Copycat Panera Tomato Soup Perfected Recipe
This Copycat Panera Tomato Soup recipe recreates the creamy, comforting tomato soup you love from Panera Bread. Featuring a blend of crushed tomatoes, herbs, and a touch of cream, this easy stovetop soup is perfect for a cozy meal. It’s naturally rich, flavorful, and perfect paired with your favorite sandwich or a grilled cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
Creaminess
- 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid burning.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to let it brown.
- Add Tomatoes and Broth: Pour in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Season and Simmer: Add sugar, dried basil, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.
- Puree Soup: Use an immersion blender to puree the soup directly in the pot until smooth. Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.
- Add Cream and Heat Through: Stir in half-and-half or heavy cream into the pureed soup and heat gently but do not boil, to prevent curdling.
- Adjust Seasoning and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve the soup warm with your choice of bread or sandwich.
Notes
- Use an immersion blender for ease and safety when pureeing the hot soup.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute half-and-half with coconut milk or a non-dairy cream alternative.
- Sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes, but you can adjust it to taste or omit if preferred.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- For a richer flavor, roasting the tomatoes and onions before cooking can be done but is not required.
