Healthy Slow Cooker Soup Recipes for Weight Loss

Slow cookers are a fantastic tool for creating healthy, delicious, and convenient meals. They are especially useful for making soups, which can be packed with nutrients and are often low in calories, making them ideal for weight loss. This article explores a variety of healthy slow cooker soup recipes that are easy to prepare and perfect for keeping your budget and diet on track.

Why Slow Cooker Soups are Great for Weight Loss

Slow cooker soups offer several advantages for those looking to manage their weight:

• High in Fiber: Many vegetable-based soups are high in fiber, which helps you feel full and satisfied, reducing the likelihood of overeating.
• Low in Fat: Most slow cooker soup recipes can be made with minimal added fats, focusing instead on the natural flavors of the ingredients.
• Nutrient-Dense: Soups can be loaded with a variety of vegetables, providing essential vitamins and minerals.
• Easy Meal Prep: Slow cookers allow you to prepare meals in advance, making it easier to stick to a healthy eating plan during busy weeks.
• Budget-Friendly: Soups are often made with affordable ingredients, helping you save money while eating healthy.

Essential Tips for Healthy Slow Cooker Soups

Before diving into specific recipes, here are some general tips to keep in mind:

• Prep Your Ingredients: Chopping vegetables can be the most time-consuming part of making soup. Consider prepping your veggies the night before to save time.
• Seasoning is Key: Don't be afraid to experiment with herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of your soup. Italian seasoning (basil, thyme, oregano), celery salt, and bay leaves are excellent additions.
• Adjust to Taste: Adjust the spice levels and seasoning to your liking. Remember to taste and adjust before serving.
• Add Acidity: A squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a splash of vinegar can brighten the flavors of your soup.
• Thicken if Needed: If you prefer a thicker soup, mix one cup of the soup broth with one tablespoon of flour until a paste forms and stir it back into the soup.

Featured Recipes

Crock Pot Vegetable Soup

This easy, healthy Crock Pot Vegetable Soup is hearty and delicious, offering comfort in a bowl. It's a wonderfully delicious vegetarian and gluten-free option for lunch or dinner. The flavor tastes even better the next day after the herbs and vegetables have blended, so it's great for meal prep.

Ingredients:

• Chopped onions
• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• Parsley
• Diced tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Green beans
• Zucchini
• Tomato paste
• Bay leaves
• Paprika
• Salt
• Thyme
• Basil
• Oregano
• Pepper
• Vegetable broth
• Corn (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, carrots, and celery; cook for 4-5 minutes until soft. Next, stir in garlic and parsley and cook for an additional 30-seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and place cooked veggies in the crock of your 6-quart, or larger, slow cooker.

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2. Add diced tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, zucchini, tomato paste, bay leaves, paprika, salt, pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, and vegetable broth to the crockpot. Gently stir until ingredients are combined.

3. Place the cover on and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or cook on HIGH for 3 hours.

4. If using, stir in the corn the last 30 minutes of cooking.

5. When finished cooking, discard the bay leaf and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Place the soup into bowls and squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top.

Tips and Variations:

• Add additional herbs: Italian seasoning (basil, thyme, oregano) is an excellent match for this soup, so is celery salt and adding another bay leaf while cooking.
• Give it a kick: Add some spice with a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
• Bring on the cheese: Adding a bit of grated parmesan cheese on top adds a little saltiness and enhances the flavor.

Healthy Crock Pot Taco Soup

This is one delicious and nutritious soup that you will repeatedly make. Add your favorite toppings for added flavor!

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Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili

Change things up with a white chili with comfort food written all over it! It’s a Crock-Pot meal that you can toss in the slow cooker and come home to a warm, protein-packed dinner.

Healthy Crockpot Turkey Chili

A lighter version of classic zesty chili that you can make with beans or without.

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

An easy and wholesome soup that's great any day, but especially when you're feeling under the weather. It’s the perfect comfort food that will warm up your soul.

Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Flavor-packed and hearty, this soup pleases the whole family.

Chicken Tortilla Soup in a Crock Pot

This HEALTHY recipe that is spicy, easy, and packed with goodness. It’s made with shredded chicken, loaded with spices, tomatoes, green chiles, and corn-a perfect comforting meal!

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes (or regular if you prefer less spicy)
• 1 4.5 ounce can Old El Paso green chiles
• 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning
• 1 11 ounce can steamed corn, drained and rinsed
• 2 8 Old El Paso Burrito Tortillas
• 2 cups canola oil
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• cilantro, low fat sour cream, jalapenos, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Heat oil over medium/high heat in a medium skillet. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

2. Once sauteed, add the onion and garlic to a slow cooker over high heat. Add all other ingredients except for the tortillas and garnishes. Stir to combine.

3. Cover. Heat on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.

4. Before serving, prepare the tortilla crisps: In a small saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium/high heat.

5. Using a pizza cutter, cut each tortilla into 1/2 inch strips.

6. Cook the strips in batches, about 2-4 minutes or until browned. Using a slotted spoon, remove the strips and allow to drain on a paper towel.

7. While strips are still hot and before they’ve dried, sprinkle with taco seasoning and salt to taste. Allow to dry completely.

8. When ready to serve the soup, serve garnished with extra cilantro, low fat sour cream, jalapenos, and tortilla strips.

