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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.
- 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
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Preheat oven to 400˚F. Line a sheet pan will foil. Set aside.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Serve hot with a generous scoop of the pumpkin seeds.
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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.
* Those big pumpkins you see at the pumpkin patch are perfect for jack-o'-lanterns but they're not good for cooking. Their flesh is stringy, bland, and watery. Instead look for the smaller pumpkins with a smooth-textured flesh. They are sweet, flavorful and "meaty". Look for pumpkins labeled "sugar pumpkins" or "pie pumpkins". Some specific names are Baby Pam, Autumn Gold, Ghost Rider, New England Pie Pumpkin, Lumina (which are white), Cinderella, and Fairy Tale.
** 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.
Serving size is 1 cup. Recipe will yield 10-12 cups, depending on size of squash and pumpkins.
Julie Owen says
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!)
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Julie!
Candace says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Candace! So happy you enjoyed it!
Kathleen says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
Hope you enjoy it, Kathleen!
Sue from granger says
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!
Chris Scheuer says
I'm so glad, Sue! Thanks for letting us know!
Naomi says
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!
Chris Scheuer says
That was a great substitution, Naomi! So happy you enjoyed the soup! Thanks for sharing your review.
Stacy says
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’! 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Stacy, for sharing your results and your adaptations. So happy you enjoyed it!
Maura says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your opinion, Maura.
Faiza says
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!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Faiza! Sounds wonderful!
Nancy says
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!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review, Nancy. So happy you enjoyed it!
Kelley says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
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.
Kim Corrigan says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
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.
Cindy Lonneman says
Looking forward to making this soup. Wondering if it freezes well. I would like to make it ahead of time for Thanksgiving.
Chris Scheuer says
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!
Charlie Hav says
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
Chris Scheuer says
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.
Charlie Hav says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
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! 💕
Charlotte says
This soup is delicious!! I added a little more brown sugar and it was perfect! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Charlotte! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Joy Swantz says
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!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Joy! I appreciate you taking the time to share your review!
Ellen says
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
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks Ellen!
Ellen says
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.