26 Best High-Protein Soups for Abs

Curer of colds, warmer of hearts, soother of souls: Soup does everything a comfort food is supposed to do. But did you know it could also get you abs? The soups you'll find here have 8, 9 10—sometimes 20 or more grams of protein, and are easy and fun to prepare, loaded with tender chicken, seasonal squashes and even some juicy fruits.

Make them a part of your abs diet, and you'll get shredded by shredding chicken. And to blast even more belly fat, don't miss this essential list of ways to lose 10 pounds—fast!

Best High-Protein Soup

Chicken Posole

This classic Mexican soup is a delicious way to have your dinner tonight. This recipe is a classic Mexican dish, and the beauty of it is the way the chicken is complimented by the flavorful broth and the myriad of toppings. What's Gaby Cooking offers plenty of options for those nutritional toppings.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 pound chicken breast
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup canned hominy, drained and rinsed

How to Make It:

Step 1

Transfer the chicken breasts onto a large cutting board and carefully slice them in half so you have thinly sliced pieces. Sprinkle them on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast in a single layer and sear for 1 minute on both sides until golden brown. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook for 12 minutes more, flipping the chicken halfway to full cook. Once cooked, set the chicken aside.

Step 3

Add the chicken broth to a medium Dutch oven and bring it to a rapid simmer. Once simmering, add the bay leaf, thyme, oregano, garlic, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, chili powder, coriander, and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into small pieces. Add the chicken and drained hominy to the Dutch oven. Raise the heat to medium to warm everything through. Taste and add more salt or other seasonings if needed. Discard the bay leaf.

Step 5

Serve the soup in individual bowls with any of the desired toppings.

Nutrition: 238 calories, 4.7 g fat, 875 mg sodium, 8.2 g carbs, 1.5 g fiber, 0.8 g sugar, 39.3 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Easy Chicken and Rice Soup

This delicious recipe for a lunchtime (or anytime) soup for weight loss couldn't be easier. It's just one of the 150+ belly-flattening recipes in the best-selling new Zero Belly Cookbook!

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

½ rotisserie chicken
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely dicen onion
½ cup finely diced celery
½ cup finely diced carrot
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup cooked brown rice
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (your choice)

How to Make It

Step 1

Remove the skin from the chicken. Pick the meat, both white and dark, from the carcass and shred. Reserve half the meat for a future meal.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a 4-quart pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add the chicken broth, vegetable broth, and salt to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes more.

Step 4

Add the chicken, rice, and fresh herbs and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve hot.

Nutrition: 225 calories, 10 g fat, 18 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 15 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

White Bean and Kale Soup

Our obsession with kale can never disappear, and it's clearly evident why: the nutrient-packed dark leafy green is perfect any time of year. In this recipe for a white bean and kale soup, we're loving the fact that it is low in fat and high in flavor.

Kale and white beans makes this dreamy soup, from Picky Eater Blog an excellent choice for cold winter nights.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4-6 cups chopped raw kale
4 cups low-fat, low-sodium vegetable broth
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or navy, rinsed and drained
4 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 Tsp dried oregano
1 Tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Optional: Fresh shredded Parmesan (1 Tbsp per serving of soup)

How to Make It:

Step 1

Chop all your veggies. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft.

Step 2

Add kale and saute, stirring, until wilted.

Step 3

Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper (crushed red pepper + black pepper). Simmer 5 minutes.

Step 4

In a blender or food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. You can also just mashed the beans in the broth with a potato masher (I did this and it worked great). Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer at least 15 minutes.

Step 5

Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with parmesan cheese (optional).

Nutrition: 236 calories, 4.1 g fat (1.4 g saturated fat), 571 mg sodium, 36.7 g carbs, 13.8 g fiber, 6.1 g sugar, 13.9 g protein (calculated with cannellini beans, 1 Tbsp optional fresh parmesan)

Best High-Protein Soup

Chard and Chickpea Soup

Taking a note from the soup above, this is a whole new way to have beans and greens. Although chard is naturally high in sodium, it's also a great source of thiamin, folate and zinc. Plus, it's a vegan soup that will have even non-believers wowed.

High in protein and packed full of flavor, this soup from My Whole Food Life is a hearty take on comfort food.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

1 T coconut oil
1 large onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 bunch chard (6-8 leaves) stems removed and chopped
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups diced tomatoes (one can)
2 cups cooked chickpeas (if using canned, drain and rinse)
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large pot, on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Once the onions are translucent, add the remaining ingredients, except for the lemon juice, in the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Lastly add the lemon juice, stir and season to your taste. This can be frozen as well.

