20 of the best healthy high-protein soup recipes! From chicken, beef, vegetarian and more, these soups make a comforting and easy meal perfect for lunch or dinner.
Is there anything better than a hot bowl of soup on a chilly day? Not much in my opinion! And with so many different kinds, the options are endless.
Sometimes soups can get a bad rap though – not filling, too much sodium, or just plain boring. But when made right, it’s really a magical thing.
Soups can be a nutrient-dense meal and a great addition to a healthy diet. They can be full of protein, fiber, healthy fat, veggies, and micronutrients. And since soup is a liquid, it is a hydrating and filling food.
With those factors in mind, we are sharing 20 healthy high protein soup recipes to help inspire you. Broken down by chicken, turkey, beef, seafood, vegetarian, and vegan, you are sure to find one you love!
Why we love high protein soup recipes
- comforting and cozy – perfect for the cooler months
- very customizable – swap out an ingredient or two depending on what you have on hand or what you like.
- a healthy meal option – soups can be full of protein, vegetables, carbs, and healthy fats, making them a complete well-balanced meal.
- great for meal prep – perfect to make at the beginning of the week and enjoy throughout the week. They can also be frozen to be made at another time.
- leftovers – they can make a lot and we usually have leftovers for easy meals the following days
Does soup contain protein?
Depending on the kind of soup you are eating, soup can contain protein, vitamins, and minerals. Look for ones with meat, seafood, beans, or legumes for plenty of protein and lots of veggies for micronutrients. With both of these, soup can be a healthy and hearty meal that will keep you full for hours.
What can I add to soup for protein?
Protein is essential to have at every meal. It is the building blocks for our tissues, organs, nerves, and muscles…(provides structure and function), helps with blood sugar balance (having stable energy) by slowing down the absorption of carbs, and digests slowly and helps with feeling full to name a few.
But without protein (and healthy fats), soups can feel pretty unfulfilling and leave us hungry an hour or two later.
Here are some ways to add protein to soups:
- chicken – chicken breasts or thighs, ground chicken, or just use shredded chicken to pack a high-protein punch.
- turkey
- ground beef – ground sirloin, ground bison, beef cubes
- sausage – pork, turkey, or chicken sausage
- seafood – shrimp, salmon, scallops, crab, or white fish
- eggs – not super common, but scrambled like in egg drop soup can add a boost
- bone broth (homemade or store-bought) – use instead of stock for 10 grams of protein per cup
- tofu
- lentils
- quinoa
- beans and legumes – kidney beans, chickpeas, black beans, white beans, etc.
- dairy – adding milk or cream to help thicken soups and make them creamy. Greek yogurt is also great as a garnish on soup for a little protein.
- cheese – sprinkle some on top or stir some in
Our daily protein intake should be tailored to our physiological needs, goals, activity, satiety levels, and digestion status.
First, let’s start off with a plentiful list of chicken soups – my favorite!
High protein chicken soup
Chicken tomato soup tastes like childhood but in a grown-up way. Homemade creamy tomato soup is loaded with shredded chicken, veggies, and an optional addition of pasta to make it a complete meal. It makes a comforting and healthy tomato soup recipe that’s made in one pot and ready in 45 minutes.
Creamy buffalo chicken soup will be your new favorite healthy chicken soup recipe. It’s hearty and comforting, full of protein, and thickened without any dairy or flour. Made in one pot on the stove and ready in 45 minutes. Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30 approved!
Easy chicken fajita soup takes all your favorite ingredients for chicken fajitas and packs them into a delicious and healthy soup. Made in one pot and loaded with chicken, beans, rice, bell peppers, onions, and taco seasoning, and then topped with your favorite toppings. It’s hearty and comforting and makes an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep soup.
Cheesy chicken soup is made with chicken, veggies, and a thick, creamy “cheesy” broth without any dairy or flour. It makes a comforting and healthy chicken soup that’s made in one pot and ready in 35 minutes. Gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, and Whole30 approved!
