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Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup - have you tried this soup at Panera? Oh my word, it's wonderful and I think this one's really close!
I couldn't stand it another day, I had to figure it out! Although I already posted a butternut squash soup this season, this one is quite different. It's also crazy delicious. And honestly, I'm a bit obsessed with it. Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, you can't have enough delicious, healthy soup recipes when the cold winds start to blow and this Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup is both!
This recipe actually started a few weeks ago. Scott and I were running errands and decided to catch a quick lunch at our local Panera. It was a cloudy, cool day and their fall soup sounded delicious. I just wasn't prepared for how delicious. "Oh my word." I said as soon as I tasted it. "This is wonderful!"
After that day, I found lots of excuses to visit Panera again. And again. There are lots of new seasonal items on their menu at this time of year. Did I try anything else? Nope, I was an old stick in the mud, ordering the same thing over and over. It might have been because was so intrigued with the delicious flavor and just couldn't put my finger on what made it so good. It's creamy, silky smooth and full of flavor. But what was the flavor?
After the third or fourth visit, I couldn't stand it anymore. I wanted to be able to make it myself, serve it to family, enjoy it with friends, present it in small pretty bowls for dinner parties and warm up with it after bike rides on clear, cool autumn days. I knew I had to figure it out!
I went home and started googling, hoping to find some clues. I actually found several copycat recipes for Panera Autumn Squash Soup but when I visited the Panera Bread website and read their description of the soup, the pieces of the puzzle started coming together:
A rich blend of butternut squash and pumpkin simmered in vegetable broth with select ingredients including: honey, apple juice, cinnamon and a hint of curry, then finished with sweet cream and topped with roasted and salted pumpkin seeds.
Cinnamon and a hint of curry? I would not have guessed curry but but I was beginning to see what gives the soup that depth of flavor. It was time to get to work.
I picked up butternut squash and a sugar pumpkin (see notes below for what kind of pumpkins are best for cooking and baking). I had everything else I needed. The squash and pumpkin were simply halved, then roasted till soft and tender. After that, it's was easy. It took a few tries to get it just right but I realized it was the combination of curry and cinnamon, in small amounts that made this soup so uniquely delicious.
I did add a few of my own touches. I love incorporating lots of veggies in my soups to bump up the nutrition so, in addition to onions and garlic (the usually base for many soups), I added shallots and carrots along with the roasted butternut squash and pumpkin. The veggies and spices are simmered with chicken stock while the pumpkin and squash roast, then everything is blended till silk smooth and gorgeous. I believe Panera uses cream in their soup, I just add a big scoop of Greek yogurt to keep the calories down and add a delicious creaminess.
Panera tops their soup with a sprinkle of toasted pumpkin seeds. I sautéed pumpkin seeds with a touch of butter and a sprinkle of paprika, curry and sea salt.
I like adding a generous scoop of these flavorful seeds when I serve my soup.
So there you have it. I pretty sure that I'm decently close to imitating the yummy Panera soup. I'm definitely sure this version will be repeated over and over again here at The Café. It's so satisfying, it comes together in less than an hour, is perfect for home or work lunches, would make an elegant appetizer soup or a lovely light dinner served with warm crusty bread and a simple green salad.
I have a feeling that once you try this Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup, it will be a frequent request at your house!
P.S. There are a few kitchenwares that I'd be hard pressed to live without. Well, I could for sure, but they do make my life in the kitchen much easier. Near the top of my list is my immersion blender. I love this thing. It's reasonably priced and makes preparing a pot of soup like this so... simple and a lot less messy. It's also has an attachment for a small chopper which comes in super handy.
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Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large butternut squash, 2 ½-3 pounds
- 1 medium sugar pumpkin*, 2 ½-3 pounds
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large sweet yellow onion, peeled, halved and roughly chopped
- 8 ounces carrots
- ½ cup roughly chopped shallots
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon mild curry powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
- 1 cup apple juice
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, I use full fat
- ¼ freshly ground black pepper
- salt, to taste
- For the pumpkin seeds:
- 1 teaspoon butter
- ½ cup pepitas or pumpkin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoons mild curry powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet pan will foil. Set aside.
