Should I use canned or fresh tomatoes?

Canned is the right call for this soup, and it's almost certainly closer to what Panera uses at scale. Canned San Marzano (or any good canned whole plum) tomatoes are picked and packed at peak ripeness, so they're consistently sweet and deep-flavored year-round. Fresh supermarket tomatoes are usually under-ripe, watery, and acidic, which gives you a thin, sharp soup. If you do use fresh, roast 2.5 to 3 pounds of ripe plum tomatoes first to concentrate them.

How do I get it silky-smooth like Panera's?

Blend longer than you think you need to, and blend everything. An immersion blender right in the pot is easiest; move it slowly and keep it fully submerged for a good 2 to 3 minutes until you can't feel any grain. A countertop blender actually gives the smoothest, most restaurant-like result because the high speed fully emulsifies the tomatoes and cream, but vent the lid and work in batches so hot soup doesn't blow the top off. For truly velvety texture, pass the blended soup through a fine-mesh sieve to catch skins and seeds.

Why is the soup slightly sweet?

The tablespoon of sugar isn't there to make the soup taste like dessert, it's there to counteract the natural acidity of tomatoes. Tomatoes are tart, and a little sugar rounds that edge off so the soup tastes balanced rather than sharp. The sauteed onion and the cream add their own gentle background sweetness too. If you use sweeter San Marzano tomatoes you'll need less sugar; taste and adjust at the end.

Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes. Swap the heavy cream for full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened cashew cream (soak 1/2 cup raw cashews, blend with 1/2 cup water until smooth) and use olive oil instead of butter for the saute. Coconut milk adds a faint coconut note; cashew cream is the most neutral and gives the closest texture to dairy cream. Add it off the heat at the end, exactly as you would the cream.

Can I make it ahead or freeze it?

Make-ahead is easy and the flavor actually improves overnight. For the best results, make the soup through the blending step and refrigerate the tomato base for up to 4 days, then stir in the cream when you reheat. To freeze, freeze the base WITHOUT the cream for up to 3 months; dairy can separate and turn grainy when frozen and thawed. Reheat gently over low heat, add the cream, and do not let it boil.

What should I serve with it?

A grilled cheese is the classic Panera pairing, and dipping a crusty baguette or a warm bread bowl works just as well. For a full Panera-style lunch, pair it as a You Pick Two with a sandwich, or set it next to a stovetop mac and cheese. A handful of croutons and a drizzle of cream on top finish it the way the cafe does.

My soup turned out too thin or too acidic. How do I fix it?

For thin soup, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes to reduce it, or stir in an extra tablespoon of tomato paste and blend again. For acidic or too-tart soup, add sugar a half-teaspoon at a time, or stir in a little more cream or a pat of butter; a pinch of baking soda will also neutralize sharp acidity if sugar alone isn't enough. Always taste and correct seasoning after the cream goes in, since dairy mutes salt and heat.

Panera Creamy Tomato Soup

Name: Panera Creamy Tomato Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 cans (28 oz each) whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 medium onion, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade

Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Servings: 6 servings

Panera’s creamy tomato soup is the soup that goes with everything. It’s the default choice when you order a bread bowl, the natural pairing for their grilled cheese, and the reason people keep coming back to Panera even when they tell themselves they’re going to try something new. It’s smooth, creamy, and perfectly balanced between the natural sweetness of tomatoes and a gentle tanginess.

The secret is San Marzano tomatoes. These Italian plum tomatoes are sweeter, less acidic, and have more flesh than regular canned tomatoes. They’re the difference between a tomato soup that tastes bright and smooth versus one that tastes tinny and sharp.

Tomato Soup Excellence

San Marzano tomatoes are worth it. They cost a dollar or two more than regular canned tomatoes, but the flavor difference is dramatic. They’re naturally sweeter and less acidic, which means you need less sugar to balance the soup.
A tablespoon of sugar isn’t sweet. It’s there to counteract the natural acidity of tomatoes, not to make the soup sweet. Without it, the soup tastes sharp and one-note.
Blend thoroughly. Panera’s version is silky smooth with zero chunks. Blend longer than you think you need to. Any remaining pieces of tomato or onion break the texture.

Panera Pricing

A bowl of tomato soup at Panera costs about $7-8, or $9-10 in a bread bowl. This recipe makes six bowls for about $8 total — roughly $1.33 per serving. Pair it with a homemade grilled cheese for a complete Panera-style lunch under $3.

More Panera Bread Copycat Recipes

Copycat Panera Toasted Frontega Chicken — the sandwich most ordered as a You Pick Two with this soup; pulled chicken, fresh mozzarella, chipotle mayo, black pepper focaccia.
Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup — the richer, creamier sibling; whole broccoli florets in a sharp cheddar base.
Panera Mac and Cheese — white cheddar stovetop mac that pairs with the tomato soup as the classic Panera soup-and-mac lunch.

See all Panera Bread copycat recipes →

Panera Bread is a trademark of its owner, used here only to describe the dish this recipe recreates. This is an independent copycat written in our own words — Copycat Spices is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by Panera Bread.

Panera Creamy Tomato Soup

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