Panera Bread is known for its deli-style foods and delicious soups. There’s nothing like a fresh soup to warm you up if you’re feeling cold or cheer you up if you’re feeling under the weather. One of the best soups for warming the soul is tomato soup. Did you ever dip a butter grilled cheese into a bowl of tomato soup as a kid? It’s one of those magic remedies that makes everything feel better. Panera Bread has exceptional tomato soup that’s both savory and sweet, with the perfect creamy texture. Instead of driving out to your nearest Panera Bread for a helping of soup, now you can make your own from home with this Copycat Panera Tomato Soup.
This is a simple recipe that only takes about ten minutes to prep and about 30 minutes to cook. Once you’ve added all of the ingredients to the pot, you’ll only have to stir it every couple of minutes to make sure the tomatoes don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. This recipe calls for canned tomatoes, which is good because canned tomatoes are always in season.
I’d recommend that you don’t skip the sugar because it brings the sweetness out of the tomatoes and gives the soup a really delicious mix of flavors.
You can garnish your Copycat Panera Tomato Soup with all kinds of toppings including grated Parmesan cheese, croutons, fresh basil shavings, shredded cheddar cheese, or a spoonful of sour cream.
Copycat Panera Tomato Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 cans San Marzano peeled tomatoes (28 oz can size) crushed or blended
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- First, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Then add the diced onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the San Marzano peeled tomatoes, including the juice, vegetable stock, dried oregano, dried basil, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer and cook uncovered, for 12 minutes or until it has thickened. Be sure to stir occasionally.
- Add the half and half or heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Carefully transfer the soup to a blender, and puree it until there are no large chunks left.
- Garnish with croutons and french bread on the side and serve hot.
Notes
- You can store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or you can freeze the soup for up to three months.
Looking for something to pair with your Copycat Panera Tomato Soup? Check out our post on everyone’s favorite Panera Bread sandwiches. Did your favorite make the list?
