Veggie Keto Soup: Panera's 10-Veggie Blend Explained

Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup is a hearty, healthy, and nutritious vegan soup. It is packed with a variety of fresh vegetables and grains, beautifully balanced in a natural broth. The soup includes onions, peppers, carrots, celery, corn, spinach, garbanzo beans, tomato paste, and fire-roasted tomatoes. It is seasoned with spices such as cumin, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika, and can be garnished with a lemon wheel. This soup is a perfect choice for a cold winter day and can be made in a crockpot or stovetop.

The soup is vegan and Mediterranean diet-approved

Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup is vegan and Mediterranean diet-approved. It is packed with vegetables, hearty grains, and plant-based protein. This soup is a healthy option, loaded with nutrients and keeping you full for longer.

The soup contains a variety of vegetables, including onions, peppers (poblano, red and yellow bell), carrots, celery, zucchini, spinach, peas, and garlic. It also has canned vegetables like fire-roasted tomatoes and corn, as well as chickpeas, vegetable stock, and grains like sprouted brown rice. The soup is seasoned with spices such as garlic powder, cumin, rosemary, and basil, and finished with a squeeze of lime juice and a lemon wheel garnish.

To make the soup even more filling, you can add avocado slices or Parmesan cheese, although this takes it away from being vegan-friendly. This soup is a great option for those following a vegan or Mediterranean diet and can be easily adapted for different tastes and dietary requirements.

The soup is also gluten-free if gluten-free ingredients are used, and it can be made in a crockpot or on the stovetop. It's a versatile and nutritious meal that can be tailored to individual preferences.

It contains 10 vegetables, chickpeas, and grains

Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup is a hearty, flavourful, and nutritious meal. The soup contains a variety of vegetables, chickpeas, and grains, making it a well-balanced and satisfying dish.

Let's start with the vegetables. The soup includes onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, bell peppers (red and/or yellow), poblano peppers, spinach, garlic, and frozen green peas. This mix of veggies provides a range of colours, textures, and flavours, ensuring that each bite is delightful and nutritious.

Now, let's talk about the chickpeas. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein, providing 15 grams of protein per cup. They add a creamy texture and a subtle nutty flavour to the soup.

Finally, the grains. The soup features sprouted brown rice, which is a healthier alternative to white rice. It is high in fibre and has a chewy texture that complements the other ingredients. Additionally, the soup may include wheat berries, lentils, barley, quinoa, or millet, depending on the recipe variation. These grains provide complex carbohydrates, giving the soup a heartier consistency and making it more filling.

The combination of these vegetables, chickpeas, and grains creates a delicious and nourishing soup that will leave you feeling satisfied and energised. It's a great option for a chilly day or whenever you're craving a comforting and healthy meal.

It's served with a lemon wheel

Panera Bread's 10-vegetable keto soup is served with a lemon wheel, which is a thin slice of lemon that has been cut into a circular shape. Lemon wheels are used as a garnish or flavour enhancer in soups and other dishes. They add a bright, citrusy flavour and a pop of colour to the dish.

Lemon is known for its refreshing and tangy taste, which can help to enhance the flavours of the soup. The lemon wheel can be squeezed into the soup to add a burst of freshness and acidity or simply used as a decorative garnish.

In addition, lemon is a good source of vitamin C and antioxidants, which can boost the nutritional value of the soup. The citrus fruit is also known for its digestive properties, which may aid in the digestion of the hearty soup.

The use of lemon wheels as a garnish is a simple yet effective way to elevate the presentation of the dish. The bright yellow colour of the lemon against the vibrant vegetables in the soup creates a visually appealing contrast.

Furthermore, the lemon wheel can be used to customise the flavour of the soup according to individual preferences. Some people may prefer a stronger lemon flavour, while others may opt for a more subtle hint of citrus. By using a lemon wheel, diners can control the amount of lemon flavour added to their soup.

Overall, the addition of a lemon wheel to Panera Bread's 10-vegetable keto soup enhances both the flavour and presentation of the dish, making it a refreshing and nutritious option for soup enthusiasts.

It's customisable and versatile

Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup is highly customisable and versatile. The soup is a perfect choice for a cold, wintry day, offering a warm and comforting meal. The recipe is flexible, allowing for substitutions and additions to suit individual preferences and dietary needs.

For instance, the soup can be made gluten-free by swapping out the red wheat with lentils, farro, barley, quinoa, millet, or chia seeds. It can also be made soy-free by replacing soy sauce with liquid aminos, coconut aminos, Tamari, Mirin, or apple cider vinegar.

The vegetables can also be customised to your liking. You can use green vegetables like peas, green beans, or zucchini, and choose from red or yellow bell peppers. If you're not a fan of spicy food, omit the poblano pepper, or replace the dried Aleppo chilli flakes with regular chilli powder or smoked paprika.

The recipe also allows for additions to increase the fat content and make it keto-friendly, such as adding Parmesan cheese and avocado slices.

The soup is a great option for batch cooking and meal prep, and it freezes well for future meals. It's a versatile and healthy dish that can be tailored to suit a variety of tastes and dietary requirements.

It's a discontinued soup

Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup was introduced in January 2019 as the only vegan soup option on the menu. It was also Mediterranean diet-approved and packed with vegetables, making it a healthy choice. However, it was discontinued sometime in 2020, leaving fans disappointed.

The soup was a hearty blend of vegetables, grains, and spices. It included onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, bell peppers, poblano peppers, spinach, garlic, and frozen green peas. For canned vegetables, fire-roasted tomatoes and corn added a burst of flavor. The soup was seasoned with spices like garlic powder, cumin, and chili, and thickened with sprouted brown rice and chia seeds.

Despite its popularity, Panera Bread's 10 Vegetable Soup was taken off the menu, leaving customers to recreate the recipe at home. The soup's discontinuation may have been unexpected, but it hasn't stopped people from enjoying this flavorful and nutritious dish.

The recipe has since been shared and adapted by many, with some adding their own twist by substituting ingredients or changing the cooking method. While it's no longer available at Panera Bread, the 10 Vegetable Soup continues to be a favorite for those seeking a warm and comforting meal.

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