- Cut squash and pumpkin in half. Scoop out seeds and stringy flesh. Drizzle a little olive oil on the prepared sheet pan. Place, cut side down, on sheet pan and roast for 30-40 minutes until very tender. Remove from oven and set aside till cool enough to handle.
- While squash and pumpkin are roasting, heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and shallots and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until slightly translucent and soft. Add minced garlic, curry and cinnamon and cook for another minute or until nice and fragrant.
- Add broth, apple juice and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside till squash and pumpkin are finished baking.
- When squash and pumpkin* are tender. (Pierce them with a small thin-bladed knife to tell - it should insert really easily.) Set aside till cool enough to handle, then scoop out flesh and add to Dutch oven.
- Return mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender or transfer mixture, in several batches to a regular blender**. Puree until very smooth and silky. Add Greek yogurt and pepper and stir to combine.Taste and add more salt if needed (There are a lot of veggies to season in this soup so don't hesitate to add more salt if the taste is bland.) You also may want to add a tablespoon or two of honey. My squash was very sweet and it didn't need any extra sweetness. The description of the Panera soup does include honey.
- Serve hot with a generous scoop of the pumpkin seeds.
- For the pumpkin seeds, melt butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add pumpkin seeds and stir to coat. Sprinkle with paprika, curry powder and salt. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, or until pepitas begin to turn golden. Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Notes
** If using a regular blender, be careful. The steam from hot liquids can create pressure and actually blow the lid off and make a huge mess, if the center insert is in place. To prevent this, remove the center insert and cover the opening with a folded towel. Alternatively, you can insert a narrow tip funnel into the opening and hold it in place. This will also allow the steam to escape.
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Absolutely delicious! I'm a big fan of this soup at Panera and have made other copycat Panera recipes. I'd say this soup is less decadent than Panera's—less rich, less sweet. Personally, I like that about it and appreciate that this recipe is healthier. But I think it'd be easy to make adjustments to get it closer to Panera's, if desired. I love the sensibility behind this recipe—will definitely be checking out more from this site!
I know a lot of folks commenting altered the recipe in some smart ways to work with what they had. We only made a few changes, all due to grocery store challenges:
1. We used canned pumpkin, per the comments, because we couldn't find fresh.
2. We could only find curry powder that didn't specify if it was mild. We used Simple Truth Organic's from Kroger.
3. Only white onions were in stock, so we had to use one of those.
For others without an immersion blender, we used our blender and followed this recipe's guidance there. I'm happy with the texture, though it obviously can't get as silken as it can with an immersion blender.
This recipe will definitely be added to our rotation and shared widely. Thank you. 😊
Hi Caroline, Thanks for the wonderful review and for sharing your tips on using locally available ingredients! So glad to hear how much you enjoyed the recipe!
Chris, This is a favorite of our family (and our extended family)! Delicious every time. I have never made it with fresh pumpkin but the canned pumpkin works for me. I use 1-2 15 oz cans of pure pumpkin. Great short cut. Miss you but love thinking of you and Scott often when I am cooking up a Cafe Sucre Farine recipe (which is weekly!)
Thanks so much, Julie!
Made this soup last night- a very light & delicately flavored soup. Before adding anything extra I tasted the soup & decided it needed more salt, pepper & yogurt for extra creaminess. I'm not a fan of curry so there was just enough in the toasted pumpkin seeds. After reading what Panera puts in their soup I'm glad I've never had any. This soup will surely be part of our Thanksgiving dinner. Freezing a batch of this soup so my daughter who will be visiting next week can enjoy this wonderful soup.
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Candace! So happy you enjoyed it!
I wish people that tried the actual recipe without making changes would post more comments. i always try to make it "as is" first before I even think of making changes. Most of the "five stars" have made changes, so that means little to me. I think this recipe would be just perfect and that is the way I will do it.
Hope you enjoy it, Kathleen!
I made this soup today and it was delicious….just like Paneras’s. I roasted the pumpkin, squash, and carrots and puréed them either the veggies broth and added the other ingredients. My very picky spouse loves it and tells me I can make this again! Thank you!
I'm so glad, Sue! Thanks for letting us know!
