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Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Panera autumn squash soup is a velvety blend of butternut squash, pumpkin puree, and warm spices simmered until tender, then smoothed with cream cheese and heavy cream. Finish it with a drizzle of cream and roasted pumpkin seeds for a cozy orange bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Butter
  • 2 tbsp butter
Aromatics
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 garlic, minced
Vegetables & squash
  • 4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 carrot, chopped
Pumpkin base
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup apple cider
Liquids & sweetener
  • 3 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp honey
Spices
  • 0.5 tsp curry powder
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
Creamy finish
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 oz cream cheese
Garnish
  • 1 roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the aromatics
  1. Melt butter in a large pot, then cook the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft. Visual cue: the onion should look translucent and slightly glossy.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Visual cue: fragrant but not browned garlic, about 60 seconds.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add butternut squash, pumpkin puree, chopped carrot, apple cider, vegetable broth, honey, curry powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the pot. Stir to combine and scrape up any browned bits.
  2. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the squash is very tender. Visual cue: squash cubes should break easily when pressed.
Blend and season
  1. Add heavy cream and cream cheese, then blend until completely smooth. Visual cue: no visible orange flecks, texture should be uniform and silky.
  2. Simmer for 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning to taste. Visual cue: the soup should gently thicken and steam evenly.
Serve
  1. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream. Visual cue: bright orange soup with a speckled green-gold seed garnish.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, blend while the soup is hot but in batches if needed to avoid splashing. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently over medium-low until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because cream cheese and heavy cream can change texture when thawed. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream and reduce the cream cheese to 1 oz.