Combine These 2 Panera Bread Fan Favorites For A Satisfying, Warm Meal

Online foodies won't soon forget the TikTok-viral Panera Asiago bagel topped with mac and cheese hack (swoon). Now, we're back with another when-worlds-collide Panera duo that cranks the comfort food dial to 11: Combine Panera's mac and cheese with its creamy tomato soup. That velvety cheese sauce, toothy shell pasta, and bright, luscious tomato soup come together for a hearty, warming, savory meal that's totally vegetarian — way cozier than a meatless salad, and more filling than a cup of black bean soup.

To assemble, simply mix both elements together, adding as much or as little of each ingredient as you please. For a balanced, soup-like texture, order a small mac and cheese and a cup of soup (or, for a larger portion, a large mac and a bowl of soup). Or, if you prefer a less-soupy richness, order a large mac and a cup of tomato soup.

Bonus points if you order a bread bowl on the side, in which to assemble your soup-mac. The inner "cap" of that bread bowl can even be used for dunking in the cheesy shells as you eat. Plus, once the bowl is empty, all that bread will have soaked up the tomato soup and white cheddar cheese sauce for a moist, flavorful finisher to the meal. If you happen to have an indoor herb garden, some fresh thyme, oregano, or sage would up the elevated ante. For omnivores, a pinch of crumbled bacon would take this cozy combo to smoky, savory stardom.

Here at Tasting Table, we're longtime fans of Panera's mac and cheese. As we rave in our ranking of the 20 best Panera menu items, "Our compliments here start with the texture of the pasta. It's a touch al dente, so that when the creamy sauce lands overtop, there are no soggy noodles." The mac's structural integrity becomes crucial once that silky tomato soup is added to the mix. No soggy shells here, officer. As for Panera's creamy tomato, we've also sung its praises in our ranking of 9 Panera soups and macs: "The soup tastes like a super velvety, decadent, and flavorful tomato sauce that's solid enough in its own right that you don't mind eating it without any spaghetti." Now, for a zhuzhed-up meal, we're adding pasta into the mix by way of the mac.

Don't have time to hit Panera? This comforting best-of-both-worlds pairing can be easily recreated at home with two pantry staples. Just prepare a box of white cheddar mac and cheese, then stir it with some canned tomato soup in a saucepan on the stove. We're loving rich, creamy, totally vegan Imagine Organic Tomato Creamy Soup, or Trader Joe's Organic Tomato & Roasted Red Pepper Soup for a touch of spiced heat. Panera also sells packaged, company-branded, convenience-oriented offerings of both its creamy tomato soup and its iconic mac and cheese at many grocery retailers, typically sold in the refrigerated prepared food section.