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Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe

Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Enjoy a cozy bowl of Panera’s famous Autumn Squash Soup at home! This creamy, lightly sweet soup is full of butternut squash, pumpkin, carrots, and warm spices, just like the café favorite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 bowls
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed 1 medium (about 900g)
  • 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced 2 medium (about 150g)
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced 1 medium (about 120g)
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream For a vegan version, replace with coconut milk or any plant-based cream substitute.
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup For a sweeter soup, add an additional tablespoon.
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • for garnish roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) optional

Equipment

  • 1 large pot or Dutch oven
  • 1 blender (immersion or regular)
  • 1 cutting board
  • 1 vegetable peeler
  • 1 ladle
  • 1 measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
  2. Add the cubed butternut squash and sliced carrots. Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in the ground cinnamon, nutmeg, curry powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the vegetable broth and apple cider. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Stir well.
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until squash and carrots are fork-tender.
  6. Remove the pot from heat. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. If using a regular blender, puree the soup in batches, then return to the pot.
  7. Stir in the heavy cream. Taste, and adjust salt or sweetness as desired. Gently reheat if needed for a few minutes, but do not boil.
  8. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds if desired.
  9. For a vegan version, replace heavy cream with coconut milk or any plant-based cream substitute.

Notes

For a vegan version, replace heavy cream with coconut milk or any plant-based cream substitute.
If you prefer a sweeter soup, add an additional tablespoon of maple syrup.
Roasted butternut squash seeds or a drizzle of cream make nice garnishes.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.