Panera Gluten-Free Guide 2026 — Honest Answers
Gluten-conscious favorites
Green Goddess Cobb with Chicken
Chicken, avocado, egg, bacon, pickled red onions and greens with Green Goddess dressing.
Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken
Chicken, apple chips, Gorgonzola, pecans and dried cranberries with a sweet white balsamic vinaigrette.
Caesar Salad with Chicken
Romaine, grilled chicken, Parmesan crisps and Caesar dressing. Half size is a Pick Two staple.
Asian Sesame Salad with Chicken
Chicken, wonton strips, sesame seeds and cilantro with an Asian sesame vinaigrette.
Greek Salad
Romaine, feta, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, cucumbers and Greek dressing.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Chopped broccoli and shredded carrot simmered in a velvety cheddar cheese sauce. The most-loved soup on the menu, by a mile.
Creamy Tomato Soup
Vine-ripened tomatoes, cream and basil, topped with crispy croutons. Built for grilled-cheese dipping.
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken, carrots, celery and egg noodles in a seasoned chicken broth.
Does Panera have gluten-free bread?
No. Panera does not offer gluten-free bread, bagels or baked goods, and its cafés bake with wheat flour all day, so nothing baked in-store can be guaranteed gluten-free. Anyone with coeliac disease should read the cross-contact note below before ordering.
What to order instead (naturally gluten-conscious)
- Greek Salad without croutons
- Green Goddess Cobb (ask for no bread side)
- Asian Sesame salad without wonton strips
- Autumn Squash Soup and Creamy Tomato Soup are the soups regulars choose — always confirm the current allergen guide, recipes change
- Greek Yogurt with Berries parfait
- Fruit cup
- Most drinks
Cross-contact: the honest warning
Panera’s own allergen guide states cafés handle wheat everywhere; items are prepared in shared areas. “Gluten-conscious” is not “gluten-free” — if you have coeliac disease or a wheat allergy, speak to the café manager and check the official allergen guide before ordering.
How to use this guide safely
Panera does not run a certified gluten-free kitchen, and it does not sell gluten-free bread — so this page is a guide to the menu items whose recipes contain no gluten ingredients, based on Panera’s published allergen information. That distinction matters: shared prep surfaces, shared ovens and busy lunch lines mean cross-contact is always possible, and anyone with coeliac disease or a serious sensitivity should treat this page as a starting point for a conversation with the café, not a guarantee.
Where gluten-free eaters usually land
- Salads are the strongest category — most café salads are built without gluten ingredients, though dressings and toppings must be checked item by item on the salad page.
- Some soups qualify on recipe, but the soup station sits next to bread service — ask how your bowl will be handled. The list is on the soup page.
- Breakfast narrows to the Steel Cut Oatmeal — and even oats carry cross-contact risk in a bakery kitchen.
- Bakery and sandwiches are effectively out: breads, bagels, pastries and pasta all center on wheat.
Always confirm against the current allergen guide summary before ordering — recipes change between menu editions.
Panera Gluten-Free Menu FAQs
No.
No — it contains wheat pasta.
Some recipes have no gluten ingredients, but cross-contact is possible; check the allergen guide.
Not an official one — this guide collects the gluten-conscious options.
Are Panera salads gluten-free?
Several café salads are made without gluten ingredients, but dressings and toppings vary — check the allergen guide for the specific salad before ordering.
Is Panera oatmeal gluten-free?
The Steel Cut Oatmeal has no gluten ingredients, but Panera does not certify it gluten-free and oats carry cross-contact risk in a working bakery.
Does Panera have gluten-free cookies or pastries?
No — the bakery case is built on wheat flour, and there are no dedicated gluten-free baked goods on the standard menu.
See also: Home, Salad, Soup, Allergen, Nutrition.
Sources: Panera Bread Allergen Guide (current edition) and Panera Bread US Nutrition Guide, effective September 2, 2026, Edition 1.
MenuPanera is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Panera Bread. Prices are estimates and vary by café.
Good to know if you avoid gluten
The honest starting point: Panera does not sell gluten-free bread, and its cafes work with flour all day, so nothing here can be guaranteed gluten-free in the strict sense. What Panera does offer is a set of items made without gluten-containing ingredients – several salads, some soups and a few breakfast items – which suit people reducing gluten rather than those with celiac disease.
If you have celiac disease or a wheat allergy, treat this page as a starting list, not a clearance: recipes change, and cross-contact is possible at every station. Check Panera’s official allergen information for the current statement on each item, and tell the cafe about your allergy when you order so the team can take extra care.
Last updated: October 31, 2026.