The Fast Food Chain Serving The Best Broccoli Cheese Soup

We can thank Campbell's for America's love of broccoli and cheese soup, which inspired us to come up with an even tastier classic broccoli cheddar soup recipe. Naturally, fast food chains have also tuned in to the growing craze, and we reckon that, above all else, Jason's Deli has mastered its proprietary recipe. In Tasting Table's ranking of fast food soups from worst to best, Jason's Deli's broccoli cheese soup came in at a not-too-shabby second place overall. 

We sampled lots of different types of soup from several restaurant chains, basing our ranking on the integrity of the broth and the generosity of ingredients. The ultra-rich, creamy, and cheesy foundation to Jason's Deli's broccoli cheese soup was truly as decadent and comforting as soup gets, whether it's homemade or from a restaurant. 

Unlike the third-ranked broccoli cheddar soup, from Panera Bread, it uses a milder type of cheese that was more reminiscent of American, pulling at our nostalgic heartstrings since it's what you've probably melted into a cheese sauce to make steamed broccoli more edible. And that seems to be the case in this addictively simple soup that appears to contain nothing more than a cheesy broth and heaps of broccoli. While other soups may use other aromatic vegetables, namely a mirepoix, to spruce up the flavor, Jason's Deli lets the broccoli speak for itself. It breaks the crowns down into small shreds that are then evenly dispersed throughout the soup, providing a delightful texture and an earthy, slightly sweet flavor complemented beautifully by the creamy, salty, cheesy foundation.

The amount of copycat recipes for the broccoli cheese soup from Jason's Deli is all the proof you need of its popularity among diners. But we also found some glowing reviews from customers online. One Facebook reviewer wrote, "Jason's Deli helped out with a severe craving [for broccoli cheese soup] and they did not disappoint!! Their broccoli cheese soup was amazing!! Even got a bowl of it to-go." Notably, Jason's Deli is the most common answer on both Facebook and Reddit about where to find the best broccoli cheese soup. Facebook users love how thick and rich it is, in contrast to other watered-down, bland versions.

To that effect, the worst fast food soup from Culver's landed in last place for being a complete watery mess. A cup of Jason's Deli's broccoli cheese soup, on the other hand, would be the ultimate accompaniment for a DIY salad from its famous salad bar, or as a filling side to pair with one of Jason's terrific sandwiches. That said, Tasting Table doesn't recommend Jason's turkey club. But, if you're not in the mood for broccoli and cheese, our favorite fast food soup overall was the chicken pot pie soup from Potbelly.