As the days grow colder, there’s an even greater craving for warm, comforting meals. And Panera’s latest offering aims to give customers a hearty dose of coziness.
Today, the bakery-cafe chain announced the launch of its new Ciabatta Dippers, which are designed to be dipped into soup. The new sandwiches are available at participating locations nationwide and come in two varieties.
If you’re a French Dip fan, you’re in luck. The first new sandwich is the French Dipper (1,130 calories), which features marinated steak, melty provolone and asiago, and garlic aioli on ciabatta bread. This comes with a “dipping portion” of Panera’s Bistro French Onion Soup.
The second new menu item is the Spicy Chicken Dipper (910 calories), which is layered with grilled chicken, creamy salsa verde spread, and melty provolone on ciabatta. This sandwich is paired with a dipping portion of Panera’s Creamy Tomato Soup.
The two new Ciabatta Dippers will only be available for a limited time. If you’re looking for an incentive to try the new sandwiches, the chain is giving MyPanera members a double visit credit for their next loyalty reward when they order a Ciabatta Dipper or any other qualifying Panera sandwich in the Panera iOS app. Members can activate this promotion through Nov. 17.
“At Panera, our guests have shown us just how much they enjoy pairing menu items, especially dipping their sandwiches into our signature soups,” Mark Shambura, Panera’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “Inspired by this love for creative combinations, we’ve crafted two delicious new menu items for guests to ditch the spoon and embrace the dip. There’s nothing better than the pairing of a melty sandwich with the perfectly portioned, savory soup, and we’re excited to bring both together for a great value.”
The Ciabatta Dippers aren’t the only cozy new items Panera recently added to its menu. In September, the chain brought back its Autumn Squash Soup (330 calories) and introduced two new soup options: Hearty Fireside Chili (400 calories) and Rustic Baked Potato Soup (380 calories).
The Autumn Squash Soup is made with a combination of butternut squash and pumpkin simmered in vegetable broth with honey, apple juice, cinnamon, a “hint of curry,” and sweet cream. It’s also topped with roasted, salted pumpkin seeds for some crunch.
If you’re craving something with a kick, the Hearty Fireside Chili features beef, kidney beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and green chili peppers. These ingredients are simmered in a broth containing chilis and cilantro. And finally, the Rustic Baked Potato Soup is made with homestyle cuts of potatoes, bacon, chives, and seasoning in a creamy Monterey Jack cheese sauce. This soup is topped with melty asiago cheese.
Brianna Ruback
Brianna is a staff writer at Eat This, Not That! She attended Ithaca College, where she graduated with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Communication Studies. Read more about Brianna
