10 High-Protein Soup Recipes That Actually Keep You Full

Here is the problem with most healthy soup recipes: you finish the bowl, and an hour later you are back in the kitchen hunting for something else to eat.

A pot of simmered vegetables looks virtuous, but it will not hold you.

Protein is what fixes that. It keeps you full for longer, it protects the muscle you actually want to keep while you are losing weight, and it even takes a little extra energy just to digest.

So these ten high protein soup recipes are built around that idea. Every bowl is meant to carry you to the next meal instead of leaving you rummaging.

Each one lists the protein per serving and how many servings the pot makes, calculated from the ingredients rather than guessed. Consider it comfort food that happens to love you back.

1. Smoky Chicken Quinoa Soup

About 26 grams of protein per serving. Serves 6.

This is the workhorse of the list, and as far as high protein chicken soup goes, it is hard to beat. Chicken breast, quinoa, and black beans stack up three different protein sources, and the smoked paprika does a lot of heavy lifting for very little effort. It tastes like it took longer than it did.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant.
2. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides.
3. Stir in the quinoa, black beans, bell pepper, and spices.
4. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked and has uncurled its little tails.
6. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve hot with cilantro on top.

Tip: rinse the quinoa even when the bag says it is pre-rinsed. Skip it and you risk a soapy, bitter edge that no amount of paprika will fix.

2. Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

About 23 grams of protein per serving. Serves 6.

If you have never made avgolemono, the egg step feels like a magic trick the first time. You whisk eggs with lemon, temper in some hot broth, and the whole pot turns silky and creamy without a drop of cream. It is the kind of healthy chicken soup that eats like a treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring the broth to a boil, add the chicken, and simmer until cooked through.
2. Remove the chicken, shred it, and set it aside.
3. Add the orzo to the broth and cook until tender.
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice together.
5. Slowly ladle in about a cup of the hot broth while whisking constantly. This tempers the eggs so they do not scramble. Do not rush it.
6. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot, stirring the whole time.
7. Return the shredded chicken and add the dill.
8. Warm through for about 5 minutes over low heat and serve. Keep it below a boil from here on or the eggs will curdle.

3. Curried Carrot-Tomato Soup with Chickpea Gremolata

About 18 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

If you have been hunting for a high protein tomato soup that actually fills you up, this is it. The original carrot-tomato version was lovely but too light to belong here, so red lentils now go right into the base. They melt down and thicken everything into a velvety, spiced bowl, while the crispy chickpea gremolata on top gives you crunch and a second hit of protein.

Ingredients:

For the soup:

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
• 4 cups carrots, chopped
• 2 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

For the chickpea gremolata:

• 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pot until soft.
2. Add the carrots, tomatoes, lentils, curry powder, and broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils and carrots are completely tender.
3. Blend the soup until smooth. An immersion blender saves you a lot of dishes here.
4. For the gremolata, toss the dried chickpeas with olive oil and roast at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until crispy. Drying them well is the difference between crunchy and sad.
5. Toss the roasted chickpeas with lemon zest and parsley.
6. Season the soup, then serve topped with the gremolata.

4. White Bean Chicken Enchilada Soup

About 26 grams of protein per serving. Serves 6.

All the flavor of chicken enchiladas, none of the rolling and baking. Chicken breast and two cans of white beans make this a genuinely substantial high protein chicken soup, and the enchilada sauce means you barely have to season it yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions:

1. Cook the chicken in a pot with the broth until done. Remove and shred.
2. In the same pot, sauté the onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
3. Add the beans, enchilada sauce, corn, and spices.
4. Return the shredded chicken and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Stir in the lime juice and serve with cilantro on top.

Tip: a handful of shredded cheese and a few crushed tortilla chips on top turns this into something you would happily serve guests.

5. Italian Sausage Soup

About 20 grams of protein per serving. Serves 6.

Lean turkey sausage carries all the fennel-and-garlic flavor of the pork version with a lot less fat, and a can of cannellini beans makes this a high protein, high fiber soup that eats like a full meal. This is the pot I make on a cold Sunday and eat all week.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup small pasta (orzo or small shells)
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Brown the turkey sausage in a large pot, breaking it up as it cooks.
2. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, broth, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the pasta and cook until tender.
5. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
6. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Tip: if you plan to freeze or store this, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl. Pasta left sitting in broth turns to mush and drinks up all your liquid. Leave the pasta out entirely and you have a lower carb, high protein soup that stores even better.