Nutrition: 312 calories, 6.7 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 479 mg sodium, 50.3 g carbs, 14.6 g fiber, 11.7 g sugar, 15.2 g protein (calculated with 8 leaves chard)

Best High-Protein Soup

Creamy Broccoli Fennel Soup

Fall vegetable favorites broccoli and fennel combine in this perfectly creamy combination. The addition of the cashews add a lovely nutty note that comes as quite a surprise.

This broccoli and fennel soup, from With Food and Love is a fresh take on a vegan fall favorite. The best part? It's very low in sodium!

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 small – medium head of broccoli
2 medium heads of fennel
2 – 3 cloves of garlic
5 lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
few heavy pinches sea salt
few heavy pinches ground black pepper
3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for an hour
3 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
chopped fennel leaves to garnish
meyer lemon zest to garnish

How to Make It:

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees + line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

Wash and cut the broccoli and fennel into medium sized florets/slices. Spread them out evenly on the baking sheet, with the cloves of garlic {leave the skin on} and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle generously with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes. flip the veggies and toss the kale leaves on top. Roast for about another 5 – 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let the cloves of garlic cool a bit and then pop them out of their skins.

Step 3

Combine the raw cashews, filtered water, lemon juice and another heavy pinch of sea salt and black pepper in your blender. Blend until smooth. Then toss in the roasted broccoli, fennel, garlic and kale and blend until smooth again.

Step 4

To serve top with a dash of olive oil, chopped fennel leaves, lemon zest + black pepper.

Nutrition: 306 calories, 19.4 g fat (3.4g saturated fat), 123 mg sodium, 29.6 g carbs, 6.9 g fiber, 2.2 g sugar, 9.3 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Coconut Red Kuri Squash Soup

Never heard of red kuri squash? Well, get on board! The pink colored winter squash is similar to pumpkin, but without the ridges. It's a fun new take on a classic squash soup, and you can substitute pumpkin in this recipe if you can't find it.

Try a whole new squash recipe this year with this coconut red kuri squash soup from Vegukate. Plus, it's low in calories and sodium.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 large red kuri squash (around 2-2 ½ pounds)
1 teaspoon avocado oil
1 white onion, quartered
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt (+ more to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
Pinch of red pepper flakes

How to Make It:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400° F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Step 2

Cut red kuri squash into quarters and scoop out the seeds. Roast for 45-60 minutes, cut side up, until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork and lightly browned. When 20 minutes is left on the squash, add quartered onion to baking tray and allow to roast for the remainder of the time.

Step 3

Allow squash to slightly cool before handling. Gently scrape squash flesh from skin and add to the base of a high-speed blender. (Discard skin, or eat as a snack!) Add the remainder of the soup ingredients to the blender and blend on high for 5 minutes until squash soup is creamy and piping hot! Add more salt to taste if necessary.

Step 4

Ladle into bowls, garnish with a dollop of coconut milk and a sprinkle of black pepper, red pepper flakes, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Nutrition: 198 calories, 15g fat (12.9g saturated fat), 209mg sodium, 17.7g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 5.4g sugar, 2.8g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Turkey Dumpling Soup

It's much easier than you would imagine to make some simple dumplings. Throw in some turkey, and you've got a scrumptious soup made with some pantry staples and holiday leftovers.

Use post-Thanksgiving leftovers for this easy-to-make soup, or sub in chicken if you don't have it. Check out Wine and Glue for this great recipe.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

3 TBSPs butter
2 garlic cloves
2 large carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 TBSPs all purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp sage rub
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 bay leaves
2 cups cooked turkey, cubed
1 cup frozen corn
8 oz heavy cream
For the dumplings:
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP butter
1/2 cup skim milk

How to Make It:

Step 1

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large stock pot.

Step 2

Add the carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until soft, about five minutes.

Step 3

Whisk in the flour until fully combined. Very very slowly add the chicken stock. Begin by adding only about a tablespoon at a time, only adding more stock once the stock you just added is combined. Towards the end you will be able to add it a little more quickly. This should take about two minutes.

Step 4

Add the sage, thyme, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for five minutes.

Step 5

While the soup is cooking, whisk together 1 cup of flour, 2 tsps of baking powder, 1 tsp of sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cut in 1 TBSP cold butter. Gently mix in 1/2 cup skim milk until just combined and there are no more streaks of flour. Gently drop about a tablespoon of the dough at a time into the soup. Boil until just cooked through over medium heat. About four minutes uncovered.

