Healthy, filling and, above all, comforting in winter, soup can become a complete meal with a good portion of protein. Here are some tips on making a protein-packed soup and 5 recipe ideas to inspire you.

Protein soup: A healthy and complete meal

Soup is an excellent addition to your winter menu:

• To keep you better hydrated: one soup is the equivalent of 2 glasses of water out of the 8 recommended per day.
• To reduce your calorie intake: scientists have studied its appetite-suppressant effect. Consuming soup at the beginning of a meal reduces the number of calories consumed afterwards. This is due to its temperature (heat expands the stomach) and the fact that it is eaten slowly, spoon by spoon, which helps you feel full.
• To increase your vegetable intake: soup is an easy way to eat more vegetables and take advantage of their high vitamin and mineral content.

Make it yourself at home with seasonal ingredients to get the most out of it. Adding protein sources makes it a complete meal, giving you the perfect recipe for a delicious evening of comfort food.

What ingredients should I choose to make a protein-rich soup?

To make a high-protein soup or to enrich a classic recipe, there are several strategies available to you:

• Use quinoa: add leftover cooked quinoa to a vegetable soup when preparing the soup or meal.
• Go for legumes: lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas and kidney beans are easy to add to any soup. Substituting legumes for potatoes in your usual recipes will give you the same texture, fewer carbohydrates and more protein.
• Adding pureed almonds or other plant-based ingredients is a healthy alternative to sour cream and will add a touch of creaminess and deliciousness to your soup. Vary the vegetable protein sources to get as many different amino acids as possible.
• Introduce meat: mix meat into the soup. Add it in pieces to flavour a broth or as a topping just before serving.
• Eggs, tofu and bean sprouts are the stars of unblended Asian soups, such as miso or ramen soup.

With these ingredients in mind, you can vary your menus endlessly to make soup a complete meal for the evening. Find inspiration with our recipe ideas and pair it nicely with the perfect workout routine!

5 recipe ideas to try this evening

To bring some sunshine to your plate in winter, here are some recipes for protein-rich soups inspired by dishes from around the world:

• Asian soup: prepare a chicken broth with vegetables (carrots, shiitake mushrooms, etc.), pieces of chicken breast, fresh bean sprouts, small cubes of tofu and a little fish sauce (nuoc mam). Add fresh coriander leaves before eating.
• Mexican-style tortilla soup: red or black beans, chicken and corn. These three sources of protein provide some inspiration for a delicious mixed soup. With the addition of tomato pulp, garlic, a dash of lime juice, white onion stems, coriander and a little crème fraîche, you have a filling soup.
• Low-carb pizza soup: start with a vegetable broth with tomato pulp, garlic, carrot, celery stalks and oregano. Add mozzarella and the meat of your choice, just as you would make a pizza. However, chicken is preferable to pepperoni. A topping of pan-fried cured ham will add a crispy touch to your soup.
• Broccoli and cheddar soup: simply mix cooked broccoli in stock with a little cheese. Add wholemeal bread croutons for added fibre and protein, toasted and topped with mustard.
• Pea and coconut milk soup: mix peas, ginger, lime, coconut milk and caramelised onions for a unique recipe. Add a sprig of mint just before serving.

Enjoy your meal!

Check out our Health & Fitness page for more advice.

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