Absolutely amazing, just like Panera’s autumn soup. I was so wanting to make this recipe but I didn’t have butternut squash funny enough, but I did have sweet potato to substitute. I used heavy whipping cream and water for the liquid in addition to homemade greek yogurt. It came out so good, thank you for this recipe!
That was a great substitution, Naomi! So happy you enjoyed the soup! Thanks for sharing your review.
Wow! This was awesome. I made a couple of adjustments. Instead of 8 cups of broth I did 4 cups of broth and 2 water. And, added about 3 tbsp of light brown sugar. And it was really good. Mixed in a big spoon of 5% fat Greek yogurt at the end and it really brought all the flavors together. I even like it a bit better than Panera’s’! 🙂
Thanks, Stacy, for sharing your results and your adaptations. So happy you enjoyed it!
This soup is tasty, but I would just call it a squash soup. I wouldn't call it a copycat of Panera's soup. I had certain expectations b/c I think Panera's is one of the most delicious soups I've ever had - but without the cream cheese and cream they add, it just doesn't reach that peak awesomeness that sets it apart. I used a bunch of Greek yogurt but I had to go back and re-season heavily with salt, pepper, cinnamon, curry, and honey because the squash was the dominant flavor without any of those glorious complexities I was looking for. I am happy that it's healthier than their soup, but I just don't think it's the same. Also - it makes a TON! Could easily have cut this recipe in half, though I'd leave the seasonings as-is since I needed more.
Thanks for sharing your opinion, Maura.
This was delicious even though I made many modifications because I didn’t have everything in hand! I had to modify the following: used only butternut squash; omitted sugar pumpkin, carrots, and shallots; 2 cups of chicken broth; low-fat yogurt; honey. I also used Trader Joe’s apple cider & swirled in some heavy cream at the end. Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing your results, Faiza! Sounds wonderful!
Loved the Panera Autumn Squash Soup we made from your recipe today. We omitted pumpkin & yogurt & used honey in place of sugar. We will make this many times & enjoy saving money & getting a lovely potful for the price of one bowl! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Nancy. So happy you enjoyed it!
This is pretty good. Next time I will put in about 1/8 tsp curry powder. I put in about 3/4 tsp and it was way over powering. I had to add sugar, brown sugar and more cinnamon to fix it. I know it calls for mild curry powder, but I only had curry powder and really don’t know the difference. Using the inversion mixer is the best and it came out great.
Thanks, Kelley, for sharing your review. Curry powders can vary a lot in intensity. That's why I always say to start with a small amount then increase, to taste.
So, Panera's Autumn squash soup is my absolute favorite and after reading all the copycat recipes, I decided on this one. Look no further, it replicates the soup so very well. I like to make a recipe as written on my first go, but I did make a few changes. Since apple cider is so readily available and we love it, I swapped out the apple juice for the cider. Sour cream, which I had on hand, was used instead of yogurt, and I did add a tablespoon of honey for added complexity. I did freeze a few containers, so I'm hoping it doesn't ruin the consistency of the soup. My side note...do NOT bring soup to boil when reheating. Low and slow is the way. Thanks to Chris for sharing this delicious recipe.
I really appreciate you sharing your review, Kim. You made me want to make this soup again! 😂 Apple cider sounds great. I think you'll find the soup will be great after being frozen. Just give it a good whisking before reheating.
Looking forward to making this soup. Wondering if it freezes well. I would like to make it ahead of time for Thanksgiving.
Hi Cindy, this soup does freeze well. It's great to make ahead and pull out on those days when you don't have time to think about dinner. It will also be wonderful for Thanksgiving!
When I'm looking for a recipe online, I usually check three or four recipes and compare them. I like the research you did on this recipe and that you started by looking at the description of the ingredients on the Panera web site.
I have two questions
1. Pumpkins are seasonal and I won't be able to find them (where I live) most of the year. Other recipes use canned pumpkin. What quantity of canned pumpkin would I use for your recipe?
2. Other online recipes for Panera's Autumn Squash soup use somewhat similar ingredients. For example, the quantity of butternut squash is the same for all the recipes I checked. The big difference between the other recipes and this is the amount of broth. The others have 2 cups of broth. This one calls for 8 cups of broth.
thank you
Hi Charlie, I haven't made this soup with canned pumpkin so I can't guarantee the results but if you try it, 2 15-ounce cans should approximate the amount in a 2½-3 pound pumpkin.
