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Perfect any time of the year, healthy soup recipes will fill your tummy and keep you on track with your well-being goals. They’re hearty, filling, and packed with healthy ingredients like veggies and lean protein!
More Collections: Crock Pot Soup Recipes, Easy Soup Recipes, Best Chicken Soups
We Love Soup!
I have lots of favorite soup recipes. I’ve shared all the best Crockpot Soup Recipes, as well as all of my most popular Chicken Soup Recipes.
Today I want to share all of my favorite healthy soup recipes!
Here’s why they’re favorites:
- Healthy benefits. It keeps you hydrated. These soups contain a blend of several vitamins and cover many food groups.
- Filling. It’s hearty, fills you up faster, and keeps you full longer.
- Feeds a crowd. They can be doubled to make a big batch.
- Save for later! Soup freezes well to have on hand when needed.
ingredients to make soup healthier
There are a few ingredients to watch out for when looking for healthy soups. Some ingredients are a must, while others you may not want to use or use carefully.
- Protein. Use low-fat and low-sodium ground beef and Italian sausage. When browning the meat, drain the excess fat before transferring the meat to the pot of soup.
- Other sources of protein include chicken, turkey, black, pinto & white beans, and quinoa.
- Vegetables are tasty and pack a nutritious punch. Favorites include broccoli, lentils, squash, potatoes, leeks, cabbage, spinach, kale, onions, carrots, cauliflower, split peas, and celery. Though not a vegetable, I have to say mushrooms also make the list.
- Herbs and spices add flavor without adding to the calorie count. Spices such as ginger, curry, and red pepper flakes can especially add some additional kick. Only add a little bit, allow it to simmer, taste, then add more if needed.
- 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs. Squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice onto your soups for some added flavor.
- Broth vs stock. They both come with a base of beef, chicken, or vegetable broth and can be organic, gluten-free, and vegan. They can be used interchangeably so pick the one that best fits your dietary needs.
- Broth is thinner, has fewer calories, and has less fat than stock.
- Stock (aka bone broth) has slightly more calories, fat, and protein, but also has significantly higher vitamins and minerals.
Tips for Making Healthy Soup
Make most soups healthy, or healthier with these suggestions.
- Not all soup is created equal. Cream-based soups have higher calorie and fat content. Canned soups, though convenient, contain extra ingredients that don’t exactly scream healthy.
- Avoidable ingredients. Healthy soups start with healthy ingredients. Avoid using or using these ingredients sparingly: cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and salt.
- The healthiest soup to eat when you are sick. Soups that are dairy-free and contain a broth are usually the most recommended. They are the easiest to digest and have been trusted for generations.
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is our go-to when we arenโt feeling well. It gives your body the necessary fluids to recover and contains essential vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and protein.
best healthy soup recipes
All of these soups are either tomato or broth-based, without cream, and include healthy proteins like chicken or beef.
Chicken is always fairly low in fat, as long as you use chicken breasts. If you are using beef, make sure it is either 80% or 90% lean to keep the fat content low.
1 Healthy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe
2 Vegetable Soup
3 Lentil Soup Recipe
4 Healthy Cabbage Soup Recipe
5 Mexican Soup Recipe
6 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
7 Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe8 Albondigas Recipe
9 Chicken Corn Soup Recipe
Other Healthy Soups
Some of the most popular soups include variations of potato soup, rice soup, chilis, chicken and vegetable soups, tortilla or taco soup, chowders, and gumbo.
Quickly turn your healthy bowl of soup into an unhealthy meal by consuming calorie-laden bread or indulging in sugar and fat-filled desserts. Keep it healthy by serving your soup with salad!
10 Chicken Tortilla Soup
11 Stuffed Green Pepper Soup Recipe
12 Turkey Soup Recipe
13 Tortellini Soup
14 Butternut Squash Soup Recipe
15 White Chicken Chili Recipe
16 Sweet Potato Chili Recipe
17 Crock Pot Turkey Chili Recipe
18 Green Chili Chicken Soup Recipe
Recipe Video
Get the recipe19 How to Make Egg Drop Soup Recipe
20 Caldo de Pollo
21 Ham and Bean Soup Recipe
22 Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup Recipe
23 French Onion Soup Recipe
24 Navy Bean Soup Recipe
25 Sausage Soup Recipe
26 Pumpkin Chili Recipe
27 Black Bean Soup Recipe
28 Carrot Soup Recipe
29 Italian Wedding Soup
A FAV!
We love all soups, but we definitely have some favorites.
One of those is our orzo soup. It’s just like our Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup but with a few healthier ingredients (low-sodium broth, extra veggies like zucchini).
Here is the recipe:
15+ Healthy Soup Recipes – Orzo Soup Recipe + MORE
Ingredients
- 8 ounces orzo pasta
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 3 carrots chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ยฝ teaspoon dried thyme
- ยฝ teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 (32-ounce) cans chicken broth, low sodium
- ยผ cup lemon juice
- 1 lemon , zested
- 8 ounces cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 (8-ounce) package baby spinach leaves
- 1 lemon sliced, for garnish
- ยผ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Cook orzo in boiling water about 5 minutes, until partially cooked through but not yet soft; drain and rinse with cold water until cooled.
- Saute carrots and celery until they just begin to soften. Add any other veggies you'd want in your soup as well (zucchini, squash, etc).
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper; continue cooking another 30 seconds then add chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil; partially cover pot, reduce heat, and cook about 10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Stir orzo, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chicken into the broth and cook an additional 5 minutes, until orzo has softened. Add spinach and let wilt.
- Serve into bowls and garnish with lemon slices and Parmesan cheese.ย
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A Healthy Option
These healthy and tasty soup options are sure to warm you up on a cold day and leave you feeling satisfied! Keep it guilt-free and filling with these recipes and tips!
More Collections: Healthy Dinner Ideas, Healthy Pasta Recipes, Healthy Side Dishes
We Loved the Chicken Tortilla Soup. It will be a weekly staple in our family this winter!
Yay!! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the soup. Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE YOUR WEBSITE…IT REMINDSi ME OF THE FOOD I GREW UP ON AND I’M 64. I JUST RETIRED AND HAVEN’T COOKED IN OVER 20YRS SO I REALLY RUSTY. MY MOM WAS A HOMEMAKER, HER AND MY DAD GREW UP DURING THE DEPRESSION AND LEARNED TO USE WHATEVER THEY COULD FIND TO FEED THE FAMILY. IT WAS GOOD TASTY FOOD BUT SIMPLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR WEBSITE I CAN’T WAIT TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING. SINCERELY, KATHY GARCIA
Awe, thank you so much for saying that! I hope you find some delicious recipes to try ๐