Step 6

Finally, gently stir in the cooked turkey, frozen corn, and heavy cream, stirring to combine and cooking about one minute more until combined.

Nutrition: 337 calories, 14.8 g fat (8.4 g saturated fat), 571 mg sodium, 30.7 g carbs, 2.1 g fiber, 3.9 g sugar, 20.3 g protein (calculated with half and half instead of heavy cream, unsalted butter, and low-sodium chicken stock)

Best High-Protein Soup

Celery Root and Fennel Soup

Celery root is a unique ingredient with tons of flavor. But it's not an easy ingredient to work with, which is why we often avoid it in the grocery store. Yet it pairs so well with fennel in this super easy soup, that we just can't resist.

Using low sodium chicken (or vegetable) stock in this recipe helps to keep the sodium levels low in this soup from Urban Cookery. Because it's also basically veggies and more veggies, it's low in calories too.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 peeled and cubed Celery Root
2 Cups small dice Onion
2 Cups small dice Fennel Bulb
2 smashed Garlic Cloves
4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
1 Teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1/4 Cup Parsley
Creme Fraiche (to garnish)

How to Make It:

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Peel your celery root with a knife removing all the skin and the ends. Dice into small cubes (about 1 cm). Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes (shaking the tray every 15 minutes to avoid browning). Remove from oven after 45 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat up 1 teaspoon of Olive Oil. Add your Onion and Fennel and cook for 8-10 minutes over a medium high heat, stirring often. Add in your garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Now add in your roasted celery root, chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook about 20-30 minutes.

Step 3

When done, remove bay leaf, and put soup into a Vitamix blender (if you have to do it in two batches, do so). Add in your parsley. Blend until completely smooth, then pass through a fine mesh strainer back into a clean pot. Discard any solids left in the strainer. Taste and season the soup with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Garnish with Parsley Oil and Creme Fraiche. Serve hot.

Nutrition: 104 calories, 1.4 g fat, 266 mg sodium, 19.2 g carbs, 4.8 g fiber, 4.5 g sugar, 5.3 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Black Bean and Pastrami Soup

A classic black bean soup topped by an unusual ingredient like pastrami is an interesting new take. Packed full of protein thanks to the power of beans and meat, this soup is a fresh way to make beans.

Black bean soup with pastrami is a fun, protein-packed recipe from Today's Nest. Try the recipe today for a creative take on bean soup.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 carrot, grated
1 red bell pepper
1 serrano pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken stock
3 cups cooked black beans
1 can diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
juice of one lime
1/2 lb. pastrami (one or two thick slices, cubed)
3/4 teaspoon salt
shaved pastrami for garnish

How to Make It:

Step 1

Heat oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot, red bell pepper, and serrano. Cook until onion is softened (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for another minute or two.

Step 2

Add 1 1/2 cups of beans and 1/2 cup of chicken stock to a food processor. Blitz until the beans are smooth.

Step 3

Add remaining chicken stock, blended beans, whole beans, tomatoes, and corn to the pot. Bring pot to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce to simmer and add oregano, lime juice, pastrami, and salt. Taste and adjust salt as necessary. Simmer for 15 minutes.

Step 4

While soup is simmering, prepare garnish. Serve hot with garnish of crispy shaved pastrami.

Nutrition: 439 calories, 15.2 g fat (3.3 g saturated fat), 575 mg sodium, 50.8 g carbs, 15.6 g fiber, 7.4 g sugar, 28.2 g protein (calculated with low-sodium chicken stock)

Best High-Protein Soup

Butternut Squash Pear Ginger Soup

Adding some fall flavor to the already very autumn-driven butternut squash soup may seem like it's not needed, but this version is made even better with pears and ginger. Plus, a little healthier with the addition of help seeds and more flavor thanks to all spice.

This recipe from Purely Twins has some unique additions to the classic butternut squash soup.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 large butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups chopped and roasted)
1 medium leek, sauted
1-2 inches fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 pear, sauted
1/2 cup hemp seeds
2-3 cups liquid of choice (water, veggie stock, or coconut milk, hemp seed milk, or almond milk)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon all spice (or can do 1/8 tsp cloves and 1/4 tsp nutmeg)
coconut oil for roasted squash and sauteing leek and pear

How to Make It:

Step 1

Pre-heat oven for 350 degrees.

Step 2

Peel and chop butternut squash, lightly coat with some coconut oil.

Step 3

Place chopped squash on cookie sheet, put in oven and roast for about 30-35 minutes, or till soft and tender.