The amount of broth is correct in this recipe. I can't speak for other recipes.
Thank you Chris. I made the soup today. Once I added the curry and the cinnamon I knew you had unlocked they key ingredients to this soup. The aroma filled my kitchen and I couldn't wait to try it. It is delicious !
I've wanted to make this soup for the longest time and now I have several containers of it in my freezer when I get a craving . It's every bit as good as the buying the soup at. Paneras. Hurray!!!!
I used two 15 ounce cans of pumpkin.
Awesome! I'm so happy you enjoyed this soup, Charlie! I can't wait for fall each year to make it. Thanks so much for sharing your results! 💕
This soup is delicious!! I added a little more brown sugar and it was perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks, Charlotte! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Made it today and it’s fantastic!! I didn’t have Greek yogurt so used heavy cream instead and it was fine. I also had to use some cornstarch to thicken it a bit. My squash probably weren’t as large as I needed. Will make again for sure!
Thanks so much, Joy! I appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
Oops! Sorry. It turns out that the ingredients list I just posted is from Panera's Autumn Soup that they're selling in grocery stores! (I hadn't realized they were doing that.)
This is what they list as the ingredients to the soup served in their cafes. Note the grocery store one doesn't list cinnamon. It lists ginger. The list from the soup they serve includes cinnamon but no ginger.
Our Autumn Squash Soup is made with a rich blend of ingredients, including:
Butternut squash
Pumpkin
Vegetable broth
Honey
Apple juice
Cinnamon
A hint of curry
Sweet cream
Roasted pumpkin seeds
Thanks Ellen!
Panera now publishes the ingredients list for their products. Here are their ingredients for the soup. Just thought you might like to have the list.
Pumpkin, Vegetable Stock (Water, Vegetable Base [Carrots, Celery, Onions, Tomato Paste, Corn Oil, Yeast Extract, Potato Flour, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor]), Milk, Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum), Brown Sugar, Butternut Squash, Heavy Cream, Contains 2% or less of: Carrots, Onions, Butter (Cream, Salt), Apple Juice Concentrate, Sugar, Corn Starch, Salt, Ginger Puree (Ginger, Citric Acid), Honey, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Curry Powder (Spices, Turmeric, Onions), Spices and Nisin Preparation.
Since sugar pumpkins are pit of season right now - any recommended substitute I could find at Trader Joe’s or regular grocery store?
Thanks!
Hi Brittany, you could try just using a can of pureed pumpkin. I also think a kabocha squash would be delicious.
Super excited to try! Does this freeze well?
Hi Savanna, it does freeze well! Just give it a good stir after it thaws.
I LOVE Paneras squash soup. Tried a copy cat recipe in the past & was underwhelmed . It's so disappointing. I'm such a busy person & to shop , cook & then not like it, so disappointing...BUT LOVED this one !The thickness is perfect! Has that comfort feel & taste & I'm so happy because I'm having to move toward vegan cooking because of health reasons & I LOVED THIS ! Thank you for sharing such a GREAT recipe!
Thanks so much, Victoria! I need to make a pot of this myself! 🙂
Thanks so much for the recipe! I mostly followed it, didn't add carrots, and it was a really big hit at our Christmas Eve dinner.
Thanks, Donna, so happy you enjoyed it!
I used your recipe, and it's very tasty, but please, why have you fallen into that old recipe-site trap?
"This is a copycat recipe. But I added things and changed it around."
That's almost as bad as people who comment, "I don't like squash so I used sweet potatoes, and I'm not a fan of garlic so I left it out. Oh, and I really don't like vegetarian things, so I chopped in some chicken. Then I tasted it, and it was horrible. 0 out of 10. This is the worst recipe ever."
If you add things that aren't in the original, or you change things, it's not a copycat anymore. It's just a good squash and pumpkin soup recipe.
Haha! You're right, Dave! That's just my nature, to try to make things even better. You can't exactly duplicate a restaurant recipe, since you don't have the exact recipe, but you can try your best and then improve on that just a tad.
