******* BREAKING NEWS: I have been so overwhelmed at the response to this post and all the people who have told me that they LOVE this recipe because it is so easy & delicious so I decided to start an Instagram account (like today) dedicated to bringing you simple recipes that can be made quickly with only a few ingredients! I would love for you follow me there! Find me on IG as @easyfamilyrecipes*******
So if you have been reading The Pinning Mama for any length of time, you probably know that we L-O-V-E Panera! They have so many really yummy things. What we love even better though, is cracking the code to make their super yummy food at home. As a matter of fact, our all time biggest post has been our Panera Chocolate Chip Cookie Copycat, and we also have a delicious Double Chocolate Chip Muffie Top Copycat. Today though, is epic. I am sharing one of my all time Panera favorites, a copycat recipe for their Creamy Tomato Basil Soup.
With winter STILL in full force around the country, I think it is the perfect time to curl up on the couch with a piping hot bowl of creamy tomato basil soup. And Panera’s is fabulous. It is rich and thick. It is smooth and creamy. It is pretty much the tomato soup lover’s heaven!
The absolute best part about this soup is that it is extremely easy to make. You do not have to spend days laboring in your kitchen peeling tomatoes and chopping garlic. As a matter of fact, you can make one quick trip to the store and then whip this soup up in about 15 minutes right on your very own stove top! That’s my favorite kind of recipe, the kind that tastes like it took hours, days, years, to make, but really it was super easy!
So after your trip to the store, the rest is easy! Combine your tomatoes, broth, and garlic in a pot and let boil for 10 minutes. This recipe is perfect for our crock pot chicken broth! The can of diced tomatoes give it the same chunky texture that they serve at Panera. If you prefer a smooth texture you can use two cans of crushed tomatoes instead of one of each. Also, in a pinch I have used a can of whole tomatoes that I crushed with a fork and then added.
Next, turn the heat down to low and stir in the sugar and butter, stirring until everything has melted and dissolved and is well mixed.
After it is combined, stir in your chopped basil. You can use more or less depending on size but 15-20 leaves is a good estimate of what I use.
The next step needs to be done very carefully and takes either a little bit of coordination or a little bit of help. Pour in your heavy cream extremely slowly with one hand while mixing continuously with the other. By pouring it slowly while mixing you allow it to fully combine and achieve a really creamy and wonderful soup. If you get excited and just pour in all of the cream at once, it can separate and make a not horrible, but definitely not as wonderful texture. Trust me… do it slowly, it is worth the wait!
Now, if you are a freezer cooking junkie {which I am,} then you will be thrilled to know that this recipe freezes beautifully. I often double the recipe so I can freeze an entire batch! Just prepare the soup as directed, let cool, and then put into a tupperware or gallon sized bag or two and freeze. To reheat, place in a pot over medium until warmed through on the stove top, or my favorite way, just microwave for 6-10 minutes stirring each minute until heated through.
As promised! Quick and easy! And if you serve this with a big fat grilled cheese sandwich, you might just make all the worries in the world disappear. At least for as long as lunch lasts! This is one of my all time favorite recipes and I hope will be one of yours too! Make sure and check out all of our other tasty recipes here and follow us on Facebook and Pinterest to keep up with all of the new and super delicious recipes we post!
If you like this soup then you will love this Creamy Lemon Chicken soup recipe. It is just asquick and easy and every bit as delicious.
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Ingredients
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 14 oz can chicken broth {or 2 cups}
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 15-20 Basil leaves chopped
Instructions
Combine the tomatoes, broth, and garlic bring to a boil and let boil for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sugar and butter and mix until they are dissolved, melted and well combined.
Very slowly pour in the heavy cream while simultaneously stirring until all the cream is combined and the soup is creamy.
Stir in the basil.
I like to serve it hot garnished with a dollop of pesto and freshly grated parmesan cheese!
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
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FAQs
Detailed Ingredients
Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Citric Acid), Water, Heavy Cream, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Spices), Corn Starch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Nisin Preparation.
What are the ingredients in Panera's tomato soup? ›
Detailed Ingredients
Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Citric Acid), Water, Heavy Cream, Onions, Contains 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Seasoning (Sugar, Salt, Spices), Corn Starch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Garlic and Nisin Preparation.
Is creamy tomato soup from Panera healthy? ›
The Creamy Tomato Soup provides 8 grams of saturated fat—62% of the American Heart Association's daily recommendation. And since just 1 gram of fiber and 4 grams of protein are all this soup has to offer, it's not a very balanced choice.
