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This Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup recipe features a rich blend of butternut squash, pumpkin, and carrots. This creamy soup is perfect for cooler months and will quickly become a fall favorite. 

If you love butternut squash, try this 5-ingredient butternut squash soup, butternut squash lasagna, or butternut squash pasta sauce next.

panera autumn squash soup in a bowl
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If you love Panera Bread, especially in the fall when they release their Autumn Squash Soup, then you’re going to love this recipe!

This creamy combination of pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots, and apples tastes like fall in a bowl.

This Panera Autumn Squash Soup Is:

  • A quick meal for a busy day.
  • Full of rich and cozy flavors like cinnamon and a hint of curry.
  • Even better the next day (leftovers!).
  • The perfect fall soup.

Grab These Ingredients

Here are the simple ingredients for this Panera Bread Autumn Squash Soup recipe. Most are pantry staples, easy, and affordable to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.

panera autumn squash soup ingredients on a countertop
  • Yellow onion: grab a small one if you can and roughly dice it.
  • Butternut squash: this is the base of the whole soup recipe and makes it taste a little sweet. It also adds creaminess when it’s all blended together.
  • Carrots: this isn’t particularly noticeable when it’s done, but it adds depth and color.
  • Vegetable stock: Use this to thin out the soup. You can also use a low-sodium vegetable broth.
  • Apple juice: I try to get unsweetened juice or juice with no added sugars. You could also use apple juice concentrate.  
  • Warm Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and curry powder.
  • More spices: onion powder and garlic powder.
  • Pumpkin purée: canned pumpkin puree is best here! Make sure you don’t buy pumpkin pie filling.
  • Butter: You could also use coconut oil or a plant-based butter.
  • Cream cheese: Adds creaminess without the coconut flavor. To keep it vegan, use a plant-based cream cheese (like Kite Hill). 
  • Heavy cream: a splash of this adds richness. Swap it for full-fat coconut milk to keep it dairy-free.
  • Maple syrup: Just a touch of maple syrup that compliments all the fall flavors and sweetens it just a bit. I decided to opt for a refined sugar-free option, but if you have brown sugar on hand you can use that too. You could also swap it for honey!

How to Peel and Dice Butternut Squash

Peel and cut: Start by cutting both ends off of the butternut squash with a sharp knife. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the thick layer of skin. You may need to go over it a few times to get it down to the yellow flesh. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise.

how to peel and slice a butternut squash

Scoop and dice: Use a spoon to scoop out the seedy centers. Then carefully use a sharp knife to cut it into strips then dice it into cubes. This soup is being blended, so the dice don’t have to look perfect. However, you want them mostly uniform in size so they cook evenly.

how to dice a butternut squash

This is exactly how you dice it to make roasted butternut squash or roasted brussel sprouts and butternut squash.

How to Make Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup

The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This copycat Panera autumn squash soup is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.

Simmer the veggies: Saute the sweet yellow onion in olive oil until soft then add the squash, carrots, broth, and apple juice in a large pot. Bring them all to a boil over high heat then turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Or until the squash and vegetables are fork-tender.

butternut squash, onion, carroot, and broth in a pot

Stir: Next, add the pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and maple syrup and mix to combine with a spoon over medium heat.

cream, butter, and spices on top of squash soup

Blend: You’ll either use a handheld blender or a traditional blender to blend all of the ingredients to make it smooth and creamy. 

panera autumn squash soup in a blender

Serve: pour the soup back in the stock pot and keep it warm over very low heat. Serve it right away with a drizzle of heavy cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and/or toasty pumpkin seeds.

two spoons in a bowl of panera autumn squash soup

Two Ways to Blend the Soup

Regular blender: If you have a large, heat-safe blender like a Vitamix you can blend the soup in that. You need to work in batches so it all fits! I tried it both ways and found the Vitamix (we love this Vitamix) made it silky smooth.

Immersion blender: an immersion blender is great for making creamy soups like this one. They range from $30 – $100 and are great to keep the cleanup to a minimum. Keep the immersion blender down in the soup and move it around the soup to break it up until it’s smooth and creamy. Avoid pulling it out of the soup or you could splash hot soup everywhere.

Video: Watch How to Make Autumn Squash Soup

scooping autumn squash soup out of a bowl

Autumn Squash Soup Toppings

  • We love topping it with roasted pumpkin seeds for an added crunch!
  • We also added a sprinkling of extra spices and a touch of fresh cracked black pepper.
  • More options: croutons, a swirl of heavy cream 

What to Serve with Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Storage Instructions

Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm back up on the stove.

creamy panera autumn squash soup in a bowl

If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!

More easy copycat recipes 

Tap stars to rate!
4.80 from 69 votes

Panera Autumn Squash Soup

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
If you love panera bread, especially in the fall when they release their Autumn Squash Soup, then you’re going to love this recipe! This creamy combination of pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots and apple tastes like fall in a bowl.

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Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 small butternut squash peeled and diced (6-7 cups)
  • 3 carrots peeled and sliced (1 – 1 1/2 cups)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth or stock
  • 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon EACH: cinnamon, curry powder, and onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter
  • 2 ounces cream cheese or plant-based cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • Toppings: roasted pumpkin seeds, fresh cracked black pepper, or extra spices

Instructions 

  • Add the olive oil to a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Once it's hot and shimmering, add the diced onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until transluscent.
  • Stir in the squash, carrots, vegetable broth, and apple juice. Bring them all to a boil over high heat then turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. The squash and vegetables should be fork-tender.
  • Stir in the pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, all of the spices, and maple syrup. Stir well until the cream cheese is melted into the soup.
  • Carefully transfer the soup to a large, high-speed blender. I like to spoon out the veggies and then carefully pour the broth in next. Blend on high speed until it's smooth and creamy and no chunks remain. Alternately, keep the soup in the pot and use a handheld immersion blender.
  • Carefully pour the soup back into the stock pot. Serve immediately with a drizzle of cream, pumpkin seeds, and a dash of cinnamon. Soup stays fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review letting us know how it was!

Notes

Freezer Instructions: allow the soup to cool completely. Transfer the soup to a large freezer bag. I recommend double bagging it to prevent any spilling. Lay the bag flat in the freezer until it’s solid then stand it upright, if desired, to save space. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove top until warmed all the way through.

Video

Equipment

  • Lare pot
  • High Speed Blender or Immersion Blender

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.6g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 6.6g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 629mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 16.6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Recipe Rating




55 Comments

  1. Bri Le-Mon says:

    5 stars
    This recipe blew me away, hubby who is not a soup person LOVED this one! Perfect for fall too, one of my favorite WMM recipes to date! 🤍

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Thank you so much!!! What a compliment!

  2. Carol Rommelare says:

    5 stars
    Made this today….easy and delicious! I used frozen butternut squash (chunks) as I don’t have the strength in my hands anymore to tackle a butternut. Used a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar as I had no maple syrup on hand. I did use a dairy free cream cheese that I wasn’t too keen on (I’ve been experimenting with dairy free items recently)….had tried another brand recently which I’ll definitely use in the future….far superior than what I used here but the soup did turn out great nonetheless….guessing it will be even better when I make it again with the better brand! Wish I could have used fresh squash but am grateful to be able to find frozen….sometimes I can find fresh that’s cut up already but unfortunately it looks like the store won’t be carrying it until next fall…..sigh.

    Thanks for sharing your recipe with us….it’s a keeper!

  3. Amy says:

    5 stars
    So good! I accidentally added 1tsp cinnamon, curry powder and onion powder and it turned out great even still 🙂

  4. Emily says:

    5 stars
    This is the best butternut squash soup recipe I have ever made! It is so flavorful and delicious. Such a comforting soup on a cold day. My 8 month old ate it with gusto too! I will definitely make this again. Fantastic job on the recipe!

    1. Emily says:

      I think I may make it, leave it chunky, and add sausage one day too… I think that would be a really hardy meal.

  5. Lisa says:

    4 stars
    Followed the recipe exactly but it doesn’t taste quite like Panera’s. It’s good. But not quite there. Panera’s autumn squash is my fave soup ever so I guess I’m just really particular.

    1. Emily says:

      I had some of the Panera’s squash soup for lunch and then made this for dinner today and I just can’t agree with you… I can’t tell a difference in the taste. The texture is different because my blender doesn’t get it as smooth and I like mine a little thicker, but the taste is absolutely spot on to me.

  6. Susan Gilsdorf says:

    5 stars
    WOW! This is it! I was a hit skeptical at first about the ingredients but when the aroma hit my nose, I knew it was right. I LOVE this soup!

  7. Valerie says:

    1 star
    Is this not smartphone friendly? I can only find ads extra words of Jabber. Where is the recipe? I’ve been scrolling up and down. SOS

    1. Molly Thompson says:

      Hey Valerie! The recipe is always at the very bottom of every post. I include step by step photos and information by how to make it, how to store it, etc. That is what you’re scrolling through! There’s also a “jump to recipe” button at the very top of the page if you’d like to skip the blog post. The ads are there because that is how I make a living share free recipes with everyone. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do what I do and you wouldn’t have the recipes! Thank for understanding.

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