Healthy Soup Recipes for Special Diet

Quick to prepare, this Asian-style noodle soup has all the makings of a one-pot meal. To punch up the heat, add a dab of chile-garlic sauce.

“Tortilla soup has a place, I feel, in practically every collection of Mexican recipes,” says Rick Bayless. This is a vegetarian version of the classic soup, usually made with chicken. Earthy dark pasilla chile flavors the soul-satisfying broth. (Recipe adapted from Rick Bayless.)

Just a touch of brown sugar sweetens this simple soup that gets its creaminess from pureed squash and fat-free evaporated milk.

Carrots, baby sweet peas, and green onions are added to the traditional egg drop soup in this 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.

Prep the ingredients for this soup months in advance for a total hands-off meal that's ready when you are. Vegetarian lentils and vegan coconut milk make this soup creamy and pack in plenty of plant-based protein and a hearty amount of fiber. To keep it vegan, opt for vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.

This is a soup with a long history (references to it in English go back to 1784) that can now be conveniently made in a modern appliance. Although it's technically an English soup, its origins are decidedly Indian. (The name loosely means "pepper water" in the Tamil language of Southern India.) The sweetness of apple and coconut milk counterbalances the garlic, ginger, curry and cayenne.

French green lentils and black lentils hold up well to long, slow cooking without becoming mushy. Save the rinds from used-up blocks of Parmesan in a resealable plastic bag or tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. They give soup broths a rich, savory flavor.

Using bone-in chicken thighs in this soup ensures the meat stays moist over the long cooking time. Not only are chicken thighs inherently juicier than breast meat, but cooking chicken on the bone also helps it stay succulent.

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.

Not a lima bean lover? This soup could flip you. The limas get some support from baby peas and a decent amount of tarragon to deliver a definitive taste of spring.

Unlike many black bean soups, this one is pepper-packed and leaves the beans intact for a more interesting texture. It's equally delicious served on its own or over rice.

Queso meets enchilada in this rich and cheesy Mexican-style soup. Serve it with something fresh, light and crunchy--like a jicama slaw dressed in a little olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper.

Luscious, slightly sweet and studded with cheese-filled pasta pillows, this tomato soup is a dream bowl for kids. Make sure to save some for them.

This bubbling stew-like soup is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken or turkey--and a perfect excuse to indulge in crispy, puffy tater tots.

This version of the French potato-and-leek soup is whisper-light and a lovely green color because we swap zucchini for the potatoes. Serve chilled or hot.

Plenty of veggies--and of course, meat and potatoes--guarantee that this ode to the classic Sunday supper will satisfy even the hungriest diners.

Inspired by Tuscany's legendary pappa al pomodoro, this soup is a great way to use stale bread. The traditional version doesn't contain kale or a topping of squash and grape tomatoes, but why not?

These pillowy, tamale-like dumplings made with masa harina are toothsome bites of cheesy, corny goodness.

Long-simmered marrow bones give this soup its luxurious flavor. The texture of the finished soup is hearty--bordering on a soupy risotto.

Prep and freeze all the ingredients for this homey classic ahead of time, and it will be ready to cook and serve any night of the week--no lengthy simmering needed, thanks to the multicooker. Freezing the ingredients in a round container creates the perfect fit for an easy transfer into your pressure cooker without having to thaw first.

This creamy soup is packed with savory flavor from Italian sausage and bacon. But don't worry, we tucked in healthy ingredients too, like kale and white beans, for added nutrition and fiber to round out a healthy dinner or packable lunch.

You can whip up this simple, spicy soup in a flash. This Mexican-inspired soup, with all the flavors of chicken fajitas, uses corn tortillas to help thicken the soup, keeping it gluten-free and adding tons of delicious flavor.

This pureed vegetable soup gets smooth and silky after a quick whirl in the blender. Mild flavored acorn squash gets a Southwestern-inspired makeover in this flavorful soup that has a hint of spice from chipotle pepper--opt for more if you like the heat!