What's the difference between creamy tomato soup and tomato soup? ›
But what about cream of tomato soup? Any “cream of” soup, tomato included, is pureed like a normal soup but then goes through a “creaming” process, wherein cream is added to the mixture. Cream of tomato soup is actually cooked at a much lower temperature than normal tomato soup.
Does Panera tomato soup have milk? ›
Contains Milk, Wheat
Indicates that the sodium (salt) content of this item is higher than the total daily recommended limit (2,300 mg).
Does Panera make their own soup? ›
That Soup Isn't Made In-House
It may taste homemade, but that Panera soup wasn't actually prepared by the workers at your local shop. "The soups are made at a factory/plant/etc., flash-frozen, shipped to us, and we thaw it out in what's called a thermalizer, essentially a soup-thawer," says one former employee.
What is the healthiest Panera soup? ›
The 5 Best Panera Soups to Order If You're Trying to Be Healthy
- Black Bean Soup. Calories: 140 Fat: 2g Carbs: 40g Protein: 7g. ...
- Low-Fat Chicken Noodle Soup. Calories: 160 Fat: 5g Carbs: 19g Protein: 14g. ...
- Cream of Chicken & Wild Rice Soup. ...
- Vegan Lentil Quinoa Broth Bowl. ...
- Soba Noodle Broth Bowl with Chicken.
The unhealthiest lunch order at Panera is…the new Bacon Mac and Cheese Bread Bowl. At Panera, you can order any of the soups or mac and cheese in a bread bowl, which is a bowl made entirely of Panera's Artisinal Sourdough Bread.
What is the healthiest soup you can eat? ›
6 delicious and healthy soups
- Chicken Vietnamese Pho.
- Green spring minestrone.
- Herb and yoghurt-based soup.
- Lamb shank and barley soup.
- Pumpkin soup with star croutons.
- Lentil and vegetable soup with crusty bread.
Choose broth instead of cream for less fat. Broth-based soups are typically much lower in fat, but if you still love the taste of “creamy” soup, there are several healthy alternatives.
Although tomato bisque is technically a soup, several clear-cut differences separate the two, the most apparent being the ingredients. The critical components for making tomato soup are tomatoes and either chicken or vegetable stock, while tomato bisque adds heavy cream to these ingredients.
Does tomato soup taste better with water or milk? ›
A soup made with milk is usually richer and more luxurious than one made with just water or stock. This addition helps make the soup feel more comforting. Adding milk or cream to a soup can balance contrasting tastes and help ingredients that don't typically mesh blend seamlessly.
How do you thicken creamy tomato soup? ›
Start by using 1 tablespoon of cornstarch at a time, mixed with 2 tablespoons of water. More cornstarch slurry can be added, but be sure not to add too much. Only mix in a small amount of slurry at a time to ensure that your soup will thicken properly. Using corn starch is a fast, effective way to thicken soup.
What are the ingredients in Panera tomato soup? ›
Vine-ripened tomatoes pureed with fresh cream for a velvety smooth flavor, accented by hints of garlic and oregano. 2% or less of: Butter (Cream, Salt), Sugar, Salt, Spices, Corn Starch, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Nisin Preparation and Garlic. CONTAINS: Milk.
Is tomato soup from Panera healthy? ›
While Tomato Soup might seem like a safe pick, the warm-weather go-to is actually packed with fat. One bowl carries 280 calories, 13 grams of fat, 35 grams of carbs, and more than 910 mg of sodium.
What are the ingredients in Panera soup? ›
Water, Chicken Raised Without Antibiotics, Carrots, Enriched Noodles (Semolina Wheat Flour, Eggs, Egg Whites, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Celery, Contains 2% or less of: Onions, Chicken Stock, Natural Flavor, Sea Salt, Chicken Fat, Corn Starch, Garlic, Yeast Extract, Parsley, ...
What does tomato soup contain? ›
Traditional tomato soup
A simple tomato soup can be prepared simply with ingredients such as canned tomatoes/tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, vegetable broth or chicken broth and for the flavouring butter, salt and pepper or if required sugar can be used.
Does Panera use artificial ingredients? ›
Our Food Beliefs serve as a compass, helping us provide meals that are delicious, and made with high-quality, select ingredients. Clean Foods - Clean simply means we don't fill our pantry with the artificial preservatives, sweeteners, flavors, and colors from artificial sources that are listed on our No No List.
What are the ingredients in canned tomato soup? ›
WATER, TOMATO PASTE, SUGARS (GLUCOSE-FRUCTOSE), WHEAT FLOUR, SALT, SOYBEAN OR CANOLA OIL, CITRIC ACID, FLAVOUR (CONTAINS CELERY, GARLIC), SPICE EXTRACTS. Nutritional Information is based on our current data.
