Soup is the ultimate cozy winter food. Whether you go for butternut squash, tortilla, or classic chicken noodle, this dish can bring some comfort on the coldest and darkest days. However, soup can do more than just warm you up. Research shows that eating soup can potentially help you lose weight, too.
According to the journal Appetite, soup before a meal can increase satiety and lower caloric intake at meals, and the British Journal of Nutrition found that soup consumption was linked to improved diet quality (higher intakes of protein and fiber and less fat), and lower overall body fat. But to enjoy these benefits, the type of soup you cook matters.
In looking for a healthy soup recipe to support your weight loss goals, there are a few things to consider. For starters, you can choose soups that are lower in calories, which are usually the ones with a broth base instead of cream or milk. You'll also want to find options that have protein or fiber (or both), so look for soups that have ingredients like meat, beans, tofu, rice or whole grain pasta, and plenty of vegetables. Protein and fiber can help regulate your appetite and make a soup more filling, which can help you consume fewer calories during your meal and prevent hunger pangs from leading you to snack before your next meal.
Read on to find some delicious weight-loss soups that have these qualities so that you can start cooking today. And for more helpful recipes, check out these 65 Best Healthy Recipes for Weight Loss.
Best-Ever Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
A classic chicken noodle soup is the perfect comfort recipe for cold weather months, and because it's low in calories and fat and contains filling protein from the chicken, this recipe ends up being a great weight-loss soup, too.
Get the recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup.
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Healthy Butternut Squash Soup
Packed with fiber and vitamins and with only 150 calories per serving, this butternut squash soup makes for a super healthy appetizer or side dish to complement your main course.
Get the recipe for Butternut Squash Soup.
Hearty Asian Beef Noodle Soup
This beef noodle soup is full of flavor and nutrients from ingredients like ginger, onions, beef stock, bok choy, and beef chuck roast—which is a high-protein, low-fat meat, making it an ideal choice for weight loss plans.
Get the recipe for Asian Beef Noodle Soup.
Hearty Italian Sausage Soup
Soups can be comforting and healthy at the same time, like thishearty Italian sausage soup, for example. It's high in protein because of the turkey sausage and high in fiber because of the green beans, tomatoes, and whole wheat pasta, which makes it an extra satiating and filling meal—all for only 360 calories.
Get the recipe for Italian Sausage Soup.
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Treat yourself to a flavorful bowl of this chicken tortilla soup, which has only 300 calories and 11 grams of fat, plus filling protein from the boneless chicken breasts. Another plus? This recipe calls for cubes of avocado on top, which is a fruit that has been linked to weight loss.
Get the recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.
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Slow Cooker Cuban Tomato and Black Bean Soup
This tomato and black bean soup is full of protein (16 grams) and fiber (8 grams) because of the ham hock, black beans, veggies, and fat-free Greek yogurt, making it an ideal weight loss soup to try this winter. Throw it all in your slow cooker and wait for the magic to happen.
Get the recipe for Tomato and Black Bean Soup.
Slow Cooker Green Chile Pork Soup
With 25 grams of protein per serving, this Green Chile Pork Soup is one of the highest-protein soups on our list! In addition to protein, it also contains 6 grams of fiber and has only 3 grams of fat and less than 260 calories.
Get the recipe for Green Chile Pork Soup.
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Keto-Friendly Avocado Soup
This Keto-friendly avocado soup is perfect for anyone following a Keto diet to lose weight. Not only have avocados been linked to weight loss, but this recipe keeps the carbohydrate count low while still providing filling fiber, which is important for Keto weight loss plans.
Get the recipe for Avocado Soup.
Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup
If you're on the Whole30 diet or are just trying to lower your carb intake, this chicken "zoodle" soup is for you. Using zucchini noodles (zoodles) instead of pasta, this soup can provide protein, fiber, and helpful vitamins while still fitting into a paleo or Whole30 eating plan.
Get the recipe for Chicken Zoodle Soup.
Copycat Olive Garden Pasta fa*gioli
Craving Olive Garden but don't want to leave the house? You can make this copycat Pasta fa*gioli, one of their most popular dishes. A benefit of cooking this at home—aside from not having to leave the comfort of your kitchen—is that it's a much healthier version than what you'd get in the restaurant.
Get the recipe for Pasta fa*gioli.
Keto Cheeseburger Soup
Another Keto-friendly recipe, this cheeseburger soup is super creamy and full of flavor. It relies on fat sources like sour cream, cream cheese, and cheddar cheese to keep you full, and because this soup is high-fat and low-carb, it can help those on the Keto diet stick to their goals.
Get the recipe for Cheeseburger Soup.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
We love this chicken and rice soup not only because it can be made in the instant pot to save you time and energy, but also because it's packed with helpful weight loss nutrients like protein from the chicken and fiber from the wild rice. This recipe also yields about eight cups of soup so it's perfect for meal prepping.
Get the recipe for Chicken and Rice Soup.
Veggie-Packed Minestrone Soup
Need a boost of fiber for lunch or dinner? Try this veggie-packed minestrone. Made with white beans, carrots, green beans, zucchini, onions, and potatoes, you'll rack up fiber and will feel satiated until your next meal.
Get the recipe for Veggie-Packed Minestrone.
Beef Barley Soup
For a low-calorie, high-protein, high-fiber soup, try making this beef and barley recipe. With protein-filled beef and fiber-filled barley, you can't go wrong with this tasty meal.
Get the recipe for Beef Barley Soup.
Vegetable Quinoa Soup
Quinoa is one of the highest-protein grains you can eat, which makes it the perfect base for a filling weight-loss soup. Not only is it a protein source, but quinoa is considered a "complete protein," meaning it has all nine essential amino acids—something that is less common in plant-based proteins. With quinoa and plenty of vegetables, this soup is a healthy choice for your weight loss goals.
Get the recipe for Vegetable Quinoa Soup.
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Potato and Kale Soup
Made with chicken, potatoes, and kale, this is a healthy soup to warm up with for the rest of the winter season. It has only 370 calories and 8 grams of fat, and the chicken guarantees that you'll still have plenty of protein to meet your goals for the day.
Get the recipe for Potato and Kale Soup.
Healthy Asian Soba Noodle Soup
In the mood for more of a Japanese-style soup? This soba noodle soup recipe gives you plenty of protein and fiber with less than 300 calories, and it's packed with flavor from the bok choy, onions, garlic, cayenne, and tamari.
Get the recipe for Asian Soba Noodle Soup.
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