News

Panera Bread intros several new menu options

January 12, 2010

Panera Bread is adding a new protein option to its product line-up for three new menu items: the Mediterranean Salmon Salad, Salmon Caesar Salad and Salmon Club Croissant.

Customers looking for better-for-you options also will welcome the new Low-Fat Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto and the Low-Fat Black Cherry Smoothie. Adding to its breakfast options, Panera is combining two of its morning favorites to create the Asiago Bagel Breakfast Sandwich. Dessert-lovers can indulge in a variety of seasonal cookies, including Valentine's Day cookies. The beloved Irish Soda Bread and Hot Cross Buns also will return to participating bakery-cafes nationwide for a limited time.

The Mediterranean Salmon Salad marries ingredients that Panera's culinary team loved individually,but didn't know how to best use on the menu.

"Our new Honey Tangerine Vinaigrette tasted so good on its own, but we really didn't know how to bring this unique citrus flavor to our menu," Chef Dan Kish, Panera's vice president of food, said in a news release. "Once we paired it with our salmon filet, we knew we had finally found the right flavor combination for our menu."

The Mediterranean Salmon Salad combines a chilled Atlantic salmon filet, baby Kalamata olives, Feta cheese, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds and red onions on a bed of romaine lettuce, all tossed with Honey Tangerine Vinaigrette. The vinaigrette is made with honey, vinegar, tangerines and oranges.

The Salmon Caesar Salad features a chilled Atlantic salmon filet served on a bed of romaine lettuce, with Asiago cheese, homemade Asiago cheese croutons and Panera's signature Caesar dressing. The new Salmon Club Croissant combines the chilled Atlantic salmon filet with Applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and Panera's zesty tomato aioli sauce, served on a freshly-baked croissant.

The new Low-Fat Garden Vegetable Soup combines diced tomatoes, sliced zucchini, yellow beans, Swiss chard, cauliflower, bell peppers and pearled barley in a steamy tomato broth. Once the soup is poured, a nut-free basil pesto is swirled in to complete the flavor. Panera's new Black Cherry Smoothie is made with organic, low-fat Stonyfield Farm yogurt and blended with ice and fruit puree and is under 300 calories. It also is an excellent source of calcium and vitamin C and provides 100 percent of the daily value of vitamins B6 and B12.

The new Asiago Bagel Breakfast Sandwich combines a freshly cracked egg, Vermont White Cheddar Cheese and two strips of Applewood-smoked bacon grilled together on Panera's tangy Asiago Cheese bagel.