Nutritionists Say These High-Protein Soups Support Weight Loss

Autumn is here and the nights have started drawing in. Not long now and the clocks go back and winter sets in. Part of me can’t wait as I’m dying to feel cozy after such a long hot summer. However, along with that coziness comes the hankering for comfort food.

Nobody wants to eat salad in winter when it’s cold outside. You want something warm you can eat on the sofa in front of the fire with a blanket wrapped around you. But, nine times out of ten, the food you want is the food that leaves you with an ever-expanding waistline.

However, there are certain high-protein soups that tick all the coziness boxes, as well as the weight loss box. And they won’t leave you hungry afterward like most diet-style food.

Why Protein Is Important in Weight Loss

Protein and weight loss are good friends because protein takes longer to digest than carbs, and it triggers the hormones that tell your brain you’re actually done eating. That’s why a bowl of chicken and white bean soup keeps you satisfied for hours, rather than rummaging in the cupboard two hours later.

When you eat protein rather than fat or carbs, your body tends to burn more calories, which is why nutritionists recommend it for healthy weight loss over low-fat or low-calorie options.

7 High-Protein Soups for Weight Loss

These soups are perfect when you’re craving comfort food but don’t want to send your weight loss spiraling on a downward curve.

Lentil Soup

Lentils appear on almost every dietitian’s weight-loss list. One cup of cooked lentils provides about 17.9 grams of protein and 15.6 grams of fiber, a combination that keeps you full for hours and out of the cookie cupboard.

Patricia Bannan, registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Wellness Intelligence, talks about the benefits of this combination and how it helps control hunger by keeping you full longer. 

A basic lentil soup takes about 40 minutes: onion, carrot, celery, garlic, a can of tomatoes, a cup of brown or green lentils, and stock. Add cumin and a bay leaf to season. Make it on a Sunday, and you’ve got a healthy lunch for the week without having to cook up a storm.

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Black Bean Soup

Black bean soup takes very little effort but is both yummy and filling. A cup of black beans gives you around 15 grams of protein and 15 grams of fiber, and it goes with pretty much whatever you have in the fridge: a squeeze of lime, some avocado, or a spoon of Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

Trista Best, a registered dietitian at Balance One, recommends black bean and lentil soup for exactly this reason, saying the “fiber content of these beans keeps you full and satisfied long after a meal.” 

Top tip: If you’re using canned beans, drain and rinse them well, because the liquid contains a lot of sodium. 

Sauté onion, garlic, cumin, and a pinch of smoked paprika; add two cans of black beans and enough stock to cover, simmer for 20 minutes, then blend half for that thick, spoon-standing texture.

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Turkey and Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Ground turkey is lean, takes on whatever flavor you throw at it, and, paired with quinoa, turns an ordinary vegetable soup into a healthy high-protein meal. A cup of cooked quinoa adds another 8 grams of protein on top of the turkey, plus fiber and a slow-release energy hit.

Catherine Gervacio, a registered nutritionist and dietician, says: “Quinoa provides calories to sustain energy, fiber to reduce lipid levels, and protein to help build lean muscles.” 

Lean muscle keeps your metabolism ticking as you get older, so protein-forward soups do more than fill you up.

Brown a pound of ground turkey with onion, garlic, and Italian herbs; add diced carrot, celery, zucchini, a can of tomatoes, and a quart of stock, then stir in half a cup of rinsed quinoa and simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Add a handful of spinach at the end, and you’re done.

Get the Turkey and Quinoa Vegetable Soup Recipe >>>

Chicken Soup

I always remember my mom giving me chicken soup or broth when I was ill as a little girl. I have no idea why, but my grandma did the same thing, and I think it’s something that’s passed down through the generations. 

Other than making you feel better when you’re sick, it’s also one of the highest-protein, lowest-calorie soups you can eat.

Allison Tepper, a registered dietitian at Tepper Nutrition, singles out chicken as her go-to for a protein boost: “It’s the protein that comes to mind as being most versatile.” Rotisserie, canned, seared, cubed thighs, it all does the job. Four ounces of skinless chicken breast is about 26 grams of protein for 130 calories.

It’s so easy to make. Shred a whole rotisserie chicken into a pot of stock with onion, carrot, celery, and a bay leaf; add small pasta or barley if you want carbs, then finish with lemon juice and dill. A bowl of that will keep you going for four or five hours, no snacking in between.

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Beef And Vegetable Soup

Lean beef is one of the most satisfying proteins you can eat. A three-ounce serving of lean beef provides a huge 25 grams of protein and 170 calories, and it provides iron and B12, which matter as we get older.

Kayley George, a registered dietitian who helps brides reach their weight goal, recommends light beef pot roast soup with vegetables and says: “With around 150 calories per can, beef roast soup packs an impressive 10 grams of protein.”

Brown a pound of cubed lean beef, remove it, sauté onion, carrot, celery and garlic in the same pot, tip in tomato paste and stir it around, then add the beef back with stock, potatoes, green beans and a splash of Worcestershire. Simmer for 90 minutes, and you have dinner for four with leftovers.

Top Tip: Make it the day before. Beef soup is better on day two, and the fat will rise and set on top overnight so you can lift it off with a spoon before you reheat.

Get the Beef and Vegetable Soup Recipe >>>

Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is another one of the highest-protein soups you can make from a single dried ingredient. A cup of cooked split peas gives you roughly 16 grams of protein and 16 grams of fiber, and it costs almost nothing to make a big pot.

The traditional version with a ham hock is packed with flavor, and the small amount of ham you get from a hock doesn’t change how healthy it is. If you want to keep it fully plant-based, smoked paprika and a bay leaf add nice seasoning.

Rinse a pound of green split peas, add them to a pot with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, a ham hock if you’re using one, and eight cups of stock or water. Simmer for about 90 minutes until the peas have collapsed into a thick, spoon-coating soup. 

Pull the ham off the bone, shred it, stir it back in, and season with pepper. That’s dinner and lunch the next day for around $5.

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White Bean And Kale Soup

The French love white beans and they’re everywhere in the supermarkets. I’d never really paid them much attention till I moved here, but now I love them, and they’re so healthy. 

Cannellini and great northern beans are creamy when they cook, so a white bean soup ends up thick and satisfying without any cream, and a cup brings around 15 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber.

Kale holds its texture in the soup, adds a bit of chew, and brings vitamin K, vitamin C, and more fiber. A parmesan rind, added while it simmers, gives you the savory depth that would otherwise come from meat.

For a healthy white bean and kale soup, sauté onion, garlic, and a pinch of red pepper flakes; add two cans of drained cannellini beans, a can of diced tomatoes, a quart of stock, and a parmesan rind; simmer for 20 minutes, then stir in a big bunch of chopped kale until it wilts. 

A drizzle of good olive oil on top and you’ve got a soup that wouldn’t be out of place in a French auberge.

Get the White Bean and Kale Soup Recipe With Bacon >>>

About this article: Our health articles are based on published studies and advice from experts such as physiotherapists and dietitians, and the sources are linked in the article.

Disclaimer: The content in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical or nutritional advice. Always consult your doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, particularly if you have a health condition, a food allergy, or take medication. This article may contain affiliate links.