Hubby and I make this soup a lot – an awful lot. Hubby first made this copycat soup recipe Christmas Eve 2010, and he has made it every Christmas Eve since, as well as a many times in between the holiday. This is one fabulous soup. Everyone that has this Panera Cream Cheese Soup not only wants seconds, but the recipe too!
Copycat Panera’s Cream Cheese Potato Soup Recipe
Notes:
• I strongly urge you to use yellow Yukon gold potatoes if only for the visual appeal. I don’t notice a huge taste difference, but the yellow potatoes do look nicer.
• This is one of the easiest soups you will ever make. When we make double and triple recipes, Hubby uses his immersion blender and a huge pot!
• This recipe freezes beautifully.
• That’s it on the notes – Hubby’s been making this for 8+ years now, and it is one of my three favorite soups, and by far the simplest to make!
Copycat Panera’s Cream Cheese Potato Soup Ingredients:
• 4 cups Chicken Broth
• 4 cups Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ¼ cup Onions, chopped and minced
• ½ tsp Season Salt
• ¼ tsp White Pepper
• ¼ tsp Ground Red Pepper
• 8 oz Cream Cheese
Copycat Panera’s Cream Cheese Potato Soup Mise en Place:
• Measuring Spoon
• Measuring Cup
• Large Pot
• Large Spoon (for stirring)
Copycat Panera’s Cream Cheese Potato Soup Directions:
• Combine 4 cups chicken broth, 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes, ¼ cup minced and chopped onion, ½ tsp season salt, ¼ tsp white pepper and ¼ tsp ground red pepper in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil on medium heat, and continue to allow the soup to boil until potatoes are tender.
• Smash potatoes to release heat for thickening (hubby uses his stick blender).
• Reduce to low heat.
• Add cream cheese.
• Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until cream cheese melts.
• Serve hot.
Copycat Panera’s Cream Cheese Potato Soup

Ingredients
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
- 4 cups Potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ¼ cup Onions, chopped and minced
- ½ tsp Season Salt
- ¼ tsp White Pepper
- ¼ tsp Ground Red Pepper
- 8 oz Cream Cheese
Instructions
• Combine 4 cups chicken broth, 4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes, ¼ cup minced and chopped onion, ½ tsp season salt, ¼ tsp white pepper and ¼ tsp ground red pepper in a large pot.
• Bring to a boil on medium heat, and continue to allow the soup to boil until potatoes are tender.
• Smash potatoes to release heat for thickening (hubby uses his stick blender).
• Reduce to low heat.
• Add cream cheese.
• Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until cream cheese melts.
• Serve hot.
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- KitchenMade Measuring Cups Stainless Steel 6 Piece Stackable Set
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- CIA Masters Collection 6 Piece Measuring Spoon Set
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 187 Total Fat: 10g Saturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 3g Cholesterol: 31mg Sodium: 705mg Carbohydrates: 20g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g Protein: 5g
Look for more soup recipe? Try these:
• Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup Recipe – I was born and raised in Buffalo, and still live in the metropolitain area. To say I know good wings is an understatement. This Buffalo Chicken Wing soup is simply amazing – and better than anything we can get locally in a resteraunt.
• Philly Cheesesteak Soup Recipe – The meaty delightful goodness of a Philly cheesesteak sandwich turned into a creamy and delicious comfort-food soup. Your family will be asking for seconds!
• Stuffed Banana Pepper Soup Recipe – This stuffed banana pepper soup recipe is simply fabulous. Spring, summer, winter or fall, this delicious soup makes for a great lunch or dinner, or a great soup course. Slightly spicy, slightly creamy, totally flavorful stuffed banana soup recipe is one your whole family will enjoy.
Yeah, I just listed the three of my four favorite “Hubby soups”. Try ’em, you’ll like ’em!
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Thanks for linking up your recipe! Sounds tasty!
I have never put cream cheese in soup before, sounds interesting. I will give it a try.
That does sound like an interesting recipe.
This sounds amazing! I can’t get enough of Panera’s soups, especially once the weather starts to cool down. I’ll definitely be trying out this recipe. Thanks for sharing! =)
It sounds delicious!
Yummm!!! I may need to make this soon!
Yum.. whats not to love about that!! Sounds like heaven to me!!
We love soups and this looks delicious!! Can you use low fat or fat free cream cheese? Just wondered if that would work, want to try this soon!!
Nancy I would think “no” for this soup. However if you give it a go and it works, would you come back and report?
Ann
This is my favorite Panera soup! When I lived “up North” I could walk to Paneras every Thursday – that was potato soup day – and have a bowl with one of their fantastic hard rolls – what a wonderful meal!! Now that I live “down South” we do not have a Panera, and I surely do miss this potato soup! How thrilled I am that you posted this recipe – I will be making it tonight for sure!! Now, if you can tell me how to make those little hard rolls, it would be heavenly!!
Here’s a link to a cheat of the Panera Sourdough Bread recipe, but I haven’t tried it myself – – baking.food.com
Made this tonight… amazing! Great recipe =)
I’ve been making this for a few years now. In fact, I just made this soup last week as the weather is turning colder here in Michigan. My favorite way to make/eat potato soup! Easy to make and oh so yummy!!!
Just send hubby to the store for cream cheese and celery! Gotta have celery in it too just as mom did!
We’re lucky to have a Panera Bread only FIVE minutes away! Love those hunks of bread they serve with soups and salads!
Yum! It’s definitely soup time here, so I’ll be putting this on my recipe list.
I made this for dinner last night, and it was really good. Thank you for sharing!
Looks awesome! Thanks so much for adding your recipe to the Delicious Dishes Recipe Party on Pocket Change Gourmet.
~Liz
LOVE this soup. Of course I’ve added so many different things. Bacon, broccoli , cauliflower. Instead of onions , I use leeks. I know it’s not the original recipe, but the oissibilities are so endless.
I’ve made this soup for years-it’s a mainstay! Use this recipe with asparagus or broccoli instead of potatoes-wonderful!!!