But where are the apple bits? the Panera Autumn soup also contains "sweet apple" which gives it nice textural bits!
Hi Terri, I know they say "sweet apple" but guess what? Their sweet apple is actually apple juice. Here's their statement from the Panera website about the ingredients in their soup: "a rich blend of butternut squash and pumpkin simmered in a vegetable broth." It's made with ingredients including honey, apple juice, cinnamon, and a hint of curry, and finished off with sweet cream."
No apples! 🙂
Also Panera had ginger in their's too
I believe Copy Cat is helpful due to the fact that people are searching for a copy of a favorite soup they’d like to duplicate. If one doesn’t have the original Panera B recipe then it would be a copy cat, no?
Looking forward to making this tonight! Thank you Chris, for experimenting & sharing this recipe!
Thanks, Kyra 🙂 Enjoy!
Hi,skipped the apple juice and added real apples.It added extra fiber which makes this soup really filling and satisfying.I made a big pot ,ate it for a week because it was so good and lost 3 lbs! Also since there is no meat I was very " regular" for the week.
I love it, Andrea! Thanks for sharing your results! That's awesome that you lost weight!
Love this soup! Tastes exactly like the Panera soup and is delicious. I used garam masala for the curry which I thought was perfect. Thanks so much for posting the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your results Betty. I’m so happy that you enjoyed this soup as much as we do!!
Great soup! I used two cans of pumpkin instead of a pumpkin and I added the honey--it's not about the sweetness, but the extra dimension it adds. Just about overtopped my large Dutch oven.
Thanks for sharing your results Lori!
Panera has its soup ingredients (pasted below) posted on the website. To me the key flavor Panera's soup is the ginger. Far too much sugar though (20g)!
Detailed Ingredients
Pumpkin, Vegetable Stock (Water, Vegetable Base [Carrots, Celery, Onions, Tomato Paste, Corn Oil, Yeast Extract, Potato Flour, Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavor]), Milk, Cream Cheese (Pasteurized Milk and Cream, Cheese Culture, Salt, Carob Bean Gum), Brown Sugar, Butternut Squash, Heavy Cream, Contains 2% or less of: Carrots, Onions, Butter (Cream, Salt), Apple Juice Concentrate, Sugar, Corn Starch, Salt, Ginger Puree (Ginger, Citric Acid), Honey, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Curry Powder (Spices, Turmeric, Onions), Spices and Nisin Preparation.
Hi Chris, oh does this sound delicious, I made your crock pot mash potatoes last night and they came out perfectly, love that you had us add buttermilk. Can't wait to make this soup!!!!! Pinned!
I called Panera and the soup does not have cinnamon. The spice it has is allspice. Also does not have onion but onion powder. I am going to try and make this soup tonigh. I am in love with it!!!
hello- i have used many of your recipes in the past and have loved them all. i want to try this soup --can i use canned pumpkin? if so how much? thanks---k
Hi Karin, I think you'd lose some of the wonderful flavor of this soup by using canned pumpkin. That being said, I do have a recipe for pumpkin soup that does use canned pumpkin: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-roasted-pumpkin-coconut-curry-soup/
I'm so glad you posted this. I had it last season, and never wanted to lick a bowl of soup prior to this. I just picked it up again today, and was thinking I need to learn how to make this! I printed your recipe- I cant wait to try it this weekend. You are a doll for posting it
Hope you enjoy it Jackie!
I made this soup today and it was delicious. I added some brown sugar (I like it a little sweeter) but all in all it was very good. I found the texture to be perfect. I would make it again.
I can't wait to try this recipe! I am from Canada and don't have a Panera here. My mom, sister and I go shopping in Seattle every fall, and last year came across this wonderful soup when we went there for lunch. We also went back to Panera this year as well... twice!! - just for this soup.
I am going to give this recipe a whirl tomorrow. 🙂
Hope you enjoy it!
Followed exactly. Tastes nothing like panera. Was so thick it was like mashed squash. I added lots more apple juice to try and sweeten and thin. Added 2 T honey. Still not close to Panera. I've used my immersion blender so long it became hot in my hands. Will go back in the kitchen and see if I have a can of chicken broth and add brown sugar, nutmeg and ginger as another reader did. Hope I can salvage as it was not a quick soup to make and it made a ton. Very disappointed. And I am not a new cook by a long shot. There's a weight watchers recipe much better and half the calories
So sorry you did not have good results Karen. We enjoyed it very much and other readers have too.
