Our copycat Panera autumn squash soup recipe makes it easy to have this restaurant favorite at home! This creamy squash soup has the perfect blend of spices and is sure to warm you up on a chilly day. (Paleo, Vegan-Friendly)
I know it’s not super cool to say you love chain restaurants, but….I don’t hate chain restaurants.
As a gluten-free eater, it’s actually really helpful for me to have a set menu I can count on and often chains have more resources to dedicate to developing gluten-free recipes and training employees about cross-contamination procedures.
Which is a really long-winded way of telling you that every year I REALLY look forward to the return of Panera Bread’s autumn squash soup. It’s got this gorgeous flavor profile with a delightful blend of spices and a velvety smooth texture that warms you with every bite. It’s my absolute favorite in the cooler months!
Since I can’t get it year-round, and I never know when the craving will strike, I’ve spent the last few falls and winters perfecting my Panera autumn squash soup copycat recipe. To me, it’s delightfully, truly like the real thing. There are a few little flavor tricks that make it different from our other butternut squash soup recipes, but it’s really super easy to put together.
Here’s all you’ll need to make our Panera copycat autumn squash soup recipe…
Ingredients For Panera Copycat Autumn Squash Soup
- Butternut Squash. The foundation of this easy butternut squash soup recipe is definitely squash! Feel free to buy pre-cut butternut squash to save time. Otherwise, this is how I usually cut and prepare mine (though I use a sharp knife instead of a vegetable peeler.)
- Carrots. The flavor and color gets deeper and sweeter with the addition of some carrots. I love what they bring to the soup!
- Onion. And for some aromatics, you’ll need an onion. Sweet onion or white onions work best for autumn squash soup.
- Salt & Pepper. Really, these are to taste. Use your best judgement here based on how salty your broth is and your own preferences, but consider my measurement a guideline.
- Spices & Seasonings. The Panera squash soup recipe uses a unique blend of warm spices, including a hint of curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, a hint of cayenne, and brown sugar. It might sound like it won’t work together, but I PROMISE it does and it’s DELICIOUS.
- Pumpkin Purée. Pumpkin is another magic add-in I was missing for a while, but I love what it adds in creaminess and flavor. Don’t skip it!
- Apple Cider or Apple Juice. Here’s one of the magic secrets to a Panera squash soup copycat! The original Panera recipe uses apple juice concentrate, but I’ve found that apple cider or a good-quality apple juice gets me that same delicious flavor. It adds a balance to the savory and sweet flavors in this soup that really hits the spot!
- Vegetable Broth. Then, you’ll use some good-quality vegetable broth or vegetable stock to carry the flavors. I really love and recommend Imagine brand vegetable broth. The flavor is exceptional. (Not sponsored!)
- Coconut Milk (or Milk). One difference in our copycat version is that we’ve used coconut milk instead of cream in our recipe. You can absolutely use milk or cream if those work with your dietary needs. (If you’re dairy-free and using coconut milk, just know it will NOT make your creamy soup taste coconut-y.)
How To Make This Squash Soup, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Start The Veggies. Heat butter or oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add squash, carrots, and onion and cook about 10 minutes, or until starting to soften.
- Build Flavor. Add brown sugar, salt, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes more, or until the spices are fragrant.
- Simmer. Add pumpkin, apple cider, and broth. Stir to combine well, then bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is tender enough to mash easily with a fork. (fork tender) Stir in the coconut milk and remove from heat.
- Puree Soup in the pot using an immersion/stick blender (the easiest method), or work in batches to purée the soup in a traditional blender (which will give you the smoothest results). If blending in a regular blender, work carefully and slowly, letting the soup cool slightly and working in small amounts to purée. (Do not fill the blender more than 1/2 full and cover the blender with a towel to prevent splatters).
- Garnish with fresh herbs, a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, or some pumpkin seeds.
- Serve & Store. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 2 months.
Make It a Meal! Here Are Some Of Our Favorite Sides To Serve With Autumn Squash Soup
- Bread or Toast. Keep things easy with some yummy bread, baguettes, rolls, or slices of toast on the side. My kids love ALL of these things, and it usually makes them a bit more excited about the soup.
