8 Easy Ways to Boost the Nutrition in Your Soup and Keep You Feeling Fuller Longer

As temperatures drop, it’s natural to start thinking about reheating comforting meals, like soups. While warm and inviting, soups are also a great vehicle for packing nutritious ingredients that keep you full and satisfied.

1. Whole grains

Adding whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, or farro is an easy, inexpensive way to make your soup more satisfying. Whole grains absorb the broth, creating a thicker, heartier texture that is filling. Unlike refined grains (like rice and pasta made from white flour), whole grains retain their fiber, which slows digestion, stabilizes blood sugar and energy levels, and keeps you fuller for longer.

Try this: Add cooked quinoa to a vegetable soup, barley to a mushroom or lentil stew, or stir wild rice into a creamy chowder or minestrone.

2. More protein

Protein is slow to digest, making it one of the most effective ways to increase satiety (feeling full) in soup. It helps prevent dramatic spikes in blood sugar and promotes the maintenance of lean muscle mass. Whether you opt for animal or plant-based proteins, there are many healthy options that can promote satiety and enhance flavor.

Try this: Add beans, lentils, crumbled tempeh, extra firm or silken tofu (depending on the texture you want), shredded chicken, edamame or seitan (a vegetarian alternative to meat made with vital wheat gluten).

3. Legumes

Legumes include beans, peas, lentils and soy products. Not only are they affordable, but they are also rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, which optimize the nutritional content and staying power of any soup recipe. Canned whole beans or lentils go well with thick soups or vegetarian chili, but you can also puree them for added dairy-free creaminess.

Try this: Add white beans to tomato or vegetable soups, lentils to a curry or spice broth, or peas to chicken or chickpea noodle soup.

4. Root vegetables

Root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, parsnips and turnips, are ideal for adding bulk to soups while providing natural sweetness and color. They’re high in fiber, complex carbohydrates, and antioxidants that help maintain energy and support immune health during the colder months.

When simmered in soup, root vegetables develop a soft, creamy texture that thickens the broth and makes each bite more substantial. Try roasting them first for a more naturally sweet caramelized flavor or dicing them small to melt them right into your soup base.

Try this: Add roasted carrots and parsnips to a chili or lentil stew, use white or sweet potatoes in a creamy vegetable and bean soup, or make a creamy beet puree soup.

5. Leafy greens

Leafy greens, like kale, spinach, Swiss chard, or collard greens, are an easy way to add bulk, nutrients, and texture to your soup with minimal added calories. They also provide fiber, iron, calcium and antioxidants that support energy and immunity.

Add tender greens like spinach toward the end of cooking so they wilt, or simmer heartier greens like kale or collards a little longer to soften their texture. Using them in soups can also be an easy way to use up greens that are starting to get too soft for salads.

Try this: Toss chopped kale, spinach, or rainbow chard into minestrone, miso soup, potato soup, or bean broth.

6. Cashew cream

For a rich, indulgent soup without resorting to heavy cream, try adding the plant-based chef’s secret: cashew cream. It can help create a silky, velvety texture while adding fats that help keep you full longer and provide heart health benefits.

Cashew cream is prepared by mixing soaked cashew nuts with water in a 1:1 ratio. It adds a sweet, buttery flavor that works wonderfully in vegetable or tomato based soups. It also improves the overall mouthfeel and nutritional value of your soup, transforming a light broth into a cozy and nourishing winter meal.

Try this: Thoroughly mix 1/2 cup raw cashews with 1/2 cup hot water. Some people prefer to let it sit for several hours before mixing to enhance its creaminess. Gently incorporate this mixture into a minestrone soup towards the end of cooking.

7. Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds can add a satisfying crunch to soup while adding extra nutrients.

Options like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, or sliced ​​almonds add texture, flavor, and a dose of healthy fats and fiber that help keep you full. They are also rich in minerals like magnesium, zinc and selenium, which support immune health.

Try this: Top a creamy butternut squash soup with roasted pumpkin seeds, or top a lentil stew with crushed pistachios for added texture. Add a spoonful of hemp or chia seeds to thicken a creamy soup while subtly increasing its nutritional density.

8. Healthy Fats

Soups are a great place to add healthy fats because they mix well and help you feel full longer because they slow digestion and contribute to heart health benefits. This can include ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, avocado, or even a dollop of nut butter, depending on flavor preferences.

Try this: Pour a little olive, almond or avocado oil over your bowl before serving soup. Add a little avocado to a mixed soup (like potatoes, tomatoes, or broccoli) or stir in a little peanut butter for added depth.