14 High-Protein Soups That Are Worthy of Being the Main Course

Updated on 12/4/2023 at 4:05 PM

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Soup lovers already know that the best foods are both healthy and comforting. But while soup is a staple in many households — especially during the colder months — it isn't always very filling. (There's a reason soup is so often a starter!) In defense of soup as a main course meal and a top tier food, we've compiled this list of high-protein soup recipes, all of which will leave you feeling full.

In addition to helping you get enough protein throughout the day, the soups on this list also include plenty of fiber and micronutrients. Ingredients like veggies, chickpeas, and lentils all help with satiety while also contributing to great taste. What more could you ask for?

Although these soups are high in protein, that doesn't mean they all contain meat. There's something here for everyone, whether you're looking for vegan options, vegetarian ideas, or anything in between. These recipes also don't take an expert to make, so feel free to use an instant pot, slow cooker, or just heat everything up over the stove. Meal prep a large batch to freeze and eat over the course of several weeks, or have fun experimenting with all the different high-protein soup recipes one satisfying bowl at a time. No matter how you slice it (or stir it, in this case), you can rest assured these soups are going to be great meals.

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

Chicken soup is a classic, but more importantly, it's loaded with protein. This delicious recipe for Instant Pot chicken and rice soup has 29 grams per serving, plus a helping of brown rice — a complex carb that will help keep you full even longer.

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

There's so much to love about this creamy sausage, kale, and white bean soup, including the many ways you can make it your own — choosing a leaner sausage, for example, or swapping out the protein and broth to make it entirely vegetarian.

Chicken Pozole

Traditional Mexican pozole is made with pork, hominy, and a red chile broth with plenty of toppings. This simpler chicken pozole recipe takes less time and effort, but serves up the same comforting flavors — and as much spice as you like.

Lasagna Soup

If you're on TikTok, you've probably heard about this viral lasagna soup recipe that even SZA loves. Chicken broth, Italian sausage, and ground beef give it a super savory flavor as well as tons of protein — and that's before you even add the cheese.

Healthy Greek Turkey Soup

The ground turkey and chickpeas in this healthy Greek turkey soup deliver 44 grams of protein per serving, but you'll love the rich flavors the most. Even better? You can make it in your slow cooker, so you can set it and forget it.

Instant Pot Vegan Black Bean Soup

This tasty Instant Pot vegan black bean soup is sure to satisfy. It's entirely plant-based, but if you don't have dietary restrictions and you want to get even more protein, consider swapping the vegetable broth for chicken broth.

Vegetable Beef Soup

This hearty vegetable beef soup contains too many delicious ingredients to name, but it's the lean cut of beef that helps serve up a whopping 40 grams of protein per serving.

North African Instant Pot Beef Stew

This hearty North African beef stew comes together in an instant pot, so all you need to do is prep the veggies (including pumpkin, zucchini, onion, and sun-dried tomatoes) and toss them in. This high-protein soup gets its grams from both the beef and creamy cannellini beans.

Slow-Cooker Lentil Soup With Sausage

Make dinner prep unbelievably easy with this protein- and fiber-packed lentil soup with sausage. It takes eight hours in the slow cooker, and will keep you full long after dinner is over. Even if you nix the meat, it's still a high-protein soup; that's thanks to lentils, which have a whopping 18 grams of protein per cup.

Instant Pot Turkey Cheeseburger Soup

Cheeseburger soup may sound indulgent, but this recipe is made with lean ground turkey and a variety of vegetables, including onions, celery, and cauliflower. The fact that you can make this Instant Pot turkey cheeseburger soup in 30 minutes makes it that much more satisfying.

Filipino Chicken Sopas

Take a break from your usual chicken noodle soup recipe with Filipino chicken sopas, a chunky macaroni soup that's traditionally eaten in the Philippines. Full of chicken, veggies, evaporated milk (or coconut milk), and topped with a boiled egg, this high-protein soup is sure to fill you up.

60-Clove Garlic Soup Recipe

Another TikTok favorite, this viral garlic soup recipe might not seem like it's chock-full of protein, but the milk and chicken broth give it a boost even without adding any meat. What's not surprising, however, is that it's absolutely full of garlicky flavor.

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Instead of sweating over a stove to enjoy a comforting bowl of chicken soup, use this Instant Pot chicken noodle recipe to make it as easy as possible. From start to finish, you can have this high-protein soup recipe done in less than 15 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Chili

Don't leave the glory of pumpkin spice for your fall lattes. This chunky pumpkin spice chili meshes the now-iconic warming spices with actual pumpkin, beans, veggies, and ground meat for a savory take on the flavors. If you're vegetarian or want to skip the meat, you totally can — just consider adding some extra beans to keep this soup in the high-protein category.