Step 4

While squash is roasting, chop and sautee your leek and pear on the skillet.

Step 5

While those are sauteing place you spices and hemp seeds into Vita-mix or high powered blender.

Step 6

Once hemp seeds and pear are done place into blender. Blend.

Step 7

Once butternut squash is soft, place into blender and continue to blend.

Step 8

Begin adding in your liquid one cup at a time, till everything is blended and you reach your desired thickness or texture of soup.

Nutrition: 257 calories, 14 g fat (6.4 g saturated fat), 297 mg sodium, 28.1 g carbs, 5.2 g fiber, 7.4 g sugar, 8.5 g protein (calculated with low-sodium chicken stock and 2 tbsp coconut oil)

Best High-Protein Soup

Spicy Coconut Carrot Soup

Using Thai flavors in this carrot soup, the chili sauce and coconut milk provide a lot of depth to a classic recipe. The light coconut milk cuts the fat, but still adds some much-needed thickener to this dish.

This Thai-style coconut soup, from Pink Patisserie is a delicious way to have your carrots and eat them, too. Try using fresh ones from the farmer's market if you can.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
14 ounces light coconut milk
2 ½ cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 teaspoons Thai chili sauce or Sambal Olek
½ cup cilantro
½ cup coconut chips

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the carrots and the onions, and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 15-20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Step 2

Add the coconut milk, the chicken broth and the chili sauce. Stir and simmer 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Step 3

Remove from heat and working in batches blend the soup carefully in a blender. Alternatively use an immersion blender to puree the soup, until smooth. If you prefer a smoother soup, thin with some additional stock or water and reheat if necessary.

Step 4

Divide soup among 4 bowls, serve with sprigs of cilantro, coconut chips and additional chili sauce if desired.

Nutrition: 431 calories, 37.2 g fat (30.2 g saturated fat), 653 mg sodium, 23 g carbs, 7.6 g fiber 11.3 g sugar, 6.9 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Butternut Squash and Sunroot Soup

Sunroot, though you may also know it as the sunchoke or the Jerusalem artichoke, is an ingredient that has been growing in popularity lately. By adding it to this butternut squash soup, we marry the flavors we already know with discovering something new.

Butternut squash and sunroot get combined in this autumn-inspired soup. Our Food Stories add a lot to this vegan dish.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

700g butternut squash
350-400g sunroot
1-2 onion
1 small piece ginger
1,5 tsp curry powder
1 dash chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 dash nutmeg
500ml vegetable broth
200ml coconut milk
fresh dill (or another herb – depends on your liking)
olive oil
coconut oil (or sunflower oil)
For the red kale chips:
6-8 leaves red kale (or the common kale)
olive oil
paprika powder
chili powder
sea salt

How to Make It:

Step 1

For the butternut-squash-soup: peel and core butternut squash (best with a tablespoon) and dice into small cubes (about 2cmx2cm). Clean sunroot with a vegetable brush and wash, then peel the skin off with a vegetable slicer and set aside. cut sunroot also in cubes. chop onions and garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add butternut squash, sunroot and spices and fry for another 2-3min. deglaze with vegetable broth. add some grated nutmeg and ginger to the soup and cook for 15-20min on medium heat until the butternut squash is tender.
purée soup and add some milk or water, if the soup is to thick.

Step 2

For the hot paprika kale chips: preheat oven to 180 degrees top/bottom heat. wash kale and drain with kitchen paper, cut off the stems. Rip into bite-sized pieces. blend some olive oil, paprika and chili powder and spread on the the kale (you can also just mix everything in a mixing bowl). place kale on the baking sheet covered with baking parchment and sprinkle sea salt on top (and optional parmesan). bake for ca. 20min – check after 10min once in a while, if they turned already crispy enough. take out off the oven and let cool down on.

Step 3

For the sunroot chips & spice: fry sunroot skin in coconut oil (or sunflower oil) until crispy, drain extra oil with kitchen paper. grind a few chips to a spice, sprinkle on the soup and garnish with kale and sunroot chips, finish with some fresh dill.

Nutrition: 228 calories, 13.1 g total fat (11 g saturated fat), 807 mg sodium, 26.9 g carbs, 5.3 g fiber, 7.1 g sugar, 5.8 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Cream of Quinoa and Mushroom Soup

Cream of mushroom soup is an easy recipe, and adding quinoa to it is simply genius. Quinoa gives this veggie-loving recipe the adequate amount of protein that it needs. Simple, and tasty.

This quinoa soup, from One Ingredient Chef, is the best way to add plenty of protein to your cream of mushroom favorite.

