Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe (2024)

This post is all about how to make a copycat version of the velvety smooth Panera Autumn Squash Soup recipe. This soup is made super easy in a slow cooker or Instant Pot and tastes even better than the one you get at the restaurant, plus, you can make it long after it leaves Panera stores. Rich buttery flavor, hints of sweet brown sugar and warm spices, and smooth and creamy texture from the heavy cream (or coconut milk).

I’ve looked forward to Panera’s autumn squash soup every year. I swear it tastes even better when it’s enjoyed while dining inside the cafe and it’s drizzling outside. The warmth of the subtle spices, smooth-as-velvet texture, and sweet creaminess. This bowl of autumn squash soup is fall personified!

This recipe just calls for a handful of ingredients and is a cinch to pull together, plus it makes several servings (about 6-8 cups).

If you love the flavors of autumn, you will adore this recipe! You can even grab yourself a sourdough bread bowl loaf if you really want to get in the Panera spirit 🙂

This post is all about Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe and how to make this delicious recipe taste even better than the restaurant!

Ingredients To Make The Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe:

1. Just a few different fresh produce items: a large 3-4lb butternut squash, yellow onion, garlic cloves, a few carrots, and a sweet apple like a honeycrisp.
2. Pantry items: olive oil, canned pumpkin puree, cayenne, pepper, nutmeg, brown sugar, chicken/veggie stock
3. Dairy: cream of your choice, whether it’s half & half or unsweetened canned coconut milk. Or, you can instead use heavy cream for a more luscious decedent creaminess.

How to Make The Panera Autumn Squash Soup Recipe:

You’ll start by first chopping your ingredients:

1. Peel and cube your butternut squash, discarding all of the filling/seeds.
2. Prep all the veggies by chopping
   1. Instant Pot Method:
      1. on the saute mode, add two tablespoons of olive oil, then add the onions to get a little browned. Then add the carrots, apple and squash. Then add all the pantry items (spices, brown sugar, canned pumpkin, stock).
      2. Mix well then pressure cook for 10 minutes. Natural steam release once finished cooking.
   2. Slow Cooker Method:
      1. In a crock pot, add all of the ingredients except the cream. Cook on low for 4-6 hours/ 3 hours on high, or until the squash and carrots are tender and falling apart.
3. Use an immersion blender or upright blender to puree until velvety smooth. If using a standard blender, allow mixture to cool.
4. Add cream to the soup base, taste and adjust salt, pepper, and sugar as needed.
5. When serving, add pepitas, a dash more cream, a sprinkle of salt and brown sugar!

My Favorite Helpful Tools For This Recipe:

1.Immersion Blender – this is not necessary, but some type of blender is. Immersion blenders are great tools for cooking soups and sauces. Plus, it comes with attachments for whipping cream and frothing milk.

2. Blender – alternately, if you don’t have a handheld immersion blender, you’ll need an upright blender.

3. Instant Pot – these are my secret weapon for pulling together a delicious meal that would normally need the day to braise or slow cook.

4. Slow Cooker – alternately, you can use a slow cooker for this recipe and set it and forget it while you take care of other tasks.

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I hope you enjoyed this recipe for Panera’s Autumn Squash Soup. I look forward to your questions and feedback below. Please be sure to tag me @BadBatchBaking using hashtag #badbatchbaking if you made this recipe and I will feature you on my story! Plus, I LOVE to see your baking accomplishments.