- Sandwiches. Or, serve grilled sandwiches or set out sandwich fixings and let everyone build a sandwich to go with their soup. Another big hit with my whole family. (Plus, soup + a sandwich is a classic!)
- Side Salads. A yummy salad is a great pairing next to autumn squash soup. Go small with a simple side salad or serve your soup as a side to a more substantial main dish salad, like our Wild Rice Kale Salad, Fall Chopped Salad, or Pear and Pomegranate Salad.
- Fruit. And I always love some fruit at dinner. (My kids do, too!) Ripe apples, pears, or grapes can go nicely!
FAQ + Tips For The Best Autumn Squash Soup
CAN YOU FREEZE SQUASH SOUP? Yes! Autumn squash soup freezes like a dream. Pour cooled soup into freezer-safe bags, containers, or even these individual soup portion ice molds and lay on a flat surface until frozen solid. (If freezing the soup in cubes, transfer to an airtight freezer safe bag to store once frozen.) Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
DO YOU USE AN IMMERSION BLENDER OR REGULAR BLENDER TO BLEND SOUP? An immersion blender is the easier option for sure as it can be placed directly in hot soup. However in my experience, it doesn’t puree the soup totally smooth. A regular blender can get this soup completely, totally smooth (my preference), but you do need to follow the safety tips above when working with hot liquids.
A GREAT AFFORDABLE DUTCH OVEN. If you’ve been looking for a sturdy dutch oven on a budget, I can’t recommend this one enough! It’s affordable, has seen me through 3 years of heavy use, and looks gorgeous to boot.
Tips For Blending Hot Soup
Please (PLEASE!) don’t blend boiling hot soup in your blender. It’s not safe! Here’s how to blend hot soup in a blender safely:
- Work in batches to prevent overfilling your blender. Over-filled blenders of hot liquid can cause splatters/burns. Aim to fill it no more than about 1/2 full each batch.
- Whenever you blend something warm, it’s important to make sure your blender lid is vented (if possible) to allow steam to escape. Make sure the lid is on securely, but open any stoppers in the lid when possible. (Blendtec and Vitamix blenders have a little stopper in the center of the lid that you can open at the top to release steam).
- Cover your blender with a dish cloth for added protection from splatters.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Autumn Squash Soup (Panera Copycat)
Ingredients
For the Autumn Squash Soup:
- 3 Tablespoons Butter (or ghee, vegan butter, or olive oil)
- 6-8 cups diced butternut squash (from 1 medium butternut squash—about 3 pounds before peeling/dicing)
- 3 carrots diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 Tablespoon Brown sugar or pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt more or less, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper optional
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling!)
- 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup coconut milk or coconut cream (can sub heavy cream or half and half, if desired)
Instructions
- Start The Veggies. Heat butter or oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add squash, carrots, and onion and cook about 10 minutes, or until starting to soften.
- Build Flavor. Add brown sugar, salt, curry powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cayenne. Stir and cook 1-2 minutes more, or until the spices are fragrant.
- Simmer. Add pumpkin, apple cider, and broth. Stir to combine well, then bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer at least 20-25 minutes, or until the squash is tender enough to mash easily with a fork. (fork tender) Stir in the coconut milk and remove from heat.
- Puree Soup in the pot using an immersion/stick blender (the easiest method), or work in batches to purée the soup in a traditional blender (which will give you the smoothest results). If blending in a regular blender, work carefully and slowly, letting the soup cool slightly and working in small amounts to purée. (Do not fill the blender more than 1/2 full and cover the blender with a towel to prevent splatters).
- Garnish with fresh herbs, a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg, or some pumpkin seeds.
- Serve & Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge 4-5 days or in the freezer up to 2 months.
Notes
- Work in batches to prevent overfilling your blender. Over-filled blenders of hot liquid can cause splatters/burns. Aim to fill it no more than about 1/2 full each batch.
- Whenever you blend something warm, it’s important to make sure your blender lid is vented (if possible) to allow steam to escape. Make sure the lid is on securely, but open any stoppers in the lid when possible. (Blendtec and Vitamix blenders have a little stopper in the center of the lid that you can open at the top to release steam).