Tips and Variations:

• If you need to thicken the soup, take one cup of the soup broth and mix with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir together until a paste forms.
• To freeze leftovers, let the soup cool completely, and then pour it in a freezer safe bag or container. Keep the tortilla strips separate from the soup if you plan to freeze.
• If you want to freeze before slow cooking, once you add all the ingredients (minus the tortilla strips), transfer everything in a freezer-friendly container and freeze for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight and cook in a slow cooker per instructions.

Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup

A clean and simple soup made with onions, garlic, carrots, olive oil, squash, and LENTILS!

Ingredients:

• Onions
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Olive oil
• Squash
• Lentils
• Kale
• Parsley
• Sherry (optional)
• Vinegar (optional)
• Lemon juice (optional)
• Crusty wheat bread (optional)
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place all ingredients in the crockpot.

2. Place about 4 cups of soup in a blender with the olive oil. Pulse gently until semi-smooth and creamy-looking (the oil will form a creamy emulsion with the soup).

3. Add back to the pot and stir to combine.

4. Stir in the kale and parsley.

5. Turn the heat off and just let everything chill out for a bit before serving.

6. Season to taste (add the sherry, vinegar, and/or lemon juice at this point) and to really go next level, serve with crusty wheat bread and a little Parmesan cheese.

Tips and Variations:

• We’d recommend brown or green lentils. Red lentils are split which means they’ll soften a lot faster and would not recommend them.
• You could freeze leftovers to keep in the freezer for three months, or make it a freezer meal by following the instructions in the recipe card notes or by checking out this post.
• I could see this being really yummy with some Italian sausage! You can brown/crumble it on the stovetop, and add it at the beginning with everything else in the crockpot.

Slow Cooker Weight Loss Soup

This low-calorie weight loss soup is exactly what you need. It’s perfect for busy weeks when you want a healthy, ready-to-eat meal waiting in your fridge. This peel a pound soup is made from scratch! The Slow Cooker Weight Loss Soup is loaded with delicious and vitamin packed veggies cooked in a flavorful veggie broth.

Ingredients:

• 3 celery ribs, sliced (2 cups)
• 3-4 carrots, sliced (2 cups)
• 1 large leek, diced (about 2 cups)
• ½ lb. green beans, trimmed and sliced in half, (about 2 cups)
• 14. 5 oz. can Italian diced tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 7 cups chopped cabbage (I do 1-inch pieces), (this is about a 1/2 a head of cabbage)
• 2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1 ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 64 oz. chicken broth, (I use two-32 oz.

Instructions:

1. Add all the vegetables, canned tomatoes, and seasonings to the slow cooker. (wait to add the zucchini).

2. Pour over the chicken broth and stir.

3. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 hours.

4. Cook for 30 minutes longer (on HIGH).

Tips and Variations:

• Feel free to use your favorite veggies! For example, if you don’t like or you don’t have green beans on hand, you can use zucchini.
• For more flavor, you can pick canned diced tomatoes that have been fire roasted or have some type of herbs added to them.
• Make sure you season the soup, otherwise it will taste blend.
• If you prefer, you can add beans to the soup for extra protein.
• Looking to add protein? Toss in chicken breasts, cooked ground beef, or ground turkey at the start of the cooking time.

Additional Healthy Slow Cooker Soup Recipes to Explore

• Low-calorie, vegan Crock-Pot tomato soup: Perfect on its own or with a grilled cheese sandwich. This beautiful soup is vegan, Paleo, low calorie and low carb. Easy slow cooker tomato soup with curry has just seven everyday ingredients and requires very little effort to make.
• A healthy, creamy White Chicken Chili recipe: This recipe is a Crock-Pot meal that you can toss in the slow cooker and come home to a warm, protein-packed dinner.
• Split Pea Soup: This delicious split pea soup is topped with finely shredded smoked gouda cheese, and small pieces of crispy ham.
• Greek-inspired Chicken Soup: This Greek-inspired recipe takes traditional chicken soup to a whole new level with a rich and creamy egg-lemon broth.
• Lemony Chicken and Rice Soup: This ultra-healthy, lemony chicken and rice soup gets its superfood superpowers from kale.
• Wild Rice, Butternut Squash, Kale, and White Bean Soup: This healthy slow cooker soup recipe is made with wild rice, butternut squash, kale and white beans.
• Sausage Kale Sweet Potato Soup: Sausage kale sweet potato soup literally takes 15 minutes to prepare.
• Lightened-Up Chicken Pot Pie Soup: This lightened-up slow cooker chicken pot pie soup only takes 10 minutes of prep. This recipe is made from scratch with no canned condensed soups.

Serving Suggestions

Here's what to serve with your vegetable soup hot from the slow cooker:

• Cooked Quinoa: For added nutrition and texture, try adding cooked quinoa to the recipe.
• Hearty Crusty Bread: Depending on our dietary restrictions, a nice hearty crusty bread is always delicious.
• Brown Rice (or white rice): This is another option to add a bit of fiber, texture, and heartiness to your vegetarian crockpot soup.
• Garlic Butter Hawaiian Rolls, Cheddar Drop Biscuits, Dinner Rolls, Red Beans and Rice, or some Mexican Rice: I love serving this healthy crockpot tortilla soup with these.

Storage Tips

• Refrigerating: You can keep Crock Pot Vegetable Soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about five days.
• Freezing: Quart or gallon-sized zippered freezer bags work well. Lay them flat to freeze, and then stack them in the freezer. Follow our tips for preventing freezer burn. To thaw, take the soup out of the freezer the day before you'd like to serve it.

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