300-Calorie Soups, Stews, and Chilis

July 26, 2016
Photo: Squire Fox
Soups, stews, and chilis are a healthy eater's best friend. You can fill bowls with hearty grains, fiber-rich vegetables, lean meats and then pour on a flavorful low-calorie broth. Creamy soups of puréed vegetables are a can't-fail crowd pleaser, too—and they're a great way to sneak in extra vegetable and fruit servings. Every diet begins with watching what you eat. Counting calories is key whether you're maintaining a healthy weight or working to shed a few pounds. Fortunately, there's an easier way to go about the math than tracking down nutritional info and logging every bite: build a strong portfolio of delicious low-calorie meals and let it do the work for you. We'll get you started with this collection of soup, stew, and chili recipes that are short on calories but big on flavor. The only arithmetic you'll be responsible for is subtracting pounds.
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Tahini-Carrot Soup With Pistachios

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Tahini-Carrot Soup With Pistachios

A hint of toasted sesame oil lends depth to this velvety soup. Use real baby carrots, not the whittled-down packaged ones, which are lacking in flavor. Garnish with sautéed carrot strips.

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Wheat Berry "Ribollita"

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Wheat Berry "Ribollita"

Traditional ribollita is a Tuscan specialty made of leftover minestrone warmed up with chunks of bread tossed into it. In this version, wheat berries stand in for bread, bulking up the soup with nutty flavor and pleasant texture. The Parmesan cheese rind that simmers in the broth enriches the whole pot with umami depth. It’s a great technique that’ll convince you to always save your Parmesan rinds, stashing them in the freezer for uses like this. If you don’t have any, check the cheese counter at your local gourmet grocer; you’ll often find rinds for sale there.

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Chicken Chowder

Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Chicken Chowder

A generous splash of light coconut milk enriches this dairy-free chowder, making it creamy while offering a faint sweet flavor that enhances the sweetness of the corn. A spoonful of flour also helps to thicken the broth; for a gluten-free version, you can try substituting 11/2 teaspoons cornstarch (you might need to simmer longer to get it to thicken). If you have leftover chicken or a rotisserie bird on hand, you can always use that instead of starting with raw chicken; you’ll want to use about 2 cups shredded or chopped chicken.

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Vegetable Soup au Pistou

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Vegetable Soup au Pistou

A traditional French pistou is a nut-free pesto, but the spinach pesto (or any refrigerated brand) is delicious here. Don't rinse the canned beans after draining; any remaining starches will help bring the soup together.

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Hearty Tortellini Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Hearty Tortellini Soup

This satisfying main is a great way to reset after a few weeks of meat-centered holiday eating. If freezing, be sure to cool the soup completely before adding the tortellini or they will absorb too much liquid and lose their shape.

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Lemon and Dill Quinoa Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer CaUsey
View Recipe: Lemon and Dill Quinoa Chicken Soup

Cooked quinoa won't swell in the soup overnight liked cooked pasta. Make a day or two ahead, and refrigerate. Serve with Ricotta and Sweet Pea Toasts.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Posole

Think of posole as chili’s brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also another name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish. Starchy, slightly chewy hominy will hold up during the long simmer while the onion and poblano pepper release their flavor into the stock and become tender. Rather than add the tomatillo at the beginning, we stir it in just before serving for a bright, bracing contrast to the stew. Tomatillos have a firm texture similar to unripe or green tomatoes that is also welcome here. If you can’t find tortilla strips, you can use lightly crushed corn tortilla chips.

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Immunity Soup

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Immunity Soup

This recipe yields a big pot of brothy soup that you can make ahead and enjoy for a couple of days; the flavor just gets better over time. You may be wary of the large amount of garlic, but keep in mind that it mellows considerably after being cooked.

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Pumpkin Soup With Almonds and Sage

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Pumpkin Soup With Almonds and Sage

This fast recipe delivers slow-cooked flavor. Pumpkin is one of the few vegetables whose canned version is quite good, saving you lots of time and effort. Just be sure you don't accidentally grab pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.