- Cover your blender with a dish cloth for added protection from splatters.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/autumn-squash-soup/
Made this soup for my pickleball group. Everyone loved it. One friend asked the ingredients. She was so surprised it had carrots and pumpkin, which apparently she despises. Thanks for a wonderful recipe that I will continue to make!
Barb, you totally made my day! So glad it was a win for you and your pickleball group!
I made this soup for the first time after having it for lunch at Panera a few weeks ago and this recipe is even better! The apple cider gives it a bright taste and the spices bring warmth and comfort to the squash! This will be a staple in our house! Oh and I used honey nut squash that I grow in my garden along with fresh carrots from my garden as well. Thank you for such a great recipe!
Mary you totally made my day! I’m so glad you loved it. I bet it was PHENOMENAL with your freshly grown garden veggies!
I had not been a big fan of squash soup, but this soup changed all of that. I think it is amazing! I love the flavor and think it feels extra cozy on a chilly day
I’ve made this recipe more than a dozen times. Healthy and delish. When I make it now, I use peeled sliced apples instead of apple cider or juice. I also use less liquid because I like it thick. So yummy. Definitely recommend this recipe.
Delicious! So glad you loved it!
THANK YOU for taking the time to leave such a kind review!
LOVE this soup. The subtle sweetness is perfect.
It’s my FAVORITE! I love this one all fall and winter long.
Can I leave the curry powder out, and swap ground mace for the nutmeg?
I’ve never cooked with mace before!
We love it exactly as written, but you’re welcome to try playing around with the spices to suit your taste.
Just made this and it is delicious! Thank you for the recipe
So glad you loved it Alicia!
I am trying to add tumeric when I can to recipes for the health benefits. If I add to this recipe, how will it change it, if at all? Is there something I would need to add or take out so I can use the tumeric? Thank you!
Hi, Beth! That very much depends on how much turmeric you’d like to add. 1/2 teaspoon dried turmeric or 1 teaspoon fresh turmeric could easily work in this soup, though they will intensify the color and slightly change the flavor. Though I haven’t made this soup with turmeric before, I do think the flavors would be complementary!
If you’d like to add more than that, you absolutely can, just know that the turmeric flavor will come through more assertively.
Does this soup hold up to being canned?
Hi Denise! I’ve never tried canning it before, so I don’t have an answer for you. I’m sorry!
phenomenal recipe! I use chicken broth with it, didn’t have veggies broth on hand. Also I used sugar and molasses to taste. It’s become my new favorite soup. We are going to enjoy it at our Christmas party, this year!
I didn’t have apple cider or apple juice so I used orange juice. I found doing this the soup needed a little more brown sugar along with more cinnamon and nutmeg. I saw a previous comment about adding ginger and I will definitely try that next time. The soup turned out wonderful with the way I had to do it.
Hi Jody! Sounds like you totally made it work for you! When I don’t have apple juice or cider on hand, I usually just use extra broth, but I love that you experimented and found an option that worked for you!
I would suggest addition of ginger to the spices and substituting coconut milk with half and half
I’ve just made this today, and my folks loved it! Such a cozy soup for the season, even the kids enjoyed with some crackers. Thanks for this absolutely delicious recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it! I swear, it’s like magic. My daughter loves it, too!
Can you make it a day ahead and reheat?
Absolutely! I do it all the time 🙂
This soup is amazing! I didn’t realize that a squash soup could be so flavorful. I’ve made it twice now- the second time I found pre-cut squash at the grocery store. “Prep time: 20 min” is a joke though, even with the pre-cut squash.
Yum!
It was hands down my favorite soup of this past soup season!
This recipe is outstanding. My son said it was even better than Panera’s 🙂 This is going in our regular rotation.
YAY! I’m so glad Sandy. We’re making it again this weekend. It’s so cozy!
Thank you for this recipe! It really does taste just like the Panera version! I didn’t have apple juice or cider so I just used an apple and added an extra half cup of coconut milk and an extra half cup of broth. Delicious!
I’m so glad it was a win for you Lane! It’s my favorite soup lately!
Roasting the veg first, and adding a sweet potato…. heaven in a soup❤
I’m so glad!