What You'll Need

Serves: 5

2 cups cooked white quinoa
2/3 cup raw cashews
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups any mushrooms (1-2 varieties)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 white onion
3 stalks celery
1 large carrot
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
3 tablespoons tamari / soy sauce
1-2 tablespoons flour (optional)
Chives, for garnish

How to Make It:

Step 1

Cook the quinoa by adding 2 parts water with 1 part rinsed quinoa to a covered saucepan and simmering until the water is absorbed. Also, begin soaking the raw cashews in warm water, which will soften them before they're blended into a cream shortly.

Step 2

In one stockpot, add the vegetable broth, sliced mushrooms, oregano, and thyme and bring to a simmer. This will infuse the broth with the mushroom flavor and result in a much more flavorful soup. Any varieties of mushrooms will work here, but I used one cup of fresh crimini and dried shiitake. If using dried mushrooms, use about a third less as they will expand.

Step 3

Finely dice the onions, celery, and carrots and add them to a larger stockpot with a splash of water. Sauté over medium heat until the veggies soften and the onions turn translucent. Then, add in 1/2 cup of white wine and give everything another 5 minutes to simmer.

Step 4

Drain the cashews of their soaking water and blend them with 1 cup fresh water until completely smooth. Then, add everything into the big stockpot with the veggies – broth, mushrooms, quinoa, and cashew cream. Also, add in about 3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce.

Step 5

If you prefer the soup to be thicker, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of whole wheat or brown rice flour and quickly whisk into the soup to prevent clumps. Otherwise, just let this simmer for about 15 more minutes until it tastes perfect. Then, serve with chopped chives.

Nutrition: 438 calories, 12.6 g fat (1.7 g saturated fat), 713 mg sodium, 66.1 g carbs, 6.8 g fiber, 9.1 g sugar, 15.1 g protein (calculated with low-sodium vegetable broth, no added salt, low-sodium Tamari, 2 Tbsp flour, and 1 Tbsp per serving of chives garnish)

Best High-Protein Soup

20-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken tortilla soup is a favorite go-to recipe that, unfortunately, can take more time than we'd care to spend on a weeknight meal. But this 20-minute shortcut version has our mouths watering and our bellies full in no time. Read on for the 20-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe from Nutritionist in the Kitch.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

1 teaspoon olive oil
15 ounces roasted chicken breast, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great)
1 cup white onion, chopped
1 cup bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon chili powder
900 mL fat-free, less-sodium organic chicken broth
1 – 28oz can crushed tomatoes
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup coarsely crushed baked organic tortilla chips
½ cup preshredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 avocado, peeled and diced
6 lime wedges (about 1½ limes)

How to Make It:

Step 1

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick Dutch oven on medium-high. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in cumin, chili powder, broth, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

Step 2

Add the shredded chicken to the soup and simmer 3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in cilantro.

Step 3

Ladle soup into serving bowls; top with crushed tortilla chips, cheese, and diced avocado. Serve hot, with a lime wedge on the side.

Nutrition: 401 calories, 19.1 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 554 mg sodium, 31.4 g carbs, 5.5 g fiber, 2.3 g sugar, 28.6 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Curried Red Lentil Sweet Potato Stew

Sweet potato soup this time of year is always a welcome treat, but this curried version with red lentils is even more welcome. Low in calories and high in protein, this vegan stew has a kick you'll simply more.

With very little fat and tons of protein, this curried red lentil and sweet potato stew, from Love and Lemons is a unique take on this fall favorite.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ large yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 large sweet potato, chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¾ cup dried red lentils
4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped green beans
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cups baby spinach
juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges for serving
juice of ½ small lemon
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
garnish with fresh cilantro (optional)

How to Make It:

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a few pinches of salt and pepper and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, ginger, and sweet potatoes and stir. Add the curry, cardamom, and another pinch of salt and pepper. Stir again and cook until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils and broth. Reduce heat and simmer until the carrots and sweet potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 2

Use an immersion blender (or a potato masher) to coarsely blend the stew. Add the green beans, peas, and spinach and cook for another few minutes. Add the lime juice, lemon juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more spice, lime, and salt and pepper to balance the flavors to your liking.

Step 3

Garnish with fresh cilantro, if using, and serve with lime wedges. If desired, combine all yogurt sauce ingredients and serve on the side.

