75 Calorie Vegetable Soup

Vegetable soup is one of the easiest things to keep on hand while you are losing weight: a full bowl is around 75 calories, so you can go back for seconds without doing any math. The trick is browning a little tomato paste in the pot first, so plain water turns into a broth that actually tastes like something.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• About 75 calories for a big 2 cup bowl
• No oil and no store-bought broth
• Browned tomato paste and a splash of vinegar give plain water real flavor
• Makes 4 servings, so lunch is sorted for days

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion (about 5 oz / 140 g), diced
• 2 medium carrots (about 4 oz / 120 g), diced
• 3 celery stalks (about 4 oz / 120 g), sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 9 oz / 250 g), diced
• 1 cup (100 g) green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1½ cups (100 g) shredded green cabbage
• 1 medium zucchini (about 7 oz / 200 g), diced
• 6 cups (1.4 liters) water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
• Fresh parsley, for serving (optional)

How to Make It

1. Put the onion, carrots and celery in a large pot with 3 tablespoons of water. Cook over medium heat for 6 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft. Add a splash more water if anything sticks.
2. Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir for 2 minutes, until the paste turns a darker brick red. This is where most of the flavor comes from, so don’t rush it.
3. Pour in the water and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom. Add the tomatoes, green beans, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add the cabbage and zucchini and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more, until everything is tender.
6. Take out the bay leaf and stir in the vinegar. Taste, add more salt if it needs it, and serve hot with parsley on top.

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Tips & Substitutions

Don’t skip the vinegar. One teaspoon at the end makes the pot taste like soup instead of boiled vegetables.

Cut everything small. Pieces about the size of a fingernail cook evenly and fit on a spoon.

Swap the vegetables. Yellow squash, cauliflower, bell pepper or spinach all work. Keep the total amount about the same so the calories stay close.

Want it richer? Use low-sodium vegetable broth for half of the water. It adds about 10 calories per serving.

Make it thicker. Mash a few pieces of carrot against the side of the pot, or blend 1 cup of the soup and stir it back in.

How to Make It More Filling

This soup is mostly vegetables and water, so it fills you up but won’t keep you full for long on its own. Add some protein: a grilled chicken breast, a couple of boiled eggs, or a drained can of white beans stirred into the pot (about 55 calories more per serving). Count those in your total.

Storage

Keep the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It tastes even better on day two, once the flavors have had time to mix. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until hot.

It freezes for up to 3 months, but the zucchini turns soft after thawing. If you plan to freeze a batch, leave the zucchini out and add it fresh when you reheat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh?

Yes. One 14.5 oz (411 g) can of diced tomatoes with the juice works. The broth will be redder and each serving about 10 calories higher.

Why water and not broth?

Store-bought broth adds calories and a lot of salt. Browned tomato paste, a bay leaf and a little vinegar give water enough flavor on their own. If you have broth, use it for half of the water.

Can I add pasta or rice?

Yes, but it adds up fast. ¼ cup of dry small pasta in the whole pot adds about 45 calories per serving. Stir it in with the zucchini so it cooks in the last 10 minutes.

How can I make it more filling without many calories?

Add more cabbage or green beans, or a big handful of spinach at the end. They add volume for very few calories.

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Illustrative image. Individual results may vary.