I completely agree it's nothing remotely close to panera. It's a fine soup but definitely mislabeled as a Panera copycat.
Can you offer advice for making this in advance and reheating? I would like to serve as first course on Thanksgiving but will find it difficult to prepare while cooking everything else.
Hi Anita, this soup can be made ahead and it reheats beautifully, either on the stove top or in the microwave. It also freezes well so you could make it way in advance.
Thanks !
😀 Thank you for this recipe! I tried it tonight and it is a great start. We (my mom & I) didn't care for the yogurt and will plan on using either cream or coconut milk instead. Otherwise, the next time I'll try with frozen squash and canned pumpkin. It made a TON of soup, so much so that 3 adults ate it, mom took home a 1/2 gallon bag, and I filled 4 quart bags full! 😀 It was great, just need a bit of tweaking. 😀
I may try a pinch of brown sugar next time, we also needed the honey. And I originally used 1/2 the curry as I'm not a big fan, but ended up adding it back! That surprised my mom and I. 🙂 Thank you again for the recipe! I'll post again after I've made it with the frozen/canned squashes. 🙂
Thanks for your review.
Absolutely delightful! I just made it. I added the honey as suggested and instead of Greek yogurt I used 3/4 of heavy cream. The taste is very similar to Panera....makes quite a large batch. Next time, I might make a half recipe. All in all....Delicious!
Thanks Sharon, it does make a big batch but it does freeze beautifully 🙂
The soup is delicious! I added in maple syrup instead of honey and it was wonderful!
So happy you enjoy it!
Thanks Chris for this recipe. I've been twice to Panera and loved this soup. Was so happy when I found your recipe. Thank you for all you share!
Hope you enjoy it!
I made a squash soup last fall for a harvest fest taking place on an organic farm I volunteer on. It was absolutely amazing but I think I might have to give this recipe a try.
I think you'll love it, it's such a comfort soup, especially in the crisp fall months!
I just tried this soup at aPanera restaurant and fell in love with it. I live 300 miles from there so would love to make it at home. I would use almond or coconut milk since I have a dairy allergy. Thanks so much for sharing. I too wonder if it could be frozen. Also, I have never tried curry . What brand spice do you recommend?
Hi Joyce, yes this can definitely be frozen. Look for a mild curry. I really like the curry that Trader Joes sells.
Tried this tonight and followed the recipe exactly as written, but it wasn't quite what I was looking for. It was good, it just didn't taste enough like the Panera recipe I was hoping to recreate. Hope this review helps someone who was wondering the same thing. 🙂
My husband did love the pumpkin seeds though! Thanks for sharing your recipe, Scott & Chris. Blessings.
I love the Autumn soup at Panera. So I decided to try and make it myself. I found this recipe and it's very close to the original, though I found it to be a bit bland. I didn't have a sugar pumpkin on hand, so I used pureed pumpkin and also didn't roast my squash. I also added brown sugar, a bit of maple syrup, nutmeg, hot curry, garlic powder (along with fresh garlic), red pepper flakes, coriander, cumin, and rosemary. it was AWESOME! and tasted very similar to Panera!
The Panera soup has a distinct and delicious taste of honey. I fear I would miss that in this recipe. Could it be added?
Hi Nicole,
It could definitely be added. I was actually going to add it, but when I tasted it, the squash was very sweet and it didn’t need it. I’m sure butternut squashes vary in their sweetness so I would wait until the soup is finished, then taste it and add honey, if needed.
Can't wait to try this, I am making it for my family on Thanksgiving.
Are you able to use canned pumpkin and if so how much would be equivalent to the amount of pumpkin you used?
Thanks!
Hi Colleen, you could use canned pumpkin. I would probably use one to one and a half of the average size cans.
The pumpkin seeds in the pictures appear to have been taken out of the hard out hulls. Is this true? If so, how do you do that quickly? I cooked a large pumpkin today and saved all the seeds and would like to make this soup tomorrow.
