but remember these will make the soup more watery.
👨🏻🍳 Variations
- Extra-cheesy - Stir ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese at the end of cooking to add savoriness and cheesiness.
- Warm spices - Add ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg at the end of cooking to give that warm, comforting, hug-your-soul aroma.
- Garlic - Add 2 cloves of fresh garlic (minced) when sauteing the vegetables.
- Vegan - substitute cashew cream for heavy cream, vegetable stock for chicken stock, olive oil for butter, and use vegan cheddar cheese. Add one cup of diced potatoes with the other vegetables to give Tim Hortons cream of broccoli soup a thicker texture.
🥡 Storage & Leftovers
Storing: Allow leftover Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli soup to come to room temperature before storing it in the fridge. Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers by scooping out the portion you want to eat and heating it on medium heat until warmed through.
Freezing: Allow leftover broccoli soup to come to room temperature before storing the freezer. Portion the leftover soup into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and eat within one day.
💭 Tip
A big pot of soup can take hours to cool down at room temperature. You can speed things up by submerging the soup in a sink of cold water. Change the water every 15 minutes until it's cooled.
📖 Recipe FAQs
You can thicken broccoli soup by mixing it in a cornstarch slurry or flour-based roux. A cornstarch slurry can be made by mixing cornstarch and water in a 1-2 ratio.
A roux can be made by melting equal parts butter and flour in a saucepan over medium heat, constantly whisking until it forms a paste. Cook it for a few minutes to cook out the raw taste of the flour before mixing it into the soup.
Add only one tablespoon of slurry or roux at a time so you don't over-thicked the soup.
Yes, and that's probably what Tim Hortons does at their factory anyways.
Simply add all the ingredients (except for the heavy cream and cheese) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Then, use an immersion blender to blend the soup and stir in the heavy cream and cheddar cheese.
Yes! Cut the broccoli into as tiny pieces as possible. And after simmering, use a potato masher (or pastry cutter) to mash the broccoli into even smaller pieces. Then proceed with the recipe as directed.
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📋 Recipe
Tim Hortons Cream of Broccoli Soup
Equipment
- 1 immersion blender
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion (chopped, about 1 cup)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped, about 1 cup)
- 8 cups broccoli florets and stalks (roughly chopped)
- 3 ½ cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, I recommend Better than Bouillon brand)
- ½ teaspoon marmite (optional)
- 1 tablespoon milk powder (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)
- ½ cup cheddar cheese (white or orange)
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons of water)
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Saute onions and celery for about 5 minutes until tender but not browned.
- Add broccoli and stock, and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the soup in the pot.
- Bring the pureed soup to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in cream, cheddar cheese, marmite, milk powder, salt, pepper, and cornstarch slurry. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then season with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice (optional). Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use an immersion blender to puree the broccoli. It's so much easier than using a blender which requires the soup to cool down and to be done in several batches.
- Leave some chunky bits of broccoli to add extra texture.
- Use high-quality chicken or vegetable stock. I recommend Better than Bouillon.
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