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Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Panera autumn squash soup made with creamy blended butternut squash, pumpkin puree, and warm curry-cinnamon spices. Simmer until tender, then blend smooth and finish with cream and cream cheese for a velvety texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 335
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Panera-style soup base
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cup butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 cup apple cider
  • 3 cup vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 0.5 tsp curry powder
  • 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup heavy cream
  • 2 oz cream cheese
  • 1 roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Cook the aromatics
  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat; cook the diced onion for 5 minutes until soft (visual cue: translucent, softened onion edges). Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute (visual cue: fragrant, lightly golden garlic, not browned).
  2. Add the butternut squash, pumpkin puree, chopped carrot, apple cider, vegetable broth, honey, curry powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the pot.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 25-30 minutes until the squash is very tender (visual cue: squash cubes mash easily with a spoon).
Blend and finish
  1. Add the heavy cream and cream cheese, then blend until completely smooth (visual cue: uniform velvety orange soup with no lumps).
  2. Simmer for 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning to taste (visual cue: soup looks glossy and slightly thickened).
  3. Serve hot, topped with roasted pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of cream (visual cue: seed garnish centered on top and creamy drizzle streaks).

Notes

Pro tip: For the smoothest texture, blend while the soup is hot and work in batches if needed. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or water if too thick. Freezing is yes—freeze up to 2 months, then thaw and reheat, stirring well. Dairy swap: use half-and-half or coconut cream and omit cream cheese (add an extra splash of cream/coconut cream) for a lighter texture without cream cheese.