Tasty high protein soup recipes – Delicious & Easy!

Are you searching for a meal that’s not only comforting and delicious but also packs a serious nutritional punch? Do you find yourself hungry again soon after a light lunch, or are you looking to support your fitness goals with satisfying, muscle-fuelling meals? We completely understand the challenge of finding recipes that tick all these boxes. That’s why we’re so excited to share our favourite high protein soup recipes with you! These hearty bowls are designed to keep you feeling full, energised, and nourished, making them perfect for chilly evenings, post-workout recovery, or simply a wholesome everyday meal.

Why Choose High Protein Soups?

You might be wondering, “Why focus on protein in a soup?” Well, protein is a powerhouse macronutrient that plays a crucial role in nearly every bodily function. When we incorporate more protein into our meals, especially in a comforting bowl of soup, we unlock a range of benefits:

• Sustained Satiety: Protein is known for its ability to keep us feeling fuller for longer compared to carbohydrates or fats. This means a high protein soup can prevent those mid-afternoon slumps and reduce the urge to snack on less healthy options.
• Muscle Repair and Growth: If you’re active or looking to build or maintain muscle mass, protein is your best friend. It provides the essential amino acids our bodies need to repair and build muscle tissue, making these soups ideal for post-exercise recovery. These are truly muscle-building soups.
• Weight Management: By promoting satiety and supporting muscle mass (which burns more calories at rest), protein-rich meals can be a valuable ally in achieving or maintaining a healthy weight.
• Nutrient Boost: High protein soups often incorporate a variety of vegetables, legumes, and lean protein sources, making them a fantastic vehicle for a wide array of vitamins, minerals, and fibre.
• Stable Blood Sugar Levels: Protein helps to slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, which can help prevent those sharp spikes and crashes in energy levels.

Incorporating protein-rich soups into your diet is a simple and delicious way to enhance your overall health and well-being. They are versatile, comforting, and can be tailored to fit any dietary need or preference.

Key Ingredients for Boosting Protein in Soups

Creating delicious and satisfying high protein soups is all about choosing the right ingredients. Here are some of our top picks for packing that protein punch:

• Lean Meats and Poultry: Chicken breast, turkey mince, and lean cuts of beef or lamb are excellent sources of high-quality protein. They add a wonderful depth of flavour and heartiness to any soup.
• Fish and Seafood: Salmon, cod, tuna, and prawns can transform a simple soup into a protein-packed delicacy. They also provide beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
• Legumes: This is where plant-based power truly shines! Lentils (red, green, brown), chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, and cannellini beans are all fantastic sources of protein and fibre. They make for wonderfully thick and satisfying soups. These are essential for a good vegetarian protein soup.
• Dairy and Alternatives: A dollop of Greek yoghurt or a swirl of cottage cheese can add creaminess and a protein boost to finished soups. For a vegan protein soup, consider blending in silken tofu for a creamy texture, or adding crumbled firm tofu or tempeh for a ‘meaty’ element.
• Eggs: Dropping an egg into a simmering broth (like in an egg drop soup) or adding a poached or boiled egg on top can significantly increase the protein content.
• Grains and Seeds: Quinoa, barley, spelt, and even oats can add texture, fibre, and a surprising amount of protein to soups. Sprinkling chia seeds or hemp seeds on top before serving also gives an extra protein kick.
• Bone Broth: While not as high in complete protein as meat or beans, a good quality bone broth contains collagen and amino acids, contributing to the overall nutritional value.

By combining these ingredients creatively, we can craft an endless variety of delicious and nutritious high protein soups.

Our Favourite High Protein Soup Recipes

We’ve put together a few of our go-to high protein soup recipes to get you started. These are tried, tested, and loved for their flavour and nutritional benefits. Feel free to adapt them to your liking!

1. Hearty Chicken and Vegetable Protein Powerhouse

This soup is a classic for a reason. It’s warming, comforting, and packed with chicken and colourful vegetables. It’s one of those easy protein soups that you can whip up any day of the week.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1.5 litres chicken stock (low sodium if possible)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 100g frozen peas
• 100g sweetcorn (canned or frozen)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the pot. Cook until lightly browned on all sides.
4. Pour in the chicken stock. Add the dried thyme and bay leaf. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
5. Stir in the frozen peas and sweetcorn. Cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
6. Remove the bay leaf. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Tips:

• For extra flavour, use leftover roast chicken, shredded.
• Add other vegetables like chopped potatoes, leeks, or green beans.
• For a creamier (and even higher protein) version, stir in a spoonful of Greek yoghurt into individual bowls before serving.
• If you enjoy a bit of spice, add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic.
• If you’re looking for variations on chicken-based soups, you might also enjoy exploring something like a comforting Chicken Corn Soup Recipe.

2. Robust Red Lentil and Spinach Soup (Vegetarian/Vegan Option)

This vibrant red lentil soup is naturally high in plant-based protein and fibre. It’s incredibly flavourful and can easily be made vegan.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated or finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for a bit of heat)
• 200g red lentils, rinsed
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 150g fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Fresh coriander, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes until softened.
2. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne pepper (if using). Cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
3. Add the rinsed red lentils, vegetable stock, and chopped tomatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
4. Once the lentils are cooked, stir in the fresh spinach and cook until it wilts, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Stir in the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. For a smoother soup, you can use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend it.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander.

Tips:

• To make this a creamy vegan protein soup, stir in a splash of full-fat coconut milk at the end.
• Add other vegetables like diced sweet potato or butternut squash along with the carrots and celery for extra nutrients and sweetness.
• A dollop of plain (dairy or non-dairy) yoghurt on top adds a lovely tang.

