Healthy Recipes Recipes for Weight Loss & Diet Soup Recipes for Weight Loss 31 Vegetarian Soups for Weight Loss By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Leah Goggins is a digital fellow for EatingWell. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she is a devotee of old movies, farmers' markets and Ina Garten's tomato sandwich with basil mayo recipe. Leah has a degree in news media and English from The University of Alabama. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 22, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Eva Kolenko Get a delicious dose of cozy comfort with one of these tasty soups. Each of these meatless bowls is low in calories and high in fiber, so you can enjoy something light that still satisfies—a combination that can help you meet healthy weight-loss goals. Serve up recipes like our Clean-Out-the-Fridge Vegetable Soup and Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup with a side salad or piece of crusty bread for a delicious lunch or dinner. 01 of 31 Clean-Out-the-Fridge Vegetable Soup View Recipe Eva Kolenko This recipe is purposefully flexible so you can incorporate just about any veggie into it. Top with a dollop of pesto and/or a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. 02 of 31 Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup View Recipe Use your Instant Pot--or any other pressure cooker--to whip up this healthy butternut squash soup. Anjou pears add sweetness, while the soup gets creaminess and a wonderful flavor from light coconut milk, and a bright, fresh kick from ginger, cilantro and lime. Finishing the soup with whole-milk yogurt adds a nice richness, but you can skip it to keep the soup vegan. (Allow the soup to cool slightly before stirring in the yogurt so it doesn't curdle.) This soup would be equally delicious chilled. 03 of 31 Tarkari (Afghan Vegetable & Chickpea Soup) View Recipe Try topping this simple but satisfying vegetable soup with a spoonful of Red Chutney (see Associated Recipes). Recipe adapted from New Arrivals Supper Club chef Naseema Kashefi. 04 of 31 Vegan Minestrone Soup View Recipe Is minestrone soup vegan? It can be, with the right ingredients! This vegan minestrone soup is heavy on the green vegetables (it has peas, zucchini and kale, to name a few!), setting this quick healthy soup recipe apart from the rest. If you miss the tomatoes, feel free to add them to the mix. Last but not least, enjoy the crispy garlic croutons that float on top and soak up the flavorful broth. 05 of 31 Winter Vegetable Mulligatawny Soup View Recipe Jacob Fox Our meatless version of the Indian-inspired British colonial soup includes parsnip and squash to keep it hearty and satisfying. 06 of 31 Red Lentil Soup with Saffron View Recipe Jacob Fox This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice. 07 of 31 White Bean Soup with Pasta View Recipe Jacob Fox We use mirepoix—a combination of onion, celery and carrots—to flavor this soup. Keep a store-bought bag of the mixture in your freezer to ensure you always have some on hand without worrying about it going bad. 08 of 31 Berbere-Spiced Lentil & Turnip Soup View Recipe Leigh Beisch Generally a mix of cayenne, garlic powder, cumin, cardamom, fenugreek, allspice, cinnamon, coriander and more, the Ethiopian spice blend berbere adds heat and loads of flavor to this satisfying green lentil soup. Look for it with other spices at well-stocked grocery stores. 09 of 31 Spring Vegetable Minestra with Mint & Basil Pistou View Recipe Ryan Liebe If you don't already stash Parmesan rinds in your freezer, look for them at a supermarket with a specialty cheese section—ask for them if they're not prepackaged. You'll need six to eight rinds. 10 of 31 Instant Pot Lentil Soup View Recipe This Instant Pot lentil soup is quick enough to prepare when you get home from work for an easy weeknight dinner. This vegetarian soup recipe is full of aromatic vegetables, brown lentils and fresh spinach. A splash of balsamic vinegar brightens the flavor, and a garnish of radish and parsley gives this comforting soup a fresh finish. 11 of 31 Cream of Broccoli Soup View Recipe This simple and healthy cream of broccoli soup recipe gets its flavor from a mixture of aromatic vegetables, including leeks and celery. Using an immersion blender (or regular blender) gives it a smooth, creamy texture. Enjoy this easy homemade cream of broccoli soup as a comforting appetizer or pair it with a sandwich or salad for lunch or dinner. 12 of 31 Persian-Style Butternut Squash Soup View Recipe Swap out your basic butternut squash soup for this fragrant version that includes sweet potato and a medley of spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander and saffron. A drizzle of maple syrup and a few drops of orange water brighten the flavors, while a sprinkle of sumac adds a pop of color and a tangy edge. This healthy butternut squash soup would be a wonderful starter for your Thanksgiving meal. 13 of 31 Egyptian Lentil Soup View Recipe Use red, yellow or even brown lentils to make this iconic and super-simple Middle Eastern soup. Skip green or black lentils, which won't soften enough to puree smoothly. (Recipe adapted from Zooba Restaurant.) 14 of 31 Slow-Cooker Vegan Butternut Squash Soup with Apple View Recipe You'll never guess this crock pot butternut squash soup recipe is just dump-and-go simple. The boost of flavor from maple syrup, apple-cider vinegar and spices makes all the difference! Serve this light soup as an appetizer for a vegetarian Thanksgiving feast or with a salad and crusty bread for weeknight dinners. 