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–+ servings
a bowl of panera autumn squash soup

Panera Autumn Squash Soup

4.88 from 72 votes
This better-than-Panera Autumn Squash Soup is the ultimate cozy, comforting fall meal. It’s rich, creamy, packed with warm spices, and so easy to make! Try it once, and I guarantee you’ll be making it all season long.
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Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Molly

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Tablespoon 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 vegetable 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.
    1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
  • 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.
    1 small butternut squash, 3 carrots, 4 cups vegetable broth, 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
  • Stir in the spices, pumpkin puree, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, and maple syrup, until the cream cheese is melted into the soup.
    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, 2 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
  • 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.
  • 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.

Recipe Equipment

Lare pot
High Speed Blender or Immersion Blender

Notes

Immersion Blender. You can keep the soup in the pot and use an immersion blender to blend until smooth, however, I find a high-speed blender yields best results.
Dairy-Free/Vegan. Use more olive oil or plant-based cream cheese and full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
To Store. Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To Freeze: 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.
Reheat: Warm on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in 30-second intervals until hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.6g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 6.6g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 629mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 16.6g
Did you make this recipe?Mention @What_mollymade or tag #WhatMollyMade so I can see it and feature you!