Buffalo chicken chili is super quick and easy, has minimal ingredients, and contains all the flavors of buffalo chicken dip while being healthier! It freezes beautifully and makes great leftovers. Such a perfect weeknight meal or lighter game-day recipe!
Green chili chicken butternut squash soup is packed with protein, veggies, and wonderful flavors. This cozy, fall-inspired green chile chicken soup comes together in one pot and is perfect for a cold night. Add an extra boost of protein or spice if you’d like!
Chicken tortilla soup is the perfect easy weeknight dinner. Full of shredded chicken, corn, beans, and homemade tortilla chips, this soup is a meal in itself. It’s comforting, hearty, and filling.
Healthy Italian wedding soup made with tender chicken meatballs, quinoa, kale, and cannellini beans. This lightened-up Italian wedding soup gets an extra punch of flavor from lemon juice and lots of pesto, making it a cozy and comforting soup, but also a fresh easy weeknight dinner all at once!
Then, a few turkey soups for after the holiday.
High protein turkey soup
Leftover turkey soup is a great way to use up cooked turkey or chicken. Packed with veggies and butternut squash for a comforting and healthy turkey soup recipe ready in 45 minutes. Gluten-free and high protein.
Turkey noodle soup is simple but delicious and perfect year-round. Made in one pan and ready in 35 minutes.
Next, a couple of hearty beef soups for those cold, winter days.
High protein beef soup
Easy beef vegetable soup can be made in your instant pot, crock pot, or on the stovetop for an easy healthy dinner loaded with vegetables and protein.
Bison chili is hearty and comforting and made with ground buffalo or ground beef, butternut squash, veggies, and warming spices making an easy and delicious healthy chili recipe that’s ready in 45 minutes. Make it for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner. Paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Stuffed pepper soup is a hearty meal loaded with ground beef, onions, rice, and bell peppers in a tomato-based broth. It tastes just like classic stuffed peppers, but without all the work!
Now, moving on to seafood-based soups for pescatarians.
High protein soup with seafood
Mediterranean shrimp soup with vegetables, aromatics, and fresh herbs, including parsley and dill! Fresh lemon juice is the perfect finishing touch to this flavor-packed shrimp soup.
Shrimp corn chowder with bacon makes a creamy, one-pot meal that’s quick and easy to make! Smoky, sweet, and loaded with juicy shrimp, golden corn, and bacon.
But, we cannot forget our vegetarian soups for our veggie lovers!
High protein vegetarian soup
Healthy broccoli soup is a delicious, cozy meal. Easy to make in the instant pot, crockpot, or on the stove – this broccoli cheddar soup is a must-make! Gluten-free and easily made dairy-free, this creamy soup is seriously yummy!
Crockpot vegetarian lasagna soup is like a deconstructed lasagna made in an Italian tomato broth full of vegetables with a creamy dollop of three kinds of cheese mixed in.
Lastly, we are finishing our soup round-up with some vegan soup options.
High protein vegan soup
Coconut curry lentil soup has veggies, lentils, coconut milk, and curry spices for a flavor-packed vegan lentil soup recipe. It comes together in one pan in 35 minutes to make a healthy well-balanced meal. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan.
Spicy black bean soup is an easy recipe to make with canned beans. Thanks to some basic aromatics and Cuban spices, it’s incredibly flavorful and delicious. This soup is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free. The recipe yields quite a bit (6 to 8 servings) – easily half the recipe, or you can freeze the leftovers.
Pumpkin red lentil soup cooks in a single pot and carries rich flavor notes of Thai curry, coconut, and pumpkin. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and makes use of speedy, shortcut ingredients.
Not only is it time to make some healthy, protein-filled soups, but try and rate your top choices!
And if you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Dan says
Love soup during the cold weather .can’t wait to try some of these
Kelly says
Hope you enjoy them!