January is peak soup season. It’s cold, it’s dark by dinnertime, and after the holidays, most of us want something warm and filling that doesn’t wreck our healthy-eating goals. That’s where a big pot of high-protein soup comes in.

These 17 cozy, high-protein soups and stews are built for big-batch meal prep. Make one pot on Sunday, portion it into containers, and you’ve got lunches or dinners covered all week. You’ll find creamy chicken soups with dairy-free and keto swaps, lean turkey chilis, sausage and greens soups, hearty slow cooker broths, and classic beef stew.

Every recipe is packed with chicken, turkey, sausage, beef, beans, or lentils, so you stay full long after the bowl is empty.

Why High-Protein Soup Is Perfect for Meal Prep

  • It keeps you full. Protein from chicken, turkey, beef, beans, and lentils turns a bowl of soup into a satisfying meal.
  • It gets better overnight. Most soups and stews taste even better on day two, once the flavors have had time to meld.
  • It’s easy to scale. Doubling a soup recipe barely adds any work.
  • It freezes well. Broth-based soups and chilis freeze beautifully, so you can stock the freezer for busy weeks.
  • It’s hands-off. Many of these are made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, so dinner mostly takes care of itself.

Creamy Chicken Soups (With Dairy-Free & Keto Swaps)

1. Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken Soup

Copycat Jason's Deli Tomato Soup Copycat Jason's Deli Tomato Soup Craving that rich, velvety tomato soup from Jason's Deli? This homemade version captures all the creamy, comforting flavors of the original with just a handful of simple ingredients. It's perfect for pairing with a grilled cheese on a cozy weeknight. View Recipe → 2. Red Lobster Bacon Potato Soup Copycat Red Lobster Bacon Potato Soup Copycat All the rich, comforting flavors of Red Lobster's beloved bacon potato soup — right from your own kitchen. Tender potatoes, savory bacon, and a velvety cheesy broth come together in this easy copycat recipe that the whole family will devour. Pure comfort in a bowl! View Recipe → 3. Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken Noodle Soup Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken Noodle Soup Recreate the cozy, homestyle flavors of Cracker Barrel with this spot-on chicken noodle soup. Packed with tender chicken, hearty noodles, and a rich, deeply savory broth, it tastes like it simmered on the stove all day. It's the perfect remedy for a chilly evening! View Recipe → 4. Instant Pot Panera Baked Potato Soup Instant Pot Panera Baked Potato Soup Craving the creamy comfort of Panera's famous baked potato soup? This Instant Pot version delivers all those delicious flavors — tender potatoes, crispy bacon, and melty cheese — in a fraction of the time. It's the ultimate cozy night at home, no restaurant required. View Recipe → 5. Trader Joe's Famous Wonton Soup Trader Joe's Famous Wonton Soup Grab a bag of those Trader Joe's wontons and let's make something amazing. A savory, ginger-kissed broth with garlic and a splash of soy sauce transforms store-bought dumplings into a restaurant-worthy bowl of soup. Quick, satisfying, and absolutely delicious! View Recipe →
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All the creamy comfort of a classic chicken soup, without any dairy. Tender chicken and vegetables simmer in a rich, creamy plant-based base. This is the one to make if you’re avoiding dairy but still crave something velvety.

Get the recipe: Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken Soup

2. Instant Pot Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

Secrets Aura Cozumel

Naturally creamy with no dairy at all. Eggs whisked with lemon juice and tempered with hot broth give this soup its silky body and fresh, tangy finish. It’s ready in about 35 minutes. Keto swap: leave out the rice or stir in cauliflower rice at the end for a lighter, lower-carb bowl.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

3. Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Tender shredded chicken, nutty wild rice, and soft vegetables in a rich, velvety broth. Everything goes into the slow cooker at once, and it freezes well, so double the batch. Shortcut: use rotisserie chicken to cut the cook time in half.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

4. Carrabba’s Spicy Sicilian Chicken Soup (Copycat)

A copycat of Mama Mandola’s Chicken Soup that’s bold, comforting, and just spicy enough. Tender shredded chicken, vegetables, and ditalini pasta simmer in a flavorful, spicy broth. It freezes well, so it’s perfect for stocking up. Meal prep tip: store the pasta separately so it doesn’t soak up all the broth.

Get the recipe: Carrabba’s Spicy Sicilian Chicken Soup

5. Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

A hearty, mildly spicy soup packed with chicken thighs, beans, corn, tomatoes, and green chiles. It cooks in about 15 minutes in the Instant Pot. Top with cheese, avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup

Lean Turkey Soups & Chilis

6. Slow Cooker Turkey White Bean Chili

The lightest chili around. Lean ground turkey and creamy white beans simmer with green chiles and salsa verde into a protein-packed bowl that freezes beautifully for meal prep.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Turkey White Bean Chili

7. Panera Turkey Chili (Copycat)

Chili No Beans

Lean ground turkey, beans, tomatoes, and a savory spice blend make this a hearty, healthier alternative to traditional beef chili. It tastes just like the cafe version.

