15 Copycat Soup Recipes

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.

Featured image: bowl of Copycat Zuppa Toscana soup with sausage and kale, Zikug

Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

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.

Copycat Panera Tomato Soup

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.

Copycat Panera French Onion Soup

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.

Enjoy this hearty Chicken and Wild Rice Soup that is the perfect comfort food for cooler days of fall and winter. Easy soup recipe with wild rice.

Copycat Panera Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

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.

Copycat Panera Autumn Squash Soup

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.

Copycat Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

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.

Copycat Chili's Southwest Chicken Soup

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.

Copycat Panera Turkey Chili

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.

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Chili

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 Pasta e Fagioli

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.

Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup

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.

Copycat Panera Cream Cheese Potato Soup

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.

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

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.

Copycat Cafe Zupas Tomato Basil Soup

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.

Copycat Wendy's Chili

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.