Nutrition: 290 calories, 5.6 g fat (3.4 g saturated fat), 823 mg sodium, 43.3 g carbs, 16.4 g fiber, 8.1 g sugar, 17.7 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Pesto Chicken Orzo Soup

Chicken noodle soup? Nope! Chicken orzo soup, rather. This great take using orzo pasta and pesto is a fun, delicious way to enjoy classic flavors in a new way.

Although we didn't add the parmesan cheese into calorie count, this pesto chicken orzo soup from Life as a Strawberry is delicious with and without.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

6 cups chicken, turkey, or vegetable stock
1.5 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded (mine was shredded)
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
¼ cup fresh basil pesto
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
shredded parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer, covered, over medium heat

Step 2

Add cooked chicken, orzo, pesto, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Step 3

Cook, uncovered, until orzo is al dente (about 8 minutes).

Step 4

Garnish with shredded parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition: 363 calories, 9.1 g fat (1.7 g saturated fat), 244 mg sodium, 44.1 g carbs, 2.3 g fiber, 4.1 g sugar, 25.8 g protein (calculated with low-sodium chicken stock, no added salt, pepper, or parmesan cheese)

Best High-Protein Soup

Kale Soup with Sausage and Potatoes

Try this kale soup for an easy, basic recipe using our favorite leafy green along with some other simple ingredients. Cooked chicken or turkey sausage are easily added into this soup for more protein and added flavor.

Easily make this flavor-packed soup with chicken sausage, potatoes and kale. Inspired Taste even added some spinach at the very end, too.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, cut into thin half moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 8-ounce package cooked chicken sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
4-5 small potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 large tomato, roughly chopped
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups torn kale leaves, washed with ribs and stems removed
1/4 cup milk
1 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

Step 1

Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and chicken sausage then cook until the sausage begins to brown, about 2 minutes.

Step 2

Add potatoes, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes then add kale and cook another 10 minutes until wilted and the potatoes are tender.

Step 3

Remove from heat, add milk and stir in fresh spinach leaves. Season to taste with salt and/or pepper then serve immediately.

Nutrition: 430 calories, 19.6 g fat (5.7 g saturated fat), 586 mg sodium, 38.9 g carbs, 6 g fiber, 5.8 g sugar, 30.1 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Easy Paleo Pho

Vietnamese soup warms our tummies in the colder months, and this easy Paleo version makes us feel a little less guilty for having it constantly. Tons of protein doesn't hurt too much, either.

In Sonnet's Kitchen gives us this healthier-for-you version of Vietnamese Pho soup. Delicious!

What You'll Need

Serves: 2

1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
¼ medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (or a protein source of your choice)
1.5 pounds zucchini, spiralized into noodles
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 large sprigs of Thai basil
1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)
sprinkle of red chile pepper flakes (optional)

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large pot over medium heat, dry roast cinnamon stick, star anise, garlic and ginger for one minute.

Step 2

Add the onions, stock, and coconut aminos. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Remove cinnamon stick and star anise. Add the chicken (or protein source of your choice) and zucchini noodles. Simmer for 3 – 5 minutes, or until noodles are tender, but not mushy.

Step 4

Serve hot with lime wedges, basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno, and red chile pepper flakes if desired.

Nutrition: 642 calories, 12.8 g fat (3.6 g saturated fat), 577 mg sodium, 37 g carbs, 7.4 g fiber, 17.1 g sugar, 97.5 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup

Give in to Italian comfort food with this 4-ingredient soup. All you need is chicken stock, tortellini, sausage and spinach. And voila! You have a low-calorie soup that will be hard for anyone to resist.

A simple, warming soup is all it takes to make you happy on any given day. In Sock Monkey Slippers provides an easy go-to for winter months.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

7 cups chicken stock, homemade preferred
1 pound fresh cheese tortellini
3 mild Italian sausage links (about 1/4 pound each), cooked and sliced
8 ounces (weight) baby spinach
Salt and pepper to taste
Shaved Parmesan for garnish

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large pot, bring stock to a boil. Add tortellini and reduce heat to a low boil (medium-high). Boil for 5 minutes until the tortellini are just just about al dente. Add sausage and spinach and boil for a two minutes until the sausage is heated through, spinach wilted, and the tortellini are firm but tender.

Step 2

Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with shaved parmesan, if desired.

Nutrition: 335 calories, 8.9 g fat (1.4 g saturated fat), 761 mg sodium, 41.4 g carbs, 0.8 g fiber, 0.9 g sugar, 23.6 g protein (calculated with unsalted chicken stock, no added salt or parmesan cheese)

Best High-Protein Soup

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Meat is great and all, but a hearty vegetable soup is hard to pass up. This one combines two of our favorite flavors: lean ground beef along with a ton of vegetables. Classic and delicious, we can't really pass this one up.

