Delicious and Nutritious: A Guide to Low-Carb Soup Recipes

During chilly months, a steaming bowl of soup offers warmth and comfort. Packed with vegetables, soup presents an excellent opportunity to consume essential vitamins and nutrients, bolstering your immune system. Many soup recipes require only one pot, simplifying the cooking process and minimizing cleanup. If you're managing diabetes or simply aiming to reduce your carbohydrate intake, this guide provides a variety of flavorful and satisfying low-carb soup options. Carbs play an important role in managing your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels.

Why Choose Low-Carb Soups?

For individuals with diabetes, monitoring carbohydrate intake is crucial for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Low-carb soups offer a delicious and versatile way to enjoy a comforting meal without significantly impacting blood glucose. These soups often emphasize non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, making them a balanced and nutritious choice.

Featured Low-Carb Soup Recipes

Here are some delectable low-carb soup recipes to incorporate into your meal plan:

Zuppa Toscana with Cauliflower and Kale

• Calories: 170
• Carbs: 6g

This is a low-carb version of the classic Italian soup, replacing traditional white beans and potatoes with fresh cauliflower.

Maryland's Eastern Shore Cream of Crab Soup

• Calories: 130
• Carbs: 7g

This soup is an Eastern Shore classic, usually rich and full of cream and butter.

Read also: Safety of Low-Carb Diets During Lactation

Mexican Meatball Soup (Albondigas)

• Calories: 160
• Carbs: 7g

This traditional Mexican soup is made with a simple beef broth and tomato.

Tomato Basil Bisque

• Calories: 50
• Carbs: 10g

This smooth soup features fresh basil. The leeks offer a more subtle taste than onions, but either option will work.

Asian Chicken and Vegetable Stew

• Calories: 210
• Carbs: 11g

This Asian-inspired soup has a touch of heat from red pepper flakes and ginger that is perfect for a cold night.

Chicken Soup

• Calories: 310
• Carbs: 11g

One of the many things that make this recipe special is the homemade chicken broth. This adds layers of rich flavors and allows you to control your sodium-intake.

Chowder with Toasted Pepitas

• Calories: 50
• Carbs: 12g

This chowder is rich and full of bold tropical flavor from lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeño. You can leave it chunky or purée it if you are craving a smooth and creamy soup.

Read also: Best keto-friendly chips

Chicken, Pasta, and Spinach Soup

• Calories: 260
• Carbs: 15g

Warm up at lunch or dinner with this flavorful soup.

Winter Vegetable Potage with Pasta

• Calories: 96
• Carbs: 16g

This cool-weather soup is the perfect, heart-healthy way to stay warm. The fiber from the veggies helps balance the pasta to create a rich broth that's perfect for lunch or dinner.

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

• Calories: 90
• Carbs: 18g

Roasting the vegetables in this recipe helps maximize the flavor of the soup. What’s more-all these veggies are abundant and available during the winter months. The veggies add plenty of vitamins and fiber that will help keep you full longer.

Low Carb Taco Soup

This quick keto soup recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes and it’s bursting with spicy Mexican flavors! Made in the Instant Pot.

Tips for Crafting Your Own Low-Carb Soups

Creating your own low-carb soup masterpieces is easier than you might think. Here are some guidelines:

Read also: Best Keto Tortillas

• Embrace Non-Starchy Vegetables: Load up on vegetables like leafy greens (kale, spinach), cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. These add bulk, nutrients, and flavor without significantly increasing the carb count.
• Choose Lean Proteins: Incorporate chicken, turkey, beef, seafood, or tofu to boost the protein content and keep you feeling full and satisfied.
• Healthy Fats: Avocado, nuts, seeds, and cheese are great options for a crunchy topping.
• Limit Starchy Ingredients: Minimize or avoid potatoes, corn, beans, pasta, and rice. If you want to add thickness, consider using a small amount of cauliflower puree or a thickening agent like glucomannan.
• Flavor is Key: Don't be afraid to experiment with herbs, spices, and seasonings to create flavorful and exciting soups.

Instant Pot Low Carb Taco Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• Chicken Breasts - You’ll want some skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this keto taco soup.
• Chipotle Peppers - These come canned in adobo sauce.
• Citrus - Lemon and lime.
• Cilantro - A must for all Mexican dishes.
• Ground beef - Can be used instead of chicken.

Instructions:

1. Pressure Cook: Add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to your Instant Pot, put the lid on, set it to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes.
2. Shred: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it with a couple of forks.
3. Cream Cheese: Drop a block of cream cheese into the broth, set the pot to sauté, and whisk well to combine the cream cheese into the broth. Once everything is smooth and creamy, add the chicken back into the low carb soup and stir in some cilantro.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

1. Slow Cook: To make this taco soup in a slow cooker, add everything but the cream cheese and cilantro to the slow cooker and cover.
2. Shred: Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.
3. Cream Cheese: Add the cream cheese to the taco soup mixture and whisk well to combine - you want the cream cheese completely melted and incorporated into the broth. It helps to warm the cream cheese in the microwave first.

