25 High-Protein Winter Soup Recipes for a Cozy Sunday Dinner

January 03, 2021

Enjoy a hearty Sunday dinner with these high-protein soup recipes. These delicious soups have at least 15 grams of protein per serving and feature seasonal ingredients like squash and kale. While soups like Italian Wedding Soup and Sausage, Cabbage & Root Vegetable Soup are filling on their own, you can easily round out the meal with a crusty loaf of bread or side salad.

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Italian Wedding Soup

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This Italian Wedding Soup recipe is Italian comfort food at its best, and this easy soup recipe lends itself to countless variations. Substitute spinach, chicory, chard or any other leafy green for the escarole or kale, and any leftover cooked (or canned) beans for the white beans in this healthy Italian wedding soup recipe.

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Turkey & Squash Soup

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This Southwestern-inspired turkey-and-squash soup gets a little kick from crushed red pepper and some zing from fresh lime juice. You can use leftover turkey or chicken (instead of the cutlets); dice it and add a few minutes before serving. Serve with cornbread.

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Tinola (Filipino Ginger-Garlic Chicken Soup)

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Tinola, a comforting chicken soup seasoned with plenty of ginger and garlic, has countless variations throughout the Philippines. The soup calls for malunggay leaves (aka moringa), which can be found fresh or frozen at Asian markets. Bok choy is a good substitute. Feel free to increase the amounts of garlic and fish sauce for an even more flavorful soup. Serve this easy and healthy chicken soup on its own or with jasmine rice, quinoa or wild rice.

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Stuffed Cabbage Soup

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Like stuffed cabbage? You'll love this easy stuffed cabbage soup. It's got all of the classic flavors of stuffed cabbage without all the fuss of stuffing. Plus, you can make this warming soup ahead of time or freeze it for later for a quick dinner or lunch.

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Slow-Cooker Mediterranean Chicken & Chickpea Soup

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This set-it-and-forget-it slow-cooker recipe simmers away all day so you come home to a warm and healthy dinner the whole family will love. Using bone-in chicken is the key to making rich soup without adding broth.

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Moqueca (Seafood & Coconut Chowder)

Credit: Leigh Beisch
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This seafood stew from Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, dates back hundreds of years and reflects the region’s diverse population and history. It merges the African ingredients of dendê (red palm oil) and coconut milk with indigenous traditions of preparing seafood in clay pots over coals. Dendê is traditionally used for its rich flavor and beautiful red color, but you can use canola oil instead, as the tomato paste will still lend the dish a vibrant hue.

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Sausage, Cabbage & Root Vegetable Soup

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In this French-style healthy soup recipe, sausage, cabbage and root vegetables simmer together to make a comforting and healthy meal. Serve the soup piping hot with grated Parmesan cheese on the side. Like most soups, the flavors are even better if it's made a day ahead.

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Winter Minestrone

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This version of the Italian classic vegetable and bean soup is made in the slow cooker and mixes in flavorful sausage and squash. Use any variety of winter squash.

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Sopa de Fideos (Chicken Noodle Soup with Sofrito)

Credit: Leigh Beisch
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Sofrito is a flavor base made by sautéing onions and garlic in oil. In Latin America, each region has its own variation that incorporates native ingredients; the tomato-based sofrito here is common in Mexico. The key to the color and flavor of this soup is to fry the sofrito in the oil: it’s imperative that it sizzles as soon as it hits the pot. (Stand back and use a long spoon!)

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Escarole, Cannellini Bean & Sausage Soup

Credit: Ellen Silverman
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This soup would be equally satisfying if you took it in a vegetarian direction and skipped the sausage and used no-chicken broth. 

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Chicken & Kale Soup

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This easy chicken and kale soup will keep you warm on a cold and rainy day or any day that calls for a simple, hearty soup. For convenience, you can make this soup with frozen kale without the need to thaw it beforehand.

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Quick Beef & Barley Soup

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Quick-cooking barley and sirloin help get this beef-and-barley soup on the table in a snap--and it doubles easily. If leftovers get too thick in the fridge, add a little broth when you reheat it. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of malbec.

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Vori Vori (Corn-Dumpling Soup)

Credit: Leigh Beisch
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Vori means “ball” in the Guaraní language of Paraguay; vori vori is the plural form. The name references the spherical dumplings that float in the broth. The soup originated as a fusion of the cuisines of Spanish Franciscan missionaries and the Guaraní people. For the lightest dumplings, use clarified butter, also known as ghee.

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Chicken Potpie Soup with Tater Tot Topping

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This bubbling stewlike 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 easy dinner recipe is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

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Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

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Got leftover cooked chicken or turkey? Cook up a pot of soup! This recipe is a healthier twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup that hails from Minnesota. Serve with a crisp romaine salad and whole-grain bread.

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Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale

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This healthy, easy soup is loaded with vegetables, protein and fiber to keep you full and fueled. Serve this winter soup topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of garlic toast.

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Beefy Italian Vegetable Soup

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This one-pot, easy-to-make soup is so full of beef and vegetables that it could almost be called a stew. Beans, mushrooms, kale, chunks of tomatoes and beef sirloin will fight for space on each spoonful.

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Sopa de Albóndigas (Honduran-Style Meatball Soup)

Credit: Leigh Beisch
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While meatball soup can be traced back to ancient Persia, Spanish colonizers brought it to the Americas. In Honduras, this soup is made with chayote, tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini. Serve it with a salad for a full meal. 

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Pressure-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

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This easy soup flavored with chili powder and a splash of lime is quick enough to prepare for a warming weeknight meal thanks to an electric pressure cooker like the Instant Pot. Lean chicken breast is easy to prep, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs would make a great substitute.

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Wild Rice, Shrimp & Fennel Soup

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Bold fennel and mild leeks add incredible flavor to this hearty wild rice and shrimp soup recipe.

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Chicken & Bok Choy Soup with Ginger & Mushrooms

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What is so obliging about this hearty chicken soup is that you can add any vegetables that suit your fancy: napa or Savoy cabbage, mushrooms, Chinese broccoli, broccolini, onions, leeks, mustard or turnip greens, celery or whatever tickles your bonnet. Just be sure that you don't overcook the vegetables. Spice it up with chile sauce, such as sriracha, and/or serve the soup over noodles to make it a more substantial main dish.

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Goulash Soup

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Get all the flavors of classic goulash in a warming, hearty soup. This easy one-pot meal can be on the table in less than an hour.

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Stuffed Pepper Soup

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Using a slow cooker makes this flavorful soup an easy meal for any night of the week.

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Fish and Vegetable Soup

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This one-pot, fish-based soup with vegetables is easy to prepare in a Dutch oven. It will be on the table in under an hour and requires minimal cleanup!

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Lasagna Soup

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This quick and healthy lasagna soup recipe has all the comforting flavors of classic lasagna with plenty of tomatoes, Italian turkey sausage and lasagna noodles broken into bite-size bits. A dollop of ricotta cheese mixed with mozzarella and Parmesan adds a creamy finishing touch. Serve the soup with a green salad and crusty bread to sop up what's left in the bowl for an easy healthy dinner that's ready in under 30 minutes.

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