Thanks to iHeartNapTime, we know just what it takes to make a filling, delicious soup.

What You'll Need

Serves: 6

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 small potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 (14.5 ounce) can rotel
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 – 2 teaspoons chili powder, more or less to taste
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tomatoes, diced

How to Make It:

Step 1

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute. Next stir in the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain any remaining fat.

Step 2

Stir in potatoes, celery and carrots, rotel, tomato sauce and water. Bring to a light simmer and then stir in the balsamic vinegar, chili powder, salt, pepper and tomatoes.

Step 3

Reduce the heat to low and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top with fresh basil if desired.

Nutrition: 329 calories, 9.8 g fat (3.1 g saturated fat), 715 mg sodium, 21.6 g carbs, 4.9 g fiber, 8.5 g sugar, 37.9 g protein (calculated without added salt)

Best High-Protein Soup

Roasted Chicken Ramen

Ramen isn't a dish that many of us have after college, but the truth is that this classic noodle soup is actually really great to make. This isn't the ramen you remember, however. It's a healthier take on the traditional dish.

It's much easier than you think to make delicious ramen at home. How Sweet Eats introduces us to its beauty.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

4 large eggs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup sweet corn
1 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces fresh spinach
1 quart chicken stock
1 teaspoon red miso paste
6 ounces ramen noodles
6 ounces cooked chicken
4 green onions, thinly sliced
toasted sesame oil for drizzling
nori/seaweed pieces for serving

How to Make It:

Step 1

Begin by soft boiling the eggs so they can cool. Heat about 3 inches of water in a small saucepan pver medium heat until boiling. Once boiling, reduce the heat until it's barely a simmer, add the eggs gently and cook for 6 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and place in an ice bath. Let cool completely before peeling.

Step 2

In a small saucepan, heat the butter and add the corn, stirring to coat. You can add a sprinkle of salt and pepper if desired. Place the corn in a bowl. Add the olive oil to the skillet and cook the spinach until it just begins to wilt.

Step 3

Heat the chicken stock just until it's boiling. Whisk in the miso paste. Add the ramen noodles and cook for 2 to 3 minutes – or as long as the noodles call for. As soon as they are finished, begin serving the ramen in bowls. I like to add the noodles, corn, spinach and chicken, then ladle some broth over top. Finish it off with sliced green onions, a drizzle of sesame oil and the soft boiled eggs – cut in half. Slide some nori on the side of the bowl to serve.

Nutrition: 436 calories, 20.1 g fat (8.3 g saturated fat), 887 mg sodium, 37.5 g carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 2.4 g sugar, 26.5 g protein (calculated with unsalted chicken stock and no toasted sesame oil or nori)

Best High-Protein Soup

Curried Pumpkin and Red Lentil Soup

Another fantastic vegan recipe that will make you forget that it's actually vegan, this may just be the soup to have during this holiday season. Red lentils add in some much-needed protein to make this soup a go-to lunch.

A House in the Hills gives us a curried pumpkin soup that's unusual but delicious, too.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

1 medium yellow onion
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 cup red lentils, rinsed and well drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons grated fresh)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 32-oz. box of vegetable stock
1 15-oz. can pumpkin puree
a sprinkle of grated fresh nutmeg (dried ground nutmeg will do the trick too)

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a large (4-5 quart) dutch oven or pot, cook onion, garlic, bell pepper, and lentils in olive oil over medium-high heat of 2 minutes.

Step2

Stir in stock, pumpkin puree, ginger, curry powder, and cumin.

Step 3

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Step 4

Season with sea salt and pepper. Garnish with a bit of fresh grated nutmeg (or a sprinkle of dried ground nutmeg).

Nutrition: 191 calories, 4.6 g fat (0.7 g saturated fat), 124 mg sodium, 30.6 g carbs, 13 g fiber, 8.1 g sugar, 9.1 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Turkey Wild Rice Soup

The best part about this recipe is that it comes with handy instructions on how to use your turkey carcass to make your own stock. Of course, you can do with this chicken as well—the point is that it makes it easy to use your leftovers.

Turkey takes a turn for the better in this leftovers recipe using turkey carcass to make the broth. The Healthy Maven has directions, and they're fantastic.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

What You'll Need

Serves: 16

1 turkey carcass
1 cup lima beans
1 cup wild rice
1 T olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T dried sage
1 T poultry seasoning
1 T dried thyme
1 T marjoram
2 splashes of white wine
salt and pepper, to taste
*cheesecloth for straining

How to Make It:

Step 1

Soak lima beans for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

In a very large pot add turkey carcass and cover with water.

