Panera Bread Potato Soup Recipe (Easy Copycat)
This easy Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup recipe is my homemade take on the creamy, comforting soup I love from Panera. It’s loaded with tender chunks of russet potatoes, crispy bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, and a rich, creamy broth. Best of all, it comes together on the stovetop in about 35 minutes!
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I’m a huge fan of replicating recipes that I eat at restaurants at home. Not only do I know exactly what is going into my food, but I can save so much money! I’ve made several copycat recipes, including a Copycat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar Soup recipe that tastes JUST like Panera’s! I implore you to try that one next!
This is one of those soup recipes I start craving as soon as the weather cools down. Serve it with a crusty dinner roll or a big piece of sourdough, and I absolutely consider it a complete meal — even if my husband disagrees with me on that one!
I’d love to get some backup here: Is soup a complete meal? My husband and I have completely different answers. He believes that soup is a side dish to a main or a starter to a main. I believe a delicious bowl of hot soup paired with a crusty dinner roll is a complete meal.
Help me out friends, leave a comment with your opinion! If you’re ready to start cooking, scroll on down to the recipe card, and let’s cook!
Why You’ll Love This Panera Potato Soup Recipe
- Quick and easy: This creamy potato soup comes together in about 35 minutes, making it the perfect quick meal for a busy schedule.
- Rich and creamy: Crispy bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, and a creamy broth give this soup tons of flavor, with plenty of tender potato chunks in every bite.
- Simple ingredients: There’s nothing complicated here! This recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients available at most grocery stores, so you don’t need anything fancy to make it.
- A delicious homemade copycat: If this is your favorite Panera soup, you’ll love being able to make a homemade version whenever the craving hits. It’s also a great crowd pleaser for chilly fall and winter dinners.
The Players for Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- Bacon – You’ll need 4 slices of bacon that have been chopped into smaller pieces. Cutting the bacon into small pieces allows the fat to be rendered more efficiently out of the bacon. And be sure to reserve the bacon fat! We’ll be using that fat to create our creamy base.
- Onion – I like to use brown onions, but you can also use yellow, white, or even onion powder if you prefer.
- Garlic Powder – You can also use freshly minced garlic if you’d like.
- Flour – To make a creamy white base for this copycat Panera baked potato soup, you’ll need plain all-purpose flour to make a roux.
- Chicken Broth – For this Panera Bread soup, you’ll need chicken broth or chicken stock to make the soup flavorful.
- Milk – I like to use whole milk to make this creamy potato soup, but feel free to use skim or fat-free if that’s what you have.
- Cream – Heavy cream is used to make a rich cream sauce base. You can also use all milk if you prefer, but I love the addition of heavy cream.
- Potatoes – For this copycat version, I use russet potatoes because their higher starch content helps naturally thicken the soup. Yukon Gold potatoes also work well and give the soup a slightly more buttery flavor.
- Cheese – You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of Monterey Jack cheese. You can also use sharp cheddar cheese in a pinch!
- Sour Cream – To make this delicious soup, you’ll need either sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Salt & Pepper – Use salt and black pepper to taste. You can even use white pepper if you’re looking for a sharper bite.
- Chives – This is optional, but adding some fresh chives or green onions when you serve your bowl of soup, adds a lovely fresh element.
Tools:
- Large Pot – You’ll need a large pot to make this Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup copycat! I suggest a Large Dutch Oven that has a lid with it!
How to Make Copycat Panera Baked Potato Soup
Cook the bacon and onions
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy, about 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the crispy bacon from the pot and transfer it to a paper towel-lined dish and set aside.
In the reserved bacon grease, sauté the onions until translucent, about 3 minutes.
Make the creamy soup base
Sprinkle the flour and garlic powder over the sautéed onions and cook the flour for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to create a roux for this Panera potato soup.
Add the potatoes and simmer
Add in the chicken broth, milk, heavy cream, and cubed potatoes to the pot. Allow the mixture to come up to a gentle simmer(we don’t want to boil the milk).
