We know: It’s so easy to reach for canned soup. And the premade varieties at health food stores can actually be pretty darn good. But most prepackaged goods have hidden downsides—like high sodium and added sugar—and if you’re sticking to a specific way of eating, it can be tough to find premade options that work for you (and deliver that little thing called flavor).
Fortunately, soups are one of the easiest meals to whip up. And nothing beats recipes with whole, natural, fresh ingredients. So let’s push pause on all things packaged and give these 19 Whole30-friendly soups a whirl. Trust us, you won’t go back to store-bought.
1. Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
Beans aren’t such a magical fruit when it comes to Whole30. But don’t worry: You don’t need beans to make a killer, equally as hearty chili. This recipe uses shredded chicken, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, coconut milk, and a slew of tasty spices to create a heartwarming soup that’s as kind on your belly as it is on your palate. Top with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime.
2. Easy Vegan Pumpkin Soup
The secret to creamy soup sans dairy? In this simple soup recipe, it’s pumpkin purée, full-fat coconut milk, and coconut oil (or ghee). The combination of curry paste and curry powder gives the soup just the right amount of punch, as does the addition of eight (!) garlic cloves. For a touch of sweet, top with pomegranate arils and a small spoonful of extra coconut milk. Toasted pepitas provide a nice crunch too.
3. Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
Spicy, creamy, satisfying… this soup checks all the marks. Made with both bacon and sausage, this soup is a meat- and flavor-lover’s dream. (Note: Make sure you buy sugar-free versions of both to guarantee they’re Whole30 compliant.) We love that this savory, filling soup packs a whole lot of greens by using an entire bundle of kale and gets subtle creaminess from, you guessed it, coconut milk.
4. Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
This soup is a perfect example of how a small set of ingredients can come together to make something truly extraordinary. Using an entire head of cauliflower and bulb of roasted garlic, this recipe doesn’t skimp on flavor. The rest of the eight-ingredient meal is comprised of spices, stock, onion, and olive oil and can be whipped up in under an hour. Use an immersion blender if you have one on hand, or make sure there’s a vent on your blender top to avoid a soup-plosion.
5. Whole30 Creamy Taco Soup
Who needs a taco shell? This soup has everything you love about tacos but skips the carbs. Made with grass-fed ground beef (turkey and chicken taste great too), bone broth, diced tomatoes, green chilies, coconut milk, and a whopping nine spices, this soup will leave you happy and full. Top with sliced avocado for some extra healthy fats, jalapeños for more spice, and diced red onion for added crunch.
6. Creamy Paleo Chicken Soup With Mushrooms and Kale
We’d never thought to use nutritional yeast in soup, but let us tell you: It is awesome. The Whole30-compliant seasoning gives a savory, cheese-like flavor that balances out the coconut milk and brings out the best of the mushrooms and kale. We love sticking to plain ol’ chicken (we recommend thighs), but the soup also works well with sausage or ground turkey. For a touch of spice, add 1-2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes.
7. Curried Cauliflower Rice Kale Soup
This soup is perfect for days when you’re in need of a serious veg overload. Whether you’re recovering from an overly filling Whole30 meal or simply in the mood to supercharge your veggie intake, this soup is a great way to reset and load up on nutrients. Made with roasted cauliflower, red onion, garlic, carrots, kale, and all kinds of spices, this soup certainly doesn’t skimp on flavor. Make extra, as it freezes well and is great for nights when you can’t muster up the energy to cook something healthy.
8. Chicken Zoodle Soup
If you have the energy to spiralize some squash and chop a few veggies, you can master this zoodle soup. Once the prep work is done, all that’s required is browning the chicken, mixing in the veg and some spices, and letting it simmer in stock. Since zucchini spirals cook so quickly, we recommend dropping them in right before eating as opposed to letting them simmer in the pot. For some unexpected but uber-tasty flavor, add a tablespoon of miso paste to the broth.
9. Thai Meatball and Egg Drop Soup
Egg drop soup is delicious, but it’s best served as a side (due to how light it is). This recipe, however, is packed with protein from the Thai meatballs, giving the traditional egg broth plenty of oomph to make it a main. We love the bright pop of colors from the fresh herbs, chilies, and scallions, and the hint of sweet from the ginger that’s used in both the broth and the meatballs. To save some time, bake the balls the day before.