6. Lentil & Vegetable Soup

About 19 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

This healthy lentil soup is about as easy as high protein vegetable soup gets. Lentils are one of the best deals in the whole grocery store: cheap, filling, loaded with protein and fiber, and they cook from dry in under half an hour. This is the one that makes you feel like you have your life together.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 cups spinach leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in a pot until softened.
2. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, cumin, and thyme. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.
4. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
5. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tip: a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon right at the end wakes up the whole pot. Lentils love a little acid.

7. Chilled Creamy Basil & Pea Soup

About 19 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

Proof that a high protein, low calorie soup does not have to mean a steaming bowl in January. The Greek yogurt is the trick here, giving you a cool, creamy, tangy soup that eats like something much more indulgent than it is. This is a genuinely good hot-day lunch.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups frozen peas
• 2 cups low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook the peas in boiling water for 3 minutes, then drain and cool.
2. Blend the peas, yogurt, basil, garlic, and broth until smooth.
3. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
4. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Tip: taste and adjust the salt after it chills. Cold dulls seasoning, so a soup that tasted perfect warm can go flat in the fridge.

8. Butternut Squash & Chicken Soup

About 29 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

This is the high protein butternut squash soup I come back to every fall, and the highest-protein bowl on the whole list. The squash blends down sweet and creamy, the chicken keeps it serious, and a pinch of nutmeg makes the whole thing taste like a cold afternoon.

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pot until softened.
2. Add the chicken and cook until browned.
3. Add the squash, broth, thyme, and nutmeg. Simmer until the squash is fork-tender.
4. Here is the choice: blend everything smooth for a creamy soup, or pull out the chicken first, blend just the squash, and return the chicken for more texture. I like the second way.
5. Stir in the milk, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot.

9. Broccoli & Cheddar Soup

About 21 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

A high protein broccoli cheddar soup that does not taste lightened up. Greek yogurt replaces the heavy cream, and my quiet trick is a can of white beans blended right into the base. You cannot taste them at all, but they make the soup creamy and push the protein up where it belongs.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pot until softened.
2. Add the broccoli, white beans, and broth. Simmer until the broccoli is tender.
3. Blend the soup until smooth, or leave a few broccoli chunks if you like texture.
4. Turn the heat to low and stir in the yogurt, cheese, and mustard until the cheese melts.
5. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Tip: add the yogurt off the boil and keep the heat gentle. Yogurt curdles if you cook it hard, and nobody wants a grainy cheddar soup.

10. Miso Soup with Tofu & Vegetables

About 20 grams of protein per serving. Serves 4.

A traditional miso soup is light and lovely but will not fill you up on its own. This is the beefed-up version, which is a strange thing to say about a high protein vegan soup, but here we are. Extra-firm tofu and a cup of edamame turn a delicate starter into a real meal, and the miso still brings that deep, savory, slightly funky flavor that makes it so satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups water
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 14 oz extra-firm tofu, cubed
• 1 cup shelled edamame
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup spinach leaves
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 sheet nori seaweed, cut into strips

Instructions:

1. Bring the water to a gentle simmer in a pot.
2. Add the tofu, edamame, and mushrooms. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the spinach and cook until just wilted.
4. Take the pot off the heat, then whisk the miso paste into a small bowl with a ladle of the hot broth until smooth. Stir it back into the pot.
5. Serve right away, garnished with green onions and nori. Do not boil the soup once the miso is in. Boiling kills the flavor and the good bacteria that make miso worth eating.

The bottom line

Healthy eating gets a bad reputation because so much of it is genuinely joyless. These ten soups are the argument against that. Lean proteins, beans and lentils, plenty of vegetables, and enough seasoning to make you look forward to lunch.

Every one of them will actually keep you full, which is the part that makes weight loss sustainable instead of miserable.

Most of them also work as a high protein crockpot soup: brown any meat first, then let everything simmer on low while you get on with your day. And if you are eating clean or watching carbs, several of these lean low carb the moment you skip the pasta or grains.

Make a double batch of whichever one calls to you, freeze half, and thank yourself on a Tuesday night when dinner is already done.

Source:

1. Science Direct