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Struggling to lose weight? This Weight Loss Soup can help you shed pounds without feeling deprived. It’s loaded with nutritious, low-calorie, high fiber vegetables making it the perfect meal for weight loss. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
What is Weight Loss Soup?
It is a combination of two classic recipes: Weight Watchers Garden Vegetable Soup and the Cabbage Soup Diet Soup. Both of these recipes have been around for years helping people add fiber, not calories, to their diet. We’ve amped up the protein kidney beans for protein to keep you fuller longer. Feel free to mix and match vegetables to suit your taste, but avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn for maximum benefit. The goal is to provide satiety and satisfaction to your diet.
We call this soup “magic” because it’s worked wonders for us. Whether it’s been to shed a few pounds before a big event, like a wedding, or to kickstart a better diet after the holidays, this soup has been key to healthy weight loss.
Ingredients for Weight Loss Soup
- Chicken broth: The flavorful base for this soup. Use low-sodium if you are watching your salt intake.
- V-8 juice. A nutrient-rich flavor booster.
- Diced tomatoes: Canned Italian tomatoes for a rich taste and texture.
- Onion. Finely chopped to add a savory depth.
- Garlic. Minced for a healthy, aromatic touch.
- Mushrooms. Thinly sliced for texture.
- Vegetables: Carrots, zucchini, and squash, all sliced evenly for consistent cooking.
- Green beans: Fresh or frozen, your choice!
- Kidney beans: Rinsed and drained for added protein. Swap in another bean or lentils for variety.
- Cabbage: Finely shredded for a nutritional base layer to the soup.
- Italian Seasoning: The perfect blend to tie it all together.
- Additional Seasonings (optional): basil, oregano, thyme, parsley, sage, red pepper flakes, Cajun seasoning.
How to Benefit from Weight Loss Soup
To lose weight healthily, make sure you check with your doctor or nutritionist for the optimal amount of calories you need for the day. Here’s a plan that has worked for us, but please adjust this to fit your specific caloric needs. Disclaimer: We are not weight loss experts or doctors. This is simply a vegetable packed, low-calorie recipe that can help with weight loss.
- Breakfast: Start your day with a protein-rich breakfast.
- Lunch: Enjoy a hearty bowl of Weight Loss Soup. Add whole wheat toast or a piece of fruit to meet your daily calorie requirements.
- Snack: Savor another bowl to curb hunger.
- Dinner: Pair the soup with a lean protein (like grilled chicken) and a serving of whole grains (like brown rice).
- Hydrate: Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
- Exercise: Aim for 30+ minutes of activity, 5+ days a week. Again, consult with your doctor or trainer to determine exercises that will work best for you.
Will I Gain All My Weight Back Afterwards?
Our experience is that following this soup plan for seven days gives us a powerful kickstart to a healthier diet. After that, transitioning back to a balanced diet using the soup intermittently for meals helps to maintain weight loss momentum. The secret to this soup is it is loaded with vegetables that are filling, yet low in calories.
TIP: Eat a bowl of soup before your regular meal to help with portion control. You’ll feel full and eat less overall.
Substitutions for Weight Loss Soup
- Vegetables: Try kale, spinach, or celery for extra nutrition. Avoid starch veggies like potatoes, corn, or peas.
- Broth: Use beef or vegetable broth instead of chicken. Low-sodium or homemade are great options.
- Protein: Switch kidney beans for white, black, or pinto beans. You can even add lean ground beef or ground turkey (just note the higher calorie count).
Instant Pot Weight Loss Soup
Looking to save time? Samantha shared her Instant Pot method:
- Sauté onions, garlic, carrots, green beans, and mushrooms in olive oil
- Add broth and scrape the bottom to deglaze.
- Stir in kale instead of cabbage, then cook 5 minutes.
- Quick-release, add zucchini, stir, and top with tomatoes. Cook another 5 minutes and quick-release.
📍Samantha’s Tip: Skip the beans and V-8 juice, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for added flavor.
“Wow!! Just made this! I’ve never made soup before and it tastes AMAZING!! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!”
-Kristen
More Healthy Soup Recipes
How to Make Weight Loss Soup
Try this soup today and jumpstart your journey to a healthier you! Share your results and favorite variations in the comments below – we’d love to hear from you!
Weight Loss Soup
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 32 ounces chicken broth you may use low-sodium
- 3 cups V-8 juice *see recipe notes
- 28 ounces Italian diced tomatoes
- 1 small onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 zucchini diced
- 1 yellow squash diced
- 2 cups green beans fresh or frozen
- 14 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 3 to 4 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large frying pan sprayed with cooking spray, saute garlic, onions, carrots, and mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
- In a large crockpot, combine sauteed garlic and vegetables with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook on high for 2-3 hours, or until vegetables are fork-tender.
- FREEZING INSTRUCTIONSThis makes a large batch of soup. If you would like to freeze portions of it to use later, undercook the vegetables just a little. Pour the soup into freezer Ziplock bags and let as much air out as you can. Lay the bags flat on a cookie sheet and freeze. Once the soup is frozen flat, it is easy to layer in your freezer and won't take up much room. To thaw, place the bag in the fridge for 24 hours and then reheat.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Frequently Asked Questions
This weight-loss soup recipe makes about 20 cups of soup, so you will have plenty to eat all week long. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to seven days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Variety is key for balanced nutrition. Use this soup to kickstart your diet and incorporate it as part of a balanced meal plan.
Results vary based on factors like exercise, hydration, and body type. Use this as a tool in your overall healthy lifestyle tool belt for best results.
Super tasty and hearty. I added some drained and rinsed lean ground beef and it was amazing!
So glad you liked it, Wendy! Thank you for the star rating.
My mom worked for Weight Watcher’s many years ago and she would make this soup with tiny veal meatballs and it was scrumptiously delicious!!! I loved it then and I love it now.
Hardy and delicious! I used Cajun seasoning for a little kick with spicy v8 juice.
I have this recipe from childhood that my mom used to make. Her recipe states at the bottom, “no vegetable or seasoning is off limits. Feel free to add any vegetable or seasoning to your liking.”
I remembered this soup when trying to come up with diabetic, heart healthy, no or at least low sodium foods. I’m hoping to come up with a good version which is still packed full of flavor! Thanks for posting!
Can I use kale instead of cabbage?
Sure!