10. Chicken Avocado Lime Soup
This soup brilliantly cooks the chicken in the broth before it’s shredded, making it moist and flavorful as can be. Spiced with cumin, oregano, and ground coriander, and topped with crunchy radishes, creamy avocados, and tart lime juice, this recipe is a great way to kick a cold (add extra jalapeños), warm up, or wind down after a long day.
11. Roasted Broccoli Soup
This fancy-looking soup is surprisingly simple to put together. Start by roasting broccoli and onions (don’t be afraid to over-crisp them), blend the roasted bits with boiled potatoes, mix in the lemon tahini sauce, top with leftover veg, and let the eating commence. Rich, creamy, just a tad bit spicy… we think it’s safe to say this soup has it all. (Psst, if you’re a garlic lover, double the amount in the recipe—the more, the merrier.)
12. Easy Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Roasted pepper soup can seem intimidating, but with a few tricks, it’s simple as can be. Trick one: Buy a jar of roasted peppers instead of roasting them at home. It saves time and a visit from firemen when the smoke alarm inevitably goes off. Trick two: Make it sneakily creamy with full-fat coconut milk. Trick three: add carrots and onion for added thickness—oh, and nutrients. If you can manage a blender, you can manage this soup, and you’ll be happy you tried.
13. Acorn Squash Soup With Turmeric
Butternut squash soup, pumpkin soup… while delicious, sometimes they can feel a little been there, done that. Change things up by using acorn squash, an equally delicious and creamy squash counterpart. The soup is sweetened with diced apple—for a tarter taste, go with green apple; if you want something sweeter, opt for Gala—and thickened up with onion and carrot. We love the soup as is, but if you’re craving a bit more spice, add a few tablespoons of curry powder.
14. Cauliflower Bacon Soup
Cauliflower soup is an art. A little too much liquid can make it watery, and if the ratio of cauliflower to spices to liquids is the tiniest bit off, the soup can taste bland. This recipe makes things easy by sticking to a relatively small amount of super-flavorful ingredients such as bacon and beef broth. Feel free to up the amount of garlic and grab the largest cauliflower you can find to ensure that thick, glorious texture.
15. Thai Sweet Potato and Carrot Soup
Another secret to super-creamy soup: sweet potatoes. The thick, flavorful flesh is so tasty on its own, you hardly need spices. That said, this recipe gets pretty inventive with red curry paste, ginger, and lime. Skip the chopped peanut topping to keep it Whole30 friendly; opt for scallions if you’re craving a bit of crunch.
16. Paleo Pizza Soup
Pizza soup? Yes, you read that right. Made with chicken sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, marinara sauce, olives, oregano, and other tasty add-ins, this soup truly does feature the best of pizza. (We honestly don’t miss the dough or the cheese.) Feel free to experiment with veggie ingredients—like green bell pepper, red onion, and roasted garlic—and go wild with sausage varieties (as long as they’re sugar-free). Taking only 30 minutes to make, this soup is just about as easy as takeout.
17. Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup
Another soup that’s equally as amazing without its carb counterpart, this tortilla-less soup is so filling you wouldn’t even have room for the crunchy corn. Full of roasted tomatoes, shredded chicken, diced red pepper, and Whole30-compliant taco seasoning, we can say with certainty this soup isn’t missing a thing. Though if you’re craving some crunch, it couldn’t hurt to add some sliced jicama or radish.
18. No-Bean 30-Minute Chili
Sometimes you just want a piping hot bowl of chili—without the beans. This soup delivers on heartiness, spice, and satisfaction. Made with lean ground beef, plenty of peppers and onion, tomato paste, and seven spices, we wouldn’t change a thing. That said, the soup also tastes great with ground chicken or turkey (switch the broth accordingly) and extra chili spice never hurts—if you like spice, that is.
19. Instant Pot Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
If only all recipes were as easy as throwing ingredients into a pot and letting the magic happen on its own… until then, we’ll settle for this superstar soup. Start by seasoning and browning the chicken, add the veg, then the broth, and let the simmering commence. For a creamier soup, substitute coconut milk for the almond milk.