Get the recipe: Panera Turkey Chili

8. Instant Pot Olive Garden Minestrone Soup (Add Turkey!)

A vegetable-loaded copycat with two kinds of beans, spinach, and small pasta in a rich tomato broth. High-protein upgrade: brown ground turkey or Italian sausage on the sauté setting before the onions, then continue with the recipe as written.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Sausage & Greens Soups

9. Instant Pot Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup (Copycat)

Savory Italian sausage plus protein-packed lentils make this one of the most filling soups on the list. Lentil soups thicken and deepen in flavor overnight, which makes this a perfect meal prep pick. Stir in a few handfuls of kale or spinach at the end for extra greens.

Get the recipe: Instant Pot Carrabba’s Sausage Lentil Soup

10. Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup (Ina Garten-Inspired)

Chicken meatballs, tiny orzo, and baby spinach in a rich chicken broth, finished with fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon. Brown the meatballs, load the crock, and about six hours later dinner is ready.

Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Italian Wedding Soup

11. Copycat Crockpot Jason’s Deli Chicken Chili

A double-protein bowl with chicken and black beans, plus corn, green chilies, and cream cheese. Everything goes in the crockpot, and the chicken shreds right in the pot. Top with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for an extra protein boost.

Get the recipe: Copycat Crockpot Jason’s Deli Chicken Chili

Hearty Beef Soups & Stews

12. Copycat Cracker Barrel Beef Stew

Copycat Panera Bread beef stew with tender beef, carrots, and potatoes in a rich broth, served in a bowl with crusty bread

Fork-tender chuck roast, potatoes, and carrots in a thick, thyme-scented gravy. The recipe includes stovetop, Instant Pot, and slow cooker directions. For the slow cooker, sear the beef first, then cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.

Get the recipe: Copycat Cracker Barrel Beef Stew

13. Dinty Moore Beef Stew (Copycat)

Easy Copycat Jason Deli Beef Stew Recipe

Old-school comfort in a bowl. Tender beef, soft potatoes, and carrots cook in a rich, savory gravy. It works on the stovetop, in the slow cooker, or in the Instant Pot.

Get the recipe: Dinty Moore Beef Stew

14. Easy Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup (Culver’s Copycat)

All the flavor of stuffed peppers in a bowl. Browned ground beef, bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, and beef broth cook low and slow. Keto swap: skip the rice and add extra vegetables like zucchini or cauliflower.

Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

Hearty Slow Cooker Broths

15. Easy Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup

The ultimate dump-and-go soup. Frozen meatballs go straight into the slow cooker with potatoes, carrots, green beans, and a savory tomato broth, with no thawing or browning needed.

Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Meatball Vegetable Soup

16. Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Chicken breasts, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, broth, and thyme simmer all day. Shred the chicken, add the dumplings, and let them steam until fluffy. It’s cozy comfort food with a solid serving of chicken in every bowl.

Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

17. Easy Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup

The chicken poaches all day in the broth, so it shreds tender and flavors every spoonful. Mix and chill the matzo ball dough while the soup cooks, then drop the balls in for the final 30 minutes.

Get the recipe: Easy Slow Cooker Matzo Ball Soup

Easy Dairy-Free & Keto Soup Swaps

  • Skip the cream. Use the egg-lemon method from the avgolemono, or a dairy-free base like the Dairy-Free Creamy Chicken Soup.
  • Swap the starch. Replace rice, pasta, or potatoes with cauliflower rice, zucchini, or extra vegetables to lower the carbs.
  • Add protein, not filler. Brown extra ground turkey or sausage into vegetable-heavy soups like minestrone.
  • Top smart. Greek yogurt instead of sour cream adds protein; avocado and cheese keep it keto-friendly.

How to Meal Prep Soup for the Week

  1. Cook one big batch on Sunday. Pick one chicken soup and one chili or stew for variety.
  2. Cool it quickly. Divide hot soup into shallow containers so it cools faster before refrigerating.
  3. Store noodles and rice separately. Pasta, rice, and dumplings soak up broth, so keep them on the side if you’re prepping ahead.
  4. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Most soups, chilis, and stews keep well in the fridge for this long.
  5. Freeze the rest. Ladle cooled soup into freezer bags, lay them flat to freeze, then stack them like books.
  6. Reheat gently. Warm soups on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if they’ve thickened.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which soups freeze best? Broth-based soups, chilis, and lentil soups freeze best. Soups with cream, potatoes, or pasta can change texture, so add cream or noodles fresh when reheating if you can.

How can I make soup higher in protein? Add more meat per serving, stir in a can of beans or lentils, top with Greek yogurt or cheese, and choose broth-based soups loaded with chicken, turkey, or beef.

Can I make Instant Pot soups in a slow cooker? Usually, yes. Brown any meat and sauté the aromatics first, add everything except dairy and pasta, and cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours. Stir in cream, cheese, and cooked pasta at the end.

How long does homemade soup last in the fridge? Most homemade soups keep 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What’s the best soup for a keto diet? The Greek Lemon Chicken Soup without rice and the Stuffed Pepper Soup without rice are easy keto-friendly options from this list.

Make a Pot This Weekend

One big pot of soup on Sunday means warm, filling, high-protein meals all week long. Pick a chicken soup and a chili or stew from this list, and you’re set for January. Pin this post for your next meal prep day, and tag @forktospoon when you make one.