Copycat Panera Bread Tomato Soup
Escape into a bowl of pure comfort with this copycat Panera's Tomato Soup, a vibrant and deeply flavorful dish perfect for any season. Imagine serving it alongside a gooey grilled cheese sandwich, a crisp green salad, or perhaps a side of Instant Pot Mac and Cheese for a full meal.
Servings: 4
Calories: 214kcal
Equipment
- Stick Blender
- Cast Iron Enameled Dutch Oven Pot
Ingredients
- 10 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered approximately 2 lbs of tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, whole
- 6 sprigs fresh Thyme
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 10 fresh Basil leaves
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Add the quartered tomatoes, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, sprigs of thyme, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes.10 vine ripened tomatoes, quartered, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, whole, 6 sprigs fresh Thyme
- Add the butter and onion to an enameled dutch oven pot. Saute on medium high for 5 to 6 minutes until onions are soft and translucent. Add the tomato paste and balsamic vinegar. Cook for one more minute.1 tablespoon butter, 1 medium onion, chopped, 6 ounces tomato paste, 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
- Remove the roasted tomatoes from the oven. Add the tomatoes, garlic, 3 of the thyme sprigs, and the fresh basil leaves to the dutch oven pot. Add the vegetable broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.3 cups vegetable broth, 10 fresh Basil leaves
- Using the stick blender, puree the soup mixture in the dutch oven pot until the tomato soup is creamy. Simmer until ready to serve.
Notes
- Tomatoes: If you don't have seasonal ripe tomatoes, use the Caprese tomatoes that are about 2" diameter in the plastic tub. One tub should be about 2 lbs.
- Peeling the tomatoes before or after roasting is not necessary.
- Don't Rush the Roasting: Allow your tomatoes ample time in the oven to truly caramelize and soften; this is where the deep, concentrated flavor of the soup develops.
- Use Fresh, Ripe Basil: The quality of your basil significantly impacts the final taste, so opt for fresh, vibrant leaves for the best aromatic and bright notes.
- Adjust Seasoning at the End: Taste the soup after blending and before serving, adding salt, pepper, or a touch more sugar if needed, to perfectly balance the flavors.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 1540mg | Potassium: 1241mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 3425IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 3mg