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Chicken Wonton Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Chicken Wonton Soup
For an easier dumpling shape, fold wrapper in half over filling to form a half-moon; press well to seal edges. Stash a batch in the freezer for a faster, fresher, veggie-packed alternative to takeout.

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Fresh Corn and Potato Soup With Sautéed Shrimp

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Fresh Corn and Potato Soup With Sautéed Shrimp

Sweet fresh corn and butter-sautéed shrimp pair up deliciously in this seasonal soup. After tasting the delicious results of "milking" a fresh corn cob, you'll never shuck and chuck again. We fully tap the flavor of in-season corn with this kernel-to-cob cooking method, infusing our summer soup with a wealth of rich, sweet flavor. 

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Tomato-Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Tomato-Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons

A bit of 1/3-less-fat cream cheese adds rich body to our Tomato-Basil Soup, a fast weeknight meal that boasts three times the protein compared to common store-bought varieties.

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Springy Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Springy Chicken Soup

The torn romaine lettuce wilts just slightly in the soup and has a lighter, fresher, less earthy flavor than heartier greens like spinach or kale. Slice the carrot the same shape and thickness as the leek so you get a balance of both vegetables in every spoonful.

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Salmon Soup With Tomato, Dill, and Garlic

Photo: Hector Sanchez
View Recipe: Salmon Soup With Tomato, Dill, and Garlic

Author Andrea Nguyen and husband Rory O'Brien use fish sauce nearly every day, in traditional Vietnamese and Thai dishes, and as a stealth ingredient in BBQ sauce. "When a Western dish such as chili or boeuf bourguignon needs extra gravitas," Nguyen says, nuoc mam is part of the remedy. Carp is the fish typically used in this traditional Vietnamese soups (known as rieu), but since it is not commonly available at regular markets, Nguyen switched to salmon.

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Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Roasted Red Pepper and Ricotta Soup

To make your satisfying supper hit the table even faster, go ahead and prep this creamy soup through step 1 in the morning. Then, all that's left to do is heat the soup and throw together a salad.

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Chicken-Watercress Wonton Soup

Photo: Christopher Testani
View Recipe: Chicken-Watercress Wonton Soup

Flecked with peppery watercress, these soft chicken dumplings make for a slurpy-good appetizer soup. Be sure to use regular ground chicken (not chicken breast) for the best flavor and texture. For this recipe, you'll be making the nurse's cap dumpling shape. The sauce, all the fillings, and the broth for this soup can be made a day or two ahead of the party. If making dumplings just for you and your family, you can double up and freeze a batch of uncooked dumplings. No need to thaw before cooking—just add an extra minute or two to the cook time.

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Green Pea and Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs and Toast

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Green Pea and Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs and Toast

Light, lovely, and lush, this egg-topped soup is all you need for a well-rounded spring supper.

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Smoky Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Photo: Jen Causey
View Recipe: Smoky Two-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Chili is always a crowd-pleaser that can be loaded with your family's favorite nutritional ingredients. A wee bit of canned chipotle chiles goes a long way in infusing this hearty chili with rich, smoky flavor and a hint of heat.

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Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

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Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Smoky Ham and Split Pea Soup

Potatoes contribute starchiness and silky thickness, while sweet carrots and salty ham balance out the peas' light, earthy flavor. Leftovers fare well in the freezer, so say hello to your new favorite make-ahead soup. Garnish with parsley and additional pepper, if desired.

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Let's Cook Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Once you've made your own veggie-packed pot of chicken noodle soup, you won't go back to the canned, supersalty stuff again.

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Beef Marsala Stew

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Beef Marsala Stew

This is an ideal recipe for the slow cooker, where gentle, prolonged cooking turns tough beef into tender bites. Serve the stew over a mound of Fluffy Mashed Potatoes.