Hi Paige,
I purchase pipettes like that. I’ve never removed them from the hull myself but here is a tutorial I found: http://www.wikihow.com/Shell-Pumpkin-Seeds
Hope that helps!
I made the soup. Absolutely delicious and very close to Panera. It made a huge pot! I tasted as I cooked and added 1/4 tsp ginger, a dash of nutmeg and 1/2 cup of brown sugar. I also topped it with store bought candied pumpkin seeds from Trader Joes. It was a huge hit and I plan on serving it on Thanksgiving. Thanks so much!
So glad you enjoyed it Erica!
I am "addicted" to Panera's Autumn Squash Soup, and everytime I put a spoonful into my mouth I dream of making my own. This copycat recipe is my dream come true..THANKEW THANKEW THANKEW !
Thanks Betty! So glad you enjoyed it!
This is amazing comfort food! Panera's is wonderful, but I believe this is better! So I wouldn't say copy cat as much as "New & Improved Copy Cat". I can't wait to serve this at Thanksgiving with my family...if I can wait that long. It has such a smooth silky texture that it is almost addicting. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Thanks Ann! So glad you enjoyed it!
thanks for posting this recipe! I love the Panera version and I can't wait to make this at home. Do you think this recipe would work in a slow cooker?
I haven't done it personally Karen, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let me know if it works for you!
When we lived in Henderson, Nevada, there was a Panera down the street. I liked their kinda-healthy food. So this soup rings a nice bell for me. It snowed last night in Aspen so I need to pull up my soup file. Will definitely add this copycat to it.
Snow and soup seem to go together, don't they Mary?
Panera is out favorite 'take out' restaurant! I love their soup but so many times they are loaded with sodium and unwanted calories. I love how you've upped the veggies and cut the fat in this wonderful soup recipe! I have a love affair with butternut squash every fall 🙂
Me too Susan, me too! If I can make it healthier and still keep the wonderful flavors, I 'm a happy camper!
Perfect autumn soup! Picky Bill will actually eat squash soup (I was shocked!) and so this needs to be on our menu soon.I love the crunchy topping, too!
Thanks Liz, it's really tasty and so "comforty".
I have been waiting for you to post this since you commented on my soup. Love the curry. I've been on a curry kick lately.
Curry kind of gets you on a roll, with it's addictive flavor, doesn't it Debra?
Chris, I am so excited to find this recipe! Can't wait to try it! I haven't ever eaten at Panera, as I'm sensitive to gluten, and our location doesn't carry any gf options. If I may ask, could you be specific as to what curry you use? Since curry powder is a blend of spices, it can vary greatly. Some are red. Others yellow. Is there a brand that you personally prefer? I'm recovering from surgery, so I really don't have time on my feet or energy to spare right now experimenting. I'd love to get it right the first time! And yours looks absolutely divine! I love that you add cultured dairy at the end. I can't digest regular dairy well, so I can't use the cream or yogurt, but I've found that I can digest my home cultured milk kefir well! So, I'll pour a little drizzle of kefir over it instead! Yum! Thank you so much for sharing!
I've never been to Panera and we don't have American cider here but I have always put curry in my butternut (pumpkin here) soup. I often put apple in it too. I'd love to visit Panera but until then I'll make your soup and pretend. 🙂
There you go Maureen! I think I got it pretty close, so enjoy!
Hi Chris, I bet this soup is delicious, curry and cinnamon who knew. I'm glad that you are tenacious, can't wait to make this.
You're right Cheri, it seems an odd combination, but all the flavors meld into one amazingly smooth and tasty soup! Enjoy!
This sounds fabulous. My girlfriend and I have been trying to get together and have lunch at Panera for this soup. It is so good. I believe I may have to surprise her with this recipe, It will be the perfect surprise. Ty
Thanks Brenda! Now you can have your "Panera lunch" right in your own house!
A healthy creamy pumpkin soup is one of my go-to comfort foods, esp. when outside is cold and rainy! Yum!
Me too Angie!
This is such a pretty, sunny soup Chris. I love the idea of the crunch of the seeds on top!
Smooth with a bit of crunch is a great combination, isn't it Sue?
