Some of the best soups you've ever had came out of a restaurant kitchen — and most of them are easier to make at home than you'd guess. These 15 copycat soup recipes cover the ones people order again and again at Olive Garden, Panera, Chili's, Bob Evans, and Wendy's, so you can skip the drive-through and the bread-bowl markup.

Nine of these are our own tried-and-tested recipes, and the rest come from food bloggers we trust. Between them you've got creamy, brothy, cheesy, and spicy covered — plus two copycat chilis for the coldest nights of the year.
15 Copycat Soup Recipes
The one that started it all — spicy Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. It comes together on the stove in about half an hour, and there are slow cooker directions in the post if you'd rather let it simmer all afternoon.
Rich, velvety tomato soup that tastes just like the bread-bowl version, made with pantry-friendly canned tomatoes. Pair it with a grilled cheese and you've got comfort food heaven for a fraction of the restaurant price.
Deeply savory caramelized onion broth, topped with crusty bread and melted cheese broiled until bubbly. It looks impressive in the bowl but it's surprisingly simple to pull off at home.
Tender chicken and wild rice simmered in a creamy broth with celery, carrots, and onion. This is the one to make on a cool fall evening when you want something hearty without much fuss.
Slow-roasted butternut squash and carrots blended into a smooth, lightly sweet soup with warm seasonings. Finish each bowl with toasted pumpkin seeds for a little crunch.
Thick, hearty, and loaded with Tex-Mex flavor, this is a near-perfect match for the restaurant original. Load it up with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, and a squeeze of lime.
A Tex-Mex chicken soup that's ready in under 30 minutes, which makes it a weeknight favorite. Top it with tortilla chips, sour cream, or sliced avocado.
Ground turkey, warm spices, and hearty beans make this a lighter chili that still eats like a full meal. Crushed crackers, shredded cheese, or a dollop of sour cream finish it off.
Tender ground beef, beans, and just the right blend of seasonings, exactly like the bowl you'd order with your rolls. Serve with crackers, cheese, and sour cream on a cold night.
Olive Garden's classic pasta and bean soup, lightened up without losing the hearty tomato broth, sausage, and pasta. A good pick if you want the flavors of the restaurant version with fewer calories.
The creamy, cheesy broccoli soup everyone orders at Panera, made at home in one pot. Serve it in a bread bowl if you want the full experience.
Cream cheese gives this potato soup a silky texture and a subtle tang you don't get from cream alone. It's thick, filling, and made from ingredients you probably already have.
A vegetable-packed minestrone with beans and pasta in a light tomato broth, just like the soup-and-salad combo at Olive Garden. It's naturally vegetarian, so it's an easy one to make for a crowd.
Cafe Zupas' tomato basil soup is thick, creamy, and heavy on the fresh basil. It comes together quickly on the stove and is made for dunking a grilled cheese.
That famously thick, mildly spiced fast-food chili, recreated with ground beef, beans, and tomatoes. It freezes beautifully, so make a double batch.
Tips for Making Restaurant Soup at Home
A few things separate a good pot of soup from a great one. Brown your meat and aromatics before anything else goes in the pot — that's where most of the flavor comes from. Add greens like kale or spinach near the end so they stay bright instead of turning drab. And with cream-based soups, stir the dairy in last over low heat, because a hard boil after the cream goes in can make the broth separate.
Most of these soups also keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator and reheat well over low heat, which makes them some of the best leftovers in the house. Brothy soups and chilis freeze well too; cream-based ones do better if you freeze the base and stir the cream in fresh after reheating.








Miz Helen says
A great collection that we will love! Hope you are having a great day and thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday this week.
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Miz Helen
Heather says
Oh my! These look so yummy! Thanks so much for sharing at Tips & Tricks last week. I hope you can join us again this week (the party just went live)...