We just love both versions but when it's the starter of a huge Thanksgiving meal and not just for lunch we usually opt for a lighter in calorie version.
This creamy delightful easy recipe will be perfect for all your holiday tables, everyone raves about this and we love to start out with this soup with our Thanksgiving Turkey meal.
Both our soups are easy to make and with a few tips, you'll never have to order out or buy canned soup again.
I love copycat adapted recipes, this one is just perfect if you love comfort soups and winter squash.
Nothing shouts fall better than this butternut squash soup flavor, it's comforting and will certainly warm you up on a cold day with that smooth creamy nutty flavor.
Serve it up with a little nutmeg, a swirl of heavy cream, and dip some homemade pita bread toasted points into this luscious thick delight.
Scroll down to the printable recipe for this delicious soup recipe.
Easy and Comforting
I love this wonderous vegetable, it's great no matter which way I cook it.
After it's roasted I just love it with on salads, with cinnamon and butter, and just about any way you serve it.
The kids loved it pureed when they were babies and I have been making vegetables all kinds of ways for years.
One tip, this soup tastes the best when you have roasted this squash first.
The key is to get that caramelized, deeply sweet flavor in the squash that we all love before making this soup.
Health Benefits and Winter Squash
Before you even ask about carbs, yes, it's true that winter squashes such as acorn, butternut, buttercup, hubbard and pumpkin are starchy vegetables and, so they contain more carbohydrates than vegetables like leafy greens, cauliflower and bell peppers.
Zucchini and other summer squashes are non-starchy vegetables and are low in carbohydrates.
You always have to moderate the foods we eat if counting carbs, winter squash is a far cry from refined starchy foods and of course should be limited.
Winter squash is a good source of potassium and fiber.
It' also been said to help prevent heart disease and certain types of cancer.
Just eat butternut winter squash in moderation if you're watching carb intake.
Roasting, Microwave Tips
- Easy to cut up if you roast or microwave first, boiling is the other option but harder to cut
- If you microwave the squash first it's easier to cut through
- This soup can be adapted to all fat-free and no sugar adding diet products and sugar-free
- Leave the soup chunky if you like and not put through a food processor
- Using a slow cooker is also another alternatives on low 4 to 6 hours
Tool You Will Need:
- Blender, food processor or emulsifier
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Soup pot
- Spoon
- Ladle
- Grater
Ingredients You Will Need
- extra-virgin olive oil
- butternut squash
- sliced carrots canned or roasted
- cloves garlic clean
- Freshly ground black pepper
- brown sugar or sugar substitute
- ground ginger
- curry powder
- nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- chicken or vegetable broth
- apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
- water
- pumpkin puree
- cream cheese softened
- heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
- Garnish
- freshly grated nutmeg
- drizzle with a squirt of heavy cream or coconut milk full fat
- roasted pumpkin seeds shelled (pepitas)
Recipes We Love
Panko Roasted EggplantZucchini Pizza
Zucchini bread regular or chocolate
Zucchini Pizza
Zucchini Rollatini
Pin for Later Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup
Suggestions
You can add a few more ingredients to this Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup recipe.
I omit any Onions because they get progressively stronger in taste over a few days in leftovers, so I don't put that in.
If you love the taste of onion, saute the onions in butter until golden and to the puree to emulsify.
Also for a little heat, add some cayenne pepper for a spicy soup.
I serve that on the table for everyone to add as a garnish.
I hope you love this soup as much as we do, happy fall and let me know what you think in the comments!
Yield: 4
Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup
prep time: 25 Mcook time: 10 Mtotal time: 35 M
There are two versions of this comfort soup one that's a copycat version of Panera Bread and the other is one that's a bit healthier with less fat. Both are delicious soups and perfect for the holiday fall tables during those chilly months.
ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (2-lb.) butternut squash microwaved for 5 minutes then cooled, seeded, cubed and roasted
- 1/4 cup sliced carrots canned or roasted
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or sugar substitute
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- pinch of nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
- Garnish
- freshly grated nutmeg
- drizzle with a squirt of heavy cream or coconut milk full fat
- 1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds shelled (pepitas)
- serve with garlic bread or toasted pita bread toasted
instructions:
How to cook Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup
- First, make sure the squash and carrots is fork-tender by roasting.
- To Roast Butternut Squash: Place the cubed squash and carrots (unless using canned)on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Optional: Brush with melted butter, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 1 hour on 400 degrees.
- Place the cooked squash and carrots with the garlic in a food processor with the oil and pulse until smooth.
- In a large soup pot, add that mixture along with the squash that's already softened and cooked with sugar, ginger, curry, and add a pinch of nutmeg, then salt, and pepper to taste.
- Stir in the broth, apple juice, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until all the flavors are blended for around 10 minutes.
- In a clean bowl, whisk together pumpkin puree and cream cheese until evenly blended and put this in the pot.
- Pour in pumpkin and cheese, stir to combine.
- If you want a smoother soup, add this (after it cools) back to the food processor and pulse until smooth. (I like the bits of carrot and garlic so I do not do this step)
- Pour in around 1/2 cup of heavy cream or coconut milk and heat before serving it and heat thoroughly.
- Garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds and a swirl topping of heavy cream or coconut milk and grated nutmeg.
- The Second Version Using the Same Method to Roast Squash:
- 2 large butternut squash washed and cut with a sharp kitchen knife into chunks remove seeds with a spoon and leave the flesh on ( going to roast this in the oven)
- 3 or 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon sea salt, and some extra for the end
- 1 teaspoon white pepper and some extra for the end
- freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup of coconut milk fat-free
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar substitute
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- Heat oven to 400 degrees.
- To Roast Butternut Squash: Place the cut-up squash on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Brush with melted butter, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Roast until squash when using a fork goes into it easily. depending on how thick you cut it at 400 degrees.
- Scrap the squash off the flesh with a small spoon and place it into a large soup pot.
- Add the broth and honey and ginger and bring the mixture to a low simmer then using a stick blender puree the mixture.
- Add the coconut milk, spices except for nutmeg simmer again.
- Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper in the soup before serving.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Calories
240
240
Fat (grams)
219
219
Sat. Fat (grams)
7
7
Fiber (grams)
3
3
Net carbs
30
30
Sugar (grams)
20
20
Pin for Later Copycat Panera Butternut Squash Soup
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2019.