The healthiest soup at Panera is the Ten Vegetable soup and the Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup as well as the Black Bean Soup.
The Black Bean Soup at Panera is a great solid vegetarian and vegan soup that is high in protein as well as fiber from the beans and is naturally dairy free.
The Ten Vegetable Soup at Panera is very low in calories and around 100 calories per bowl and it's also packed with healthy vegetables, which makes it a nutrient powerhouse soup, although it can also be light on substance.
Homestyle chicken noodle soup at Panera is also a classic broth based soup with real chicken and vegetables and is a comforting and homemade feel soup without being overly creamy.
The creamy tomato soup and the turkey chili are also good healthy options at Panera.
Turkey chili has balanced macronutrients and filling ingredients like beans, vegetables and beef.
And the creamy tomato soup is one of the lower calorie bowl options at Panera and around 370 calories and lower in carbs, although it does have high sodium and sugar.
The new soups at Panera are Black Bean Soup, Autumn Squash Soup, Hearty Fireside chili and Rustic Baked Potato Soup.
Panera's Black Bean Soup is a vegetarian soup that contains black beans, lima beans, carrots, celery, red bell peppers, onions, potatoes, garlic and lemon juice.
Panera's Autumn Squash Soup is a classic blend of butternut squash and pumpkin with honey, apple juice, spices, sweet cream and roasted pumpkin seeds.
Panera's Hearty Fireside Chili is a savory mix of beef, kidney beans, fire roasted tomatoes, green chili peppers and cilantro in a spiced broth.
And Panera's Rustic baked potato soup is a creamy and cheesy soup with homestyle potatoes, bacon, chives, Monterey Jack cheese and Asiago Cheese.
Panera also has a revamped chicken noodle soup recipe that was noted as a big glow up by asters in late 2025.
Panera does not make their soup from scratch in their restaurants as all Panera soups are made off site in large and centralized kitchens.
The Panera soups are made in large batches, off site, then flash frozen and then re-heated again at their restaurants using hot water baths, or rethermalizers or consistency and quality control.
Although Panera does aim for clean ingredients.
And while Panera does emphasize on fresh ingredients and avoids preservatives in their soups, the cooking process of the Panera soups happens centrally, with supplies like Blount Fine Foods making many of the Panera soups that are sold in stores and grocery stores.
Panera soups are made and cooked in large and centralized kitchens.
Then to maintain the soups freshness without preservatives, the Panera soups are quickly flash frozen.
And then at each Panera location, the flash frozen packets of soups are heated in hot water until they are ready to serve, often with some fresh garnishes added.
The reason Panera does this, is to ensure every bowl of their soups, tastes the same across all locations.
It also allows for quality control and adherence to clean ingredient standards.
And cooking and making the Panera soups offsite also streamlines preparation for fast casual service.
Panera's baked potato soup includes uncured bacon or pork and natural flavors along with some seasonings like sea salt, celery juice powder.
The ingredients that are in Panera's rustic baked potato soup are russet potatoes, various cheeses, real bacon, and a creamy base, which make it a great and popular comfort food.
The key ingredients that are in Panera's rustic baked potato soup include.
Seasonings like smoked paprika for depth and sometimes a hint of hot sauce.
Signature toppings like melty Asiago cheese and sometimes more hives.
Aromatics like onions, or spring onions and chives for flavor.
Real bacon pieces for smoky flavor in the Panera's rustic baked potato soup.
Creamy base that is made with milk, heavy cream and cheese, which is often Monterey Jack cheese and sometimes cream cheese for added richness.
And potatoes which are homestyle cuts of russet potatoes.
The Panera's Rustic Baked Potato Soup is a creamy and savory type of soup that contains chunks of potatoes, smoky bacon, chives and onions in a rich Monterey Jack cheese sauce that is often topped with some melty Asiago cheese for a nice hearty, "baked potato in a bowl" experience.
It's very easy to make Panera's rustic baked potato soup at home with some simple ingredients.