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Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup with Poached Eggs

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Swiss Chard and White Bean Soup with Poached Eggs

This hearty vegetable soup will warm you up from the inside out. Save time by prepping the eggs a day ahead: poach for 2 minutes instead of 3, strain, and refrigerate in cold water. Simmer gently for 1 minute just before serving.

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Summer Minestrone Soup

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Summer Minestrone Soup

Have a bowl tonight, and preserve the season's freshest product by freezing a batch for later. A gentle simmer keeps the vegetables in the soup slightly firm, so they maintain their texture during freezing and reheating.

To Freeze: Cool soup completely. Freeze flat in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag for up to 2 months.
To Thaw: Microwave soup in bag at MEDIUM (50% power) 5 minutes or until pliable
To Reheat: Pour soup into a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, partially covered, 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with pesto and Parmesan cheese.

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Pork, Bean, and Escarole Soup

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork, Bean, and Escarole Soup
This filling soup is Mediterranean inspired. Escarole is less bitter than other members of the endive family, with hearty leaves similar to kale or chard, which you can sub here. Use just the leaves for this soup. Mashing some of the beans lends the broth more body. For even deeper flavor, try sautéing the tomato paste with the onion and garlic, stirring frequently. This lightly caramelizes the pasta and gives the dish greater complexity. A drizzle of top-quality extra-virgin olive oil over each serving would also be a nice touch, enhancing the richness of the soup and adding tantalizing aroma.

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Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

Photo: Christopher Testani
View Recipe: Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

The hands-free wonder of a slow cooker is unmatched. Just toss in a few fresh ingredients in the morning and return to a rich soup with luscious beans and meltingly tender meat at night.

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Green Curry Stew with Potatoes and Cauliflower

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Green Curry Stew with Potatoes and Cauliflower

Layer the vegetables in the pan rather than stirring them in so they steam to the right doneness. Add red pepper for extra kick.

To Freeze: Cool potato mixture to room temperature; seal in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag and lay flat in freezer. Freeze up to 2 months.
To Thaw: Microwave in bag at MEDIUM (50% power) for 4 minutes or until pliable.
To Reheat: Pour stew into a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated (about 15 minutes). Stir in basil. Top with yogurt, and serve with lime wedges.

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Curried Lentil Soup with Yogurt and Cilantro

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Curried Lentil Soup with Yogurt and Cilantro

Look for packaged precooked lentils without salt or fat added. We like Target's Archer Farms brand beluga lentils.

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Five-Bean Chili

Photo: Squire Fox; Styling: Carla Gonzales-Hart
View Recipe: Five-Bean Chili

Here is a make-ahead chili that both meat lovers and vegetarians will love: It packs in all the classic flavors you want and is loaded with beans that give the dish a rich, almost meaty character. Serving this chili the next day lets flavors meld--if the beans soak up a lot of liquid overnight, you can add more vegetable broth or even water to thin out the stew.

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Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Let this simple soup warm you up during the chillier months. You can also use this recipe as a template for other chicken and veggie soups.

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Thai Chicken Soup

Photo: Johnny Autry & Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Thai Chicken Soup

For a quick dinner that's full of distinctive Thai flavor, offer this delicious, comforting soup. You can use kale or spinach in place of bok choy.

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Chicken Gumbo

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Chicken Gumbo

Into the pot go broth, chicken, vegetables, and other fresh ingredients. Out comes pure comfort.

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Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili

If you have pint-sized fans to please, use milder green bell peppers in place of poblanos to make it more kid-friendly.

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Rich Chicken Soup with Fresh Noodles

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Rich Chicken Soup with Fresh Noodles

This soup tastes like it was on Grandma’s stove for hours. Test Kitchen staffer Adam Hickman’s secret weapon: “Salty miso enriches the broth.”

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Loaded Potato Soup

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Loaded Potato Soup

This delicious and comforting soup tastes like it took hours to make, yet is ready to eat in just 20 minutes. Provide a toppings bar of crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, and thinly sliced green onions so family members can pick and choose their favorites.

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