15 of 31 Hearty Tomato Soup with Beans & Greens View Recipe Garlicky kale and creamy white beans elevate simple canned tomato soup into a 10-minute lunch or dinner that really satisfies. Use a soup with tomato pieces for a heartier texture. Look for a brand that's low- or reduced-sodium, with no more than 450 mg sodium per serving. 16 of 31 Lemony Lentil Soup with Collards View Recipe You don't need broth for this lentil soup recipe--it's rich thanks to the browned bits in the bottom of the pan that meld into the soup, packing it with flavor. Ground coriander, from the seed of the cilantro plant, has a floral, citrusy flavor that dovetails nicely with the lemon. 17 of 31 Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup View Recipe Loaded with cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, tomato and plenty of seasoning, this healthy vegetable soup packs in lots of flavor and is ultra-satisfying. This easy recipe makes a big batch for lunches or veggie-packed snacks all week. If you want to bump up the satisfaction factor even more, top with a little cheese or avocado. 18 of 31 Slow-Cooker Vegetable Minestrone Soup View Recipe A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor. 19 of 31 Instant Pot Vegetable Soup View Recipe This easy soup recipe cooks up quickly thanks to the use of an electric pressure cooker or multicooker, like the Instant Pot. It packs in tons of filling veggies without packing on the calories. Plus, it happens to be entirely plant-based. If you aren't eating vegan, top it with a little Parmesan cheese or pesto to add even more flavor. 20 of 31 Sopa Tarasca View Recipe This famous soup from the state of Michoacán in Western Mexico is often made with a base of pureed beans along with tomatoes and dried chiles, which bring a lot of the character to the dish. Here we use ancho chiles, which are sweet, earthy and relatively mild. You could also use pasillas, which have a heat level similar to anchos--or, if you like it hot, gaujillos, which also bring some smoky notes to the pot. 21 of 31 Pea Soup View Recipe This simple pea soup recipe makes an elegant start to a spring meal. It's also a great way to use frozen vegetables when the produce section is looking bleak. 22 of 31 Sichuan Ramen Cup of Noodles with Cabbage & Tofu View Recipe The Sichuan province in the southwestern corner of China is known for its fiery dishes. Here, the richness of tahini tempers the spicy chile paste in this cup-of-noodles-style mason jar soup recipe. You can grind the Sichuan peppercorns in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, or crush them with the bottom of a heavy skillet. 23 of 31 Spicy Black Bean Soup View Recipe This healthy vegetarian bean soup recipe draws inspiration from Brazil's feijoada, a pork and black bean stew. Blackened jalapeños, fire-roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika give it plenty of flavor. 24 of 31 Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Curry Soup View Recipe In this healthy cauliflower soup recipe, roasting the cauliflower first adds depth and prevents the florets from turning to mush. A little tomato sauce and coconut milk give the broth a rich, silky texture. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, if desired. 25 of 31 Spicy Weight-Loss Cabbage Soup View Recipe Based on a popular weight-loss plan, this healthy cabbage soup recipe gets tons of flavor and a metabolism-boosting kick from spicy chiles. 26 of 31 Very Green Lentil Soup View Recipe Lentils seem to go well with just about anything, and here they play well with a collection of greens and some cumin and coriander to add a gentle spicy note to this soup recipe. The result is a hearty winter soup with layers of flavor. Both French green lentils (available in natural-foods stores and specialty markets) and more commonly available brown lentils are delicious in this soup. The French green lentils hold their shape better when cooked, while brown lentils will start to break down a bit. 27 of 31 Ribollita Soup View Recipe Ribollita, a traditional hearty Tuscan soup, typically uses day-old bread to add body and thicken the broth. This ribollita recipe uses a bean mash, which keeps the soup gluten-free and adds fiber. Garnish with extra-virgin olive oil or pepper and grated Parmesan. 28 of 31 Winter Vegetable Dal View Recipe This southern-Indian-inspired vegetable dal recipe is rich and creamy thanks to light coconut milk and gets exotic flavor from spice-infused coconut oil. Serve with flatbread or naan. 29 of 31 Veggistrone View Recipe This vegetable-packed minestrone soup recipe is inspired by a popular Weight Watchers vegetable soup recipe. It makes a big pot of soup, so keep some in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze the rest in single-serve portions. That way you always have an easy, delicious vegetable soup to start your meal or to eat for lunch. Think of this vegetable minestrone recipe as a starting point for other healthy soup variations, too: toss in leftover chopped cooked chicken or whole-wheat pasta or brown rice to make it more satisfying. 30 of 31 Tomato Soup View Recipe Sonia Bozzo This simple tomato soup is perfect paired with your favorite grilled cheese sandwich. Make a double batch and freeze the extra for rainy-day emergencies. 31 of 31 Sweet Potato-Peanut Bisque View Recipe This satisfying vegetarian sweet potato soup is inspired by the flavors of West African peanut soup. We like the added zip of hot green chiles, but they can sometimes be very spicy. It's best to take a small bite first and add them to taste. Try chopped peanuts and scallions for a different garnish. Serve with a mixed green salad with vinaigrette. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit