I’m a common sense type of eater, and so I’m not interested in faddish diets, but, like everybody else, the pounds sometimes creep up on me. My secret is simple ~ soup! This filling low carb brothy vegetable soup is my go-to for healthy weight loss.
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I know it sounds naive in this era of weight loss injections, but for me, this brothy vegetable soup is my best natural way to shed pounds.
🍅 The broth hydrates the body and adds volume to make you feel full without the calories.
🥦 All those colorful veggies bring fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to the bowl.
🧅 Go ahead, go back for seconds, this soup is low calorie so you don’t have to limit yourself.
Every ingredient in this veggie soup has a purpose
This can absolutely be a clean-out-the-fridge soup, but I also love deliberately shopping the produce aisle for a mix of richly colored vegetables.
The sheer variety of vegetables is the magic of this recipe. You’ve got cruciferous vegetables, leafy greens, root vegetables, mushrooms, and peppers ~ each contributing different nutrients.
- Fiber: Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, peas, and greens contribute to fullness and digestive health.
- Vitamins and minerals: Bell peppers and broccoli supply vitamin C; carrots provide beta-carotene; kale contributes vitamins A, C, and K.
- Colorful plant compounds: Red cabbage, golden beets, tomatoes, and leafy greens provide a variety of antioxidants and other phytonutrients.
- Broth: Adds satisfying volume without many calories, while ginger, garlic, and mushrooms build flavor.
You can add some shredded rotisserie chicken or tofu for more protein. I like to hit it with a touch of Parmesan cheese just before serving, which adds a nice ‘umami’ flavor and a bit of salt. That tiny amount of Parm goes a long way towards making the soup seem complete and satisfying.
This veggie soup is just as comforting as chicken soup when you’re sick
Chicken soup has a well-earned reputation for helping us feel better when we’re under the weather. The warm broth helps with hydration and can temporarily ease congestion and a scratchy throat. My vegetable soup offers those same comforts, along with a colorful mix of vegetables supplying vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Traditional chicken soup has the advantage of more protein, but you can always add some shredded chicken to this one.
A short simmer keeps the vegetables colorful and crisp-tender
I let this soup simmer just long enough to barely tenderize the vegetables. That way, they keep their vivid colors and different textures, so every spoonful is a little different. Unlike soups that benefit from hours on the stove, this one is best with a quick simmer. Short and sweet!
See all my soup recipes here
Reader Rave ~
“This is the best vegetable soup I’ve ever had! Light years ahead of the usual “cabbage soup” recipes we see this time of year. I’ll make it again and again. It’s light, but it is still substantial and hearty. And so nutritious! Thanks a million!” ~Lisa
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Slimming Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 32 ounces unsalted chicken broth
- 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 medium golden beet, or several baby beets, peeled and sliced
- 1/2 cup broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
- 1 hot chili pepper, I used a Serrano pepper, sliced (optional)
- 3/4 cup pea pods, any type, halved if large
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 bell pepper, any color, cut in strips
- salt and black pepper , to taste
- 1 cup baby kale, and/or spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
garnish
- grated Parmesan cheese, or other hard Italian cheese
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Gently sauté the shallot, garlic, and ginger for a few minutes until softened.
- Add the broth to the pan and bring up to a simmer. Add the carrots and beets and simmer for several minutes.
- Add in the broccoli and cauliflower florets and the hot pepper, if using, and simmer for another couple of minutes. The veggies should be just barely tender. If not, cook a little longer.
- Next go the pea pods, mushrooms, red cabbage, and bell pepper. Bring back to a boil and then turn down the heat again, these veggies don’t require much cooking at all. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- When you are ready to serve, throw in the leafy greens and the tomatoes and give everything a stir.. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of cheese.
Notes
- I think of the vegetable measurements more as handfuls than exact amounts ~ don’t stress over it ~ veggies are difficult to measure, and there’s lots of leeway here for you to decide how much or how little of each ingredient you want to add.
- This recipe has plenty of room for improvisation when it comes to what ingredients you choose, too. Other ideas might be asparagus, Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, celery, green beans, onions, bok choy, eggplant, edamame beans, summer squash, etc. I try to stay away from starchy veggies like potatoes and corn.
- This is not a strongly flavored soup, it’s mild and focuses on the flavors and textures of the vegetables themselves. But don’t leave out the shallot, garlic, and ginger ~ they form a flavor base for the broth. If it is too mild for you, you might try adding a can of crushed tomatoes for another layer of flavor.
Nutrition
More satisfying soups
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My lemon chicken soup made with lots of garlic, and ginger has all the comforting feels, plus it's a darned easy weeknight meal ~ chicken noodle soup never tasted this good!
Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)
Finnish Salmon Soup with buttery chunks of fresh salmon, potatoes, carrots, and leeks is the perfect comfort food for any season.
Creamy Salmon Soup with Lemon
My creamy salmon soup has chunks of tender salmon and veggies in a light lemon cream broth.
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Easy Tuscan artichoke soup captures the essence of the Italian countryside ~ it's creamy, comforting, and convenient (we use canned artichokes!)
For those of you wanting to know the nutritional count, If you happen to be familiar with WW, the only ingredients you would need to count are the EVOO and the parmesan cheese, if using. All vegetables are considered free or no points. If you add chicken, that is also a zero point food as long as it is chicken breast. In other words, this is a great healthy, low calorie soup. Enjoy. I’m going to give it a try immediately.
Just made this and its delicious. I ended up using red beets since I was out of the golden so the soup has a pretty red coloring to it. My only question is do you by chance have the calorie intake for this ?
Can you use frozen veggies?
You could, for sure, just be sure not to over cook them, they don’t need much time at all.
I think this soup is beautiful and I can’t wait to try it! I love eating food without additional flavorings, just to enjoy the natural tastes. Thanks for sharing!
I totally agree with you!
I love this soup. I add and subtract from the veggie list when I make it and it always turns out wonderfully. I add ground turkey or chicken when I make it to add a pop of protein.
Thanks Jaime, glad you’re enjoying this…I add chicken all the time, it makes great meal!
So delicious and very flexible. I added some fresh herbs from the garden because herbs are not the enemy 😉 bon appetit!
This is the best vegetable soup I’ve ever had! Light years ahead of the usual “cabbage soup” recipes we see this time of year. I’ll make it again and again. It’s light, but it is still substantial and hearty. And so nutritious! Thanks a million!
What’s the net carbs for this meal do u know
How many days do you suggest eating this? And is it all 3 meals? Thank you in advance!
I usually substitute one meal a day for a big bowl of the soup Kristen.
I am just wondering why you keep bypassing the posts requesting the nutritional info for this soup? It looks amazing, and I’d love to try it, but I too, would like the nutritional information, or at least an acknowledgement that you are not aware of what that info is. Thank you!
Hi Patrece ~ Swanson, who I partnered with for this post, has asked me not to post the nutritional information. I believe the reason is that online nutritional counters are notoriously inaccurate, and because this is a sponsored post they didn’t want to assume any liability for false calculations. Also, because of the way I’ve measured the vegie ingredients, sometimes by the handful, it’s not very precise. This soup is very low in calories, and can be low in sodium if you use a low sodium broth option.