Instant Pot Method

1. Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to an Instant Pot.
2. Cover, turn vent to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 18 minutes.
3. Allow pressure to release naturally, about 10 minutes, before removing the lid.
4. Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Turn the Instant Pot to saute and add the cream cheese.
5. Whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated. Turn Instant Pot off and return chicken to the pot. Add the cilantro and stir well to combine.
6. Serve immediately

Slow Cooker Method

1. Add the chicken, onion, garlic, chipotles, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, lemon juice, lime juice, and chicken broth to a low cooker.
2. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.
3. Remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks.
4. Add the cream cheese to the slow cooker and whisk constantly until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
5. Return chicken to the slow cooker and add the cilantro.

More Low-Carb Soup Ideas

Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup

This satisfying soup with a hint of cayenne is brimming with vegetables, chicken and noodles.

Hamburger Stew

Simmer up a big pot of hamburger stew to feed the whole crew.

Meatball Soup

Meatball soup is comforting, satisfying and, most of all, simple to make.

Mexican Cabbage Roll Soup

This hearty, low-carb soup is made with beef, cabbage and green chiles.

Vietnamese Chicken Meatball Soup with Bok Choy

This warm, flavorful bowl of Vietnamese chicken soup is perfect for laid-back weekends.

Slow-Cooked Chicken Enchilada Soup

This low-carb soup delivers a big bowl of fresh comfort. Toppings like avocado, sour cream and tortilla strips are a must.

Thai Shrimp Soup

This tasty, low-carb soup comes together in minutes, and it’s a crowd pleaser.

Keto Tuscan Cauliflower Soup

A classic Tuscan soup has lots of potatoes, but this low-carb soup is made with cauliflower.

Rave Review Chicken Soup

This hearty chicken soup gets rave reviews from family and friends.

Gyro Soup

This Greek-style soup is seasoned with classic flavors of rosemary, marjoram and mint.

Mushroom Corn Chowder

This thick, creamy chowder is chock-full of veggies, ham and cheese in every spoonful.

Quick Ham and Bean Soup

This tasty, quick version will leave you with a satisfied smile.

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

Chicken and andouille gumbo is a hearty one-pot-meal that's packed with bold flavor.

Keto Creamy Fresh Asparagus Soup

Tangy lemon and sweet tarragon give this creamy low-carb soup a springtime flavor you’ll savor and share.

Shrimp Chowder

Move over, clam chowder!

Chicken Soup with Beans

Loaded with classic southwestern flavors, this low-carb soup is so satisfying.

Pressure-Cooker Olive and Beef Soup

This soup has a fabulous soup. If you like it with a little more spice, add a diced jalapeno during the initial saute.

Pumpkin Bisque

When the weather turns cold, this rich, silky-smooth pumpkin bisque will warm you from the inside out.

Cioppino

Is cioppino a soup or a stew? It doesn't matter!

Avgolemono Soup

This avgolemono soup is made using pantry staples and results in a meal that’s pure comfort food.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

This cream of cauliflower soup is a comforting blend of tender cauliflower, rich broth and cheddar cheese, creating a hearty, flavorful dish.

Sausage Sauerkraut Soup

Sausage sauerkraut soup is the hands-off, flavorful slow cooker soup you didn't know you were missing.

Italian Veggie Beef Soup

This chunky, low-carb soup is great for comfort.

Creamy Turkey Noodle Soup

You can prepare parts of this turkey soup ahead of time and then assemble when ready. Serve with crispy whole-grain crackers.

The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup

This type of soup is a favorite and is in heavy rotation from November to April.

Beef Vegetable Soup

Hearty and flavorful, this Beef Vegetable Soup combines lean ground beef with fresh vegetables simmered in a rich tomato broth.

Deconstructed Wonton Soup

When I wanted to whip up a homemade version, I decided to take a shortcut and combined pork meatballs with wide egg noodles.

Super Fast Mexican Soup

This spicy, low-carb soup is great for toppings, try onions, avocado, cheese, jalapenos, sour cream and salsa.

Matzo Ball Soup

This traditional matzo ball soup recipe is worth the extra effort. If you prefer, you can add egg noodles instead of matzo balls.

Chicken, Asparagus & Corn Chowder

Chicken and asparagus make a comforting, low-carb soup that’s easy to do with common ingredients.

Contest-Winning Hearty Hamburger Soup

This hamburger soup has robust flavor, plenty of fresh-tasting vegetables and is easy to make.

Mango & Coconut Chicken Soup

This chicken dish uses ingredients that I love, such as coconut milk, edamame and fresh ginger.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Soup

Cauliflower makes a nice, extra creamy backdrop for the classic flavors of chicken cordon bleu you can eat with a spoon.

Low-Carb Creamy Vegetable Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 large chopped onion
• 40 ounces chicken broth
• 26 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion blend (or just onion) and sauté until the onion is tender (about 5 minutes).
2. Pour in the chicken broth and frozen veggies. Bring this just to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer until veggies are tender (about 10 minutes).
3. Add in the heavy cream, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir well and continue to simmer.

To thicken with Glucomannan:

1. In a measuring cup, stir 1 teaspoon of Glucomannan into a cup of cold water until dissolved.
2. Stir this into the soup and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes more, stirring from time to time.

To thicken with flour:

1. Stir one tablespoon of flour into one cup of water and then stir into the soup.

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