Step 3

Bring stock to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 hours. Every once and a while skim the top for fat.

Step 4

Let cool and then strain through cheese cloth. Set stock aside OR place in refrigerator overnight and skim the fat off the top in the morning. Save contents of cheesecloth until cool.

Step 5

Once cooled completely sort through cheesecloth to remove the bones and pick out the turkey pieces.

Step 6

Shred turkey pieces into bite size.

Step 7

In a large pot, saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic in olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Step 8

Add turkey stock, turkey pieces, lima beans, wild rice and spices to the veggies and bring to a boil.

Step 9

Reduce heat to a simmer and add in wine.

Step 10

Cook for 2 hours.

Nutrition: 159 calories, 2 g fat, 326 mg sodium, 12.6 g carbs, 1.9 g fiber, 1.6 g sugar, 21.6 g protein (calculated with 16 cups organic unsalted turkey stock and 2 cups turkey meat substituted for turkey carcass, ¼ cup white wine, 1 teaspoon salt)

Best High-Protein Soup

Spinach Eggplant Noodle Miso Soup

Have you heard of eggplant noodles yet? Well, now you have! Instead of using zucchini noodles (aren't we a bit tired of them anyway?), this fun new take on noodle soup uses eggplant instead.

A fun take on a traditional miso soup is exactly what this recipe represents. Noodles made out of eggplant? Yes, please! Gourmands in the Kitchen lights our way.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

5 cups water
1 small piece kombu (about 4 to 5 inches), rinsed and lightly wiped
1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
2 large or 4 small shitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
1 long or two smaller Japanese or Chinese eggplant
The juice of half a lemon
1 or 2 large handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 Tablespoons light-colored (yellow) organic gluten-free miso
2 teaspoons coconut aminos or gluten-free tamari
2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced
Toasted sesame seed or hemp seed oil for drizzling

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a medium sized pot combine the water, kombu, ginger, garlic and shitake mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently while you prepare the eggplant noodles.

Step 2

Fill a medium sized bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Cut the top of the eggplant and discard. Using a julienne peeler lengthwise create long noodles. Place the noodles in the acidulated water as you work to prevent browning.

Step 3

Add the drained eggplant noodles to the broth. Simmer gently for another 10 minutes. Add the spinach leaves and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.

Step 4

Remove a ¼ cup of the broth to a small bowl. Add the miso, and coconut aminos and stir to dissolve. Return the miso mixture to the broth and stir until combined.

Step 5

Fish out the kombu piece and serve the broth in small bowls topped with scallions and sesame or hemp seed oil.

Nutrition: 340 calories, 0.8 g fat, 829 mg sodium, 53.9 g carbohydrates, 18.3 g fiber 15.7 g sugar, 26.1 g protein

Best High-Protein Soup

Coconut Chicken Soup

Asian flavors shine in this simple soup. The best part about this recipe is that it actually takes leftover chicken, which makes it a go-to for when you have Sunday night leftovers. It's a delicious way to use up what you already have.

Embrace the flavors of Asia with this Coconut Chicken Soup from Elana's Pantry. Using leftover chicken in this recipe also allows you to create something new without getting bored.

What You'll Need

Serves: 4

3 cups chicken stock
1 fresh thumb-sized piece of ginger, sliced into thin coins
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
6 ounces leftover chicken
1 cup mushrooms, rinsed, drained and sliced in half lengthwise
1 medium carrot, julienned
2 tablespoons lime juice
¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced

How to Make It:

Step 1

In a pot, bring chicken stock and ginger to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, chicken, mushrooms and carrot.

Step 3

Just before serving, stir in lime juice and cilantro.

Nutrition: 132 calories, 5.1 g fat (2.9 g saturated fat), 793 mg sodium, 7 g carbs, 0.8 g fiber, 1.9 g sugar, 16 g protein (calculated with lite coconut milk and 1 teaspoon fish sauce)

Best High-Protein Soup

Crock Pot Black-Eyed Peas Stew

This fat-free vegan recipe will leave your mouth watering for more. Celery, carrots and onion (called "mirepoix," which chefs use as the foundation for countless sauces and stocks) add flavor and antioxidants, while protein-rich black-eyed peas (which are loaded with folic acid) add heft to this easy slow-cooker dish. Click here for the full recipe for the Crock Pot Black-Eyed Peas Stew!