What a beautiful soup! I admire your ability to replicate your favorite restaurant dishes. Maybe one of these days I will hone that skill. I am looking forward to trying this soup when it finally gets cold in Arizona!
Thanks Sandra. Scott says it's the "Crazy chemist" in me. I'm a curious cat when it comes to food.
MMMMM, sounds divine! Do you think it would be as good with canned pumpkin? Love your sauteed pumpkin seeds on top Chris!
Jenna, I think it could be fine, although, you roast the butternut squash anyway, so it's easy to roast the pumpkin at the same time.
It turns out canned pumpkin is not actually pumpkin, it's squash.
True!
Panera or not-this does look like on outstanding soup! Perfect for fall and now I can go buy a pumpkin! Plus there really aren't many calories in this so I can have a lot!
How true Abbe! Anything that justifies buying a pumpkin for is on my radar!
This is the most gorgeous soup! The color is amazing and love the pepita garnish - yummy - and you know I'm all about the pumpkins and squashes! Very nice - a big fan of Panera 🙂 Thanks Chris!
You're very welcome Tricia! When we looked at Scott's photographs coming out of the camera, we were thrilled - it's a beautiful presentation on your table too!
Hey Chris, Julie O. I have to stop in and tell you every once in a while that I am out here in the virtual world loving cafe sucre farine and all the stuff I make from it. I wondered if you thought canned pumpkin would work in this recipe?
Hey Julie! So good to hear from you! Yes, canned pumpkin would work too. But, you have to roast the squash, so the pumpkin can be roasted at the same time. Keep cooking!
Mother Nature has decided that it is definitely soup weather around here. Your soup looks velvety smooth and the pumpkin seeds are a great garnish. When I was in grade school a hundred years ago, we used to buy boxes of salted pumpkin seeds to munch on. Little did we know how unhealthy all that sodium was.
Thanks so much Sandra. Scott has memories of those little boxes too!
I can't wait to make this soup! Sounds perfectly delicious! And I have some of the prepared pumpkin my freezer. I feel like I'd be doing you a great disservice by not sharing some things I've learned about salt. While refined salts are unhealthy, Pink Himalayan Salt and Unrefined Sea Salt (gray in color) are actually very healthy for us. They contain minerals that are often missing in the soil that our food is grown in. The minerals in these natural salts are balanced and help us greatly. They should not be a problem for those with hypertensive issues, if sufficient filtered water is also consumed daily. There's no need to have to eat flavorless food. Another help for keeping minerals balanced would be consuming our grains in a traditionally prepared manner, such as genuine sourdough (made with a live culture). Rarely will true sourdough be found in a grocery, but usually you can find them in local bakeries. Or better yet, make it yourself! Sourdough starter makes amazing, fluffy pancakes that are quick and easy to prepare! Yum! And eat real grass fed butter! Please don't consume the margarine type substitutions that are often literally one molecule away from plastic. Yuck! Blessings to all!
I bet it is delicious..one can never have too many butternut squash soup recipes..I collected them every fall when we used to eat a friends homes:)
Then the internet..our family etc..I will add this one!
I agree.. such a professional..well planned..beautifully photographed blog.
Thanks for your sweet comments Monique! Simply stated; I love fall cuisine!
I haven't tried Panera's soup yet (it was still 95 here yesterday!), but I've heard great things about this one. I think I'll just skip straight to your homemade version because it sounds fabulous! Love the pumpkin seed topping!
Thanks Laura! It's so fun to play with fall bounty, and pumpkin seeds are an amazing, versatile and healthy little trick to have up your culinary sleeve! Panera did a great job on their version too!
This sounds really great. I can see handing a mug of it to my guests when they came in the door at Thanksgiving! Any thoughts on any of it being prepared ahead of time and freezing? Please, Chris, keep up all the hard work going into this site. I, for one, REALLY appreciate it. I have tried several of your recipes and they have all come out wonderful (even at 7500 feet!). I plan on trying your cherry chocolate chip cookies this Saturday since it's going to be cold and rainy. Thanks again
Thanks so much Debbie, for your kind and encouraging comment. I really appreciate it. I haven’t tried freezing this soup but I think it should be fine. It might separate a bit when thawed but you should be able to whisk it back together. Hope you enjoy it!