3. Creamy Cannellini Bean and Kale Soup with Sausage (Optional)

This soup is hearty, rustic, and incredibly satisfying, thanks to the creamy cannellini beans and nutrient-dense kale. Adding sausage makes it even more protein-rich, but it’s delicious without it too.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 200g good-quality Italian sausage or chorizo, casing removed and crumbled (optional, omit for vegetarian)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp dried rosemary (or 1 tbsp fresh, chopped)
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 200g kale, tough stems removed and leaves chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese, grated (for serving, optional)

Instructions:

1. If using sausage, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the crumbled sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot (drain excess if there’s a lot).
2. If not using sausage, simply heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 7-10 minutes until softened.
3. Add the minced garlic, dried rosemary, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in the stock. Add one can of the cannellini beans to the pot. For the second can, mash about half of the beans with a fork (or briefly pulse in a food processor) before adding them to the pot – this helps to create a creamy texture. Add the remaining whole beans.
5. Bring the soup to a simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.
6. Stir in the chopped kale and the cooked sausage (if using). Cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the kale is tender.
7. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste.
8. Ladle into bowls and serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Tips:

• For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and consider adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika for a smoky flavour.
• White beans like Great Northern beans or butter beans also work well.
• If you enjoy bean-based soups with lots of vegetables, you might also like to try a Tasty Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe, which can also be adapted for higher protein.

Watch This Video Tutorial

For a helpful visual demonstration and more high protein soup ideas, we recommend the following video:

Tips for Making Your High Protein Soups Even Better

Beyond the recipes, here are some general tips to elevate your soup game and make crafting easy protein soups a breeze:

• Flavour Boosters: Don’t underestimate the power of fresh herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, chives), spices (cumin, paprika, turmeric, curry powder), a squeeze of lemon or lime juice at the end, or a dash of good quality vinegar. These can transform a simple soup into something extraordinary.
• Texture Tricks:
  • Blend it: For creamy soups without adding cream, use an immersion blender to blend a portion or all of the soup. This works especially well for bean and lentil soups.
  • Crunchy Toppings: Add texture and flavour with toppings like toasted nuts or seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds), croutons (whole-wheat for extra fibre), crispy fried onions or shallots, or even a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for a cheesy, umami flavour.
• Smart Swaps:
  • Use Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream or heavy cream for a protein boost and lower fat content.
  • Opt for whole-wheat pasta or grains like quinoa or barley instead of white pasta for added fibre and nutrients.
• Meal Prep Master: Most soups taste even better the next day! Make a large batch at the beginning of the week for quick and healthy lunches or dinners. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days or freeze for longer.
• Don’t Fear Frozen: Frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh and can be a huge time-saver. Keep a stash of frozen peas, corn, spinach, and mixed vegetables on hand.

The Importance of Protein in Our Diet

We’ve talked a lot about protein, but why is it so vital? Protein is one of the three main macronutrients (along with carbohydrates and fats) that our bodies need in relatively large amounts. It’s made up of building blocks called amino acids, which are essential for countless bodily processes. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, protein contributes to the growth and maintenance of muscle mass and the maintenance of normal bones. It’s also crucial for making enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals, and is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.

Ensuring an adequate protein intake through varied sources, like the ones we’ve highlighted in our high protein soup recipes, helps our bodies function optimally, supports our energy levels, and contributes to overall health and vitality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about High Protein Soup Recipes

Q1: How much protein should I aim for in a soup?

A: This can vary based on your individual needs and the rest of your day’s intake. However, aiming for at least 15-20 grams of protein per serving of soup is a good target for it to be considered “high protein” and make a significant contribution to your daily needs.

Q2: Can I make these soups ahead of time?

A: Absolutely! Most soups, especially those without dairy added directly during cooking, are excellent for meal prepping. They often taste even better the next day as the flavours meld. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Q3: Are high protein soups good for weight loss?

A: Yes, they can be. Protein promotes satiety, helping you feel fuller for longer, which can reduce overall calorie intake. Soups are also often high in volume and water content, further contributing to fullness. Just be mindful of high-calorie additions like excessive cream or cheese if weight loss is your primary goal.

Q4: What are some good vegan protein sources for soups?

A: Legumes are king here: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans. Tofu (silken for creaminess, firm for texture), tempeh, edamame, quinoa, and even some nuts and seeds (like pumpkin seeds or hemp seeds as a garnish or blended in) are fantastic for vegan protein soup options.

Q5: Can I freeze high protein soups?

A: Most broth-based and legume-based soups freeze very well. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers or bags. They can typically be frozen for 2-3 months. Soups with a lot of dairy or potatoes might change texture slightly upon thawing, so consider this when freezing.

Q6: How can I make my soup creamier without adding lots of fat?

A: Blending a portion of the soup (especially if it contains potatoes, beans, or lentils) can create a wonderfully creamy texture. You can also stir in a spoonful of plain Greek yoghurt (high in protein!) or a small amount of silken tofu blended with a little water for a vegan option.

Warm Bowls, Happy Bellies: Embrace High Protein Soups!

We hope these recipes and tips have inspired you to explore the wonderful world of high protein soup recipes. They are more than just a comforting meal; they are a fantastic way to nourish your body, support your health goals, and enjoy delicious, satisfying food. Whether you’re a meat-lover, vegetarian, or vegan, there’s a protein-packed soup out there waiting for you.

So, why not grab your apron and a big pot and try one of these recipes this week? We’re confident you’ll discover a new favourite way to warm up from the inside out. Don’t forget to experiment with different ingredients and flavours to make them your own!

What are your favourite ways to boost protein in your soups? Do you have any go-to high protein soup recipes you’d love to share? Let us know in the comments below – we always love hearing your culinary ideas!