Vegetarian Autumn Squash Soup - Panera Bread: Cherry Hill, NJ

Vegetarian Autumn Squash Soup - PaneraBread: Cherry Hill, NJ

The pumpkin-ing has begun! (insert evil scientist laughter here.)

I recently filmed a video where my boyfriend and I tested 4 pumpkin spiced lattes from different locations. (It'll be up sometime this week.) One of those locations was Panera, and while I was there I picked up a bowl of the new Autumn Squash Soup which is made from squash, apples, and...pumpkin!

Since the packaging for soups hasn't really changed, I'll skip the aesthetic review and get right into the good stuff.

Panera describes this soup as:

A blend of butternut squash and pumpkin, simmered in vegetable broth with honey, apple juice, cinnamon and a hint of curry, then finished with sweet cream and topped with roasted and salted pumpkin seeds

Judging by the smell, and the ingredient list, this is going to be a really sweet soup. I can smell the pureed apples and a nuttiness from the squash mixed with curry spices, nutmeg and cinnamon. Honestly, this smells like pumpkin pie soup with a dash of curry powder.

Texturally, all of the ingredients have been pureed together until velvety smooth and the whole thing was topped with the tiniest green pumpkin seeds I have ever seen.(Since it was a to-go order the seeds were mixed into the soup by the time I got home.)

As far as how this tastes, it's like pumpkin pie filling was mixed with apple cider and a block of curry paste. It is very sweet, creamy, and the curry seasonings are definitely present, but the cinnamon and honey notes prevent this from being savory. I'd liken it to a Japanese curry sauce. (Especially this one.)

It is a bit weird for me to eat a sweet soup, I am so used to them being savory, but this was really enjoyable. On it's own it doesn't make much of a meal, but this would be a nice appetizer or first course for any fall dinners you might have. If you're looking for something new, pumpkin-y, and a bit different, give this a try.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

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