Once the soup starts to simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and lower the heat and continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Finish with cheese, sour cream, and bacon
Once the potatoes are soft and tender, you can mash some of the potatoes along the sides of the pot to give the soup a thicker, creamier texture. Or you can choose to leave the potatoes as is. Stir in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, reserved bacon, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted.
Serve this Panera baked potato soup with some freshly chopped chives or green onions and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Panera Potato Soup
- Don’t let the soup boil: Once you add the milk and heavy cream, keep the soup at a gentle simmer. Boiling can cause the dairy to separate and affect that smooth, creamy texture.
- Use the best potatoes for the job: I prefer russet potatoes because their higher starch content helps naturally thicken the soup. Yukon Golds will also work and will give the soup a slightly more buttery, creamy texture.
- Cut the potatoes evenly: Try to cut your potatoes into similar-sized chunks so they cook at the same rate.
- Mash some of the potatoes: For a thicker soup, mash a few of the cooked potato chunks against the side of the pot. Leave plenty intact so you still get those hearty pieces of potato in every bite.
- Shred your own cheese: Freshly shredded Monterey Jack melts more smoothly into the soup than pre-shredded cheese, which often contains anti-caking ingredients and doesn’t melt properly into the soup.
- Wait to adjust the salt: Bacon, chicken broth, and cheese all add saltiness. Taste your finished soup first, then add additional salt as needed.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To Store:
Allow your Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To Reheat:
For a single serving, place about a cup of soup in the microwave and heat at 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Continue heating in 30-second intervals if needed, until heated through.
Alternatively, reheat the soup on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, add a little bit of milk or chicken broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
Can you Freeze Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup Recipe?
Because this soup contains potatoes, milk, heavy cream, sour cream, and cheese, I don’t recommend freezing it. Creamy potato soups can change in texture once frozen and thawed—the dairy may separate and the potatoes can become grainy or mushy.
For the best texture and flavor, I recommend storing leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheating them using the instructions above.
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If you end up making this Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup recipe, leave me a comment. I’d love to chat with you!
More Cozy Soup and Stew Recipes to Try
- Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup (Copycat Recipe!)
- Panera’s Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
- The Best Stovetop Lentil and Bean Soup Recipe
- Isaac’s Pepperjack Tomato Soup (Copycat Recipe)
- Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe
- Easy Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
- Quick and Easy Ground Beef Chile Stew (30 Minutes!)
- Easy Homemade Hearty Chili Beans Recipe
Panera Bread Potato Soup Recipe (Easy Copycat)
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cups heavy cream or half and half
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch chunks or yukon gold potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- salt & pepper, to taste
Optional Ingredients
- finely diced chives
- dollops of sour cream
- bacon bits
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the diced bacon until crispy for 7 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot to a paper towel-lined dish. Keep the bacon grease in the pot.
- Sauté the onions in the reserved bacon grease until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour and garlic powder over the sauted onions and cook the flour for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
- Add in the chicken broth, milk, cream, and cubed potatoes to the pot. Allow the mixture to come to a slight simmer. Once the soup starts to simmer, cover the pot with a lid, and lower the heat and continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, mash some of the potatoes along the sides of the pot, if desired, to give the soup a more thick texture. Stir in the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), shredded cheese, bacon bits, salt, and pepper and continue stirring until the cheese has completely melted.
- Serve with some freshly chopped chives or green onions, additional bacon bits, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage and Reheating Instructions
To store:
Allow your Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup to cool before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.To reheat:
For a single serving, place about a cup of soup in the microwave and heat at 50% power for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Continue heating in 30-second intervals if needed, until heated through. Alternatively, reheat the soup on the stovetop over low to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. If the soup has thickened in the refrigerator, add a little bit of milk or chicken broth until it reaches your desired consistency.Isaiah 53:5 - "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed."
