Soup season is my favorite season. A big pot of soup is one of the most affordable ways to feed a household, but even more importantly, it’s satisfying, it reheats beautifully, and most of it freezes, so one afternoon of cooking can turn into lunches for weeks.

These are all the low-carb soup recipes on Practical Plate in one place, plus stews and chilis. Some are on the table in under 20 minutes. Others simmer for a couple of hours while you do something else. I’ve listed total carbs and cost per serving wherever I’ve measured them, and every carb count lists total carbs, not net.

Quick low-carb soup recipes (35 minutes or less)

1. Creamy garlicky chicken and veggie soup

A single creamy bowl in about 17 minutes, made with precooked chicken and frozen vegetables. It’s the one I make when I’m cooking for one and want something warm without a whole pot of leftovers. It works with leftover rotisserie chicken or turkey, too.

Get the creamy garlicky soup recipe

2. Chicken pot pie soup

Everything you love about pot pie, minus the carby crust and the potatoes. Tender chicken, peas and carrots, and a creamy broth built on homemade stock, all in about 30 minutes because there’s no raw meat to cook. It’s 12g total carbs a bowl, so there’s room for potatoes if you prefer, and about $1.65 a serving as part of my free 3-day plan.

Get the chicken pot pie soup recipe

3. Lemony Mediterranean chicken meatball soup

My “I don’t want to cook” soup: five ingredients, one pot, about 30 minutes. Meatballs and grilled vegetables heat through in broth, then a squeeze of lemon at the end wakes the whole thing up. It’s 11g total carbs a bowl and about $4.17 a serving.

Get the lemony meatball soup recipe

4. Broccoli zuppa Toscana

My low-carb take on Zuppa Toscana keeps the Italian sausage and the creamy broth, swaps the kale for broccoli, and trades most of the potato for just a touch of sweet potato. It’s done in about 30 minutes and comes in at 15g total carbs a serving.

Get the broccoli zuppa Toscana recipe

5. Seafood bisque

Rich enough to feel special, simple enough for a weeknight. Smoky bacon, seafood stock, cream cheese, and sour cream make a thick, velvety base without a roux, and the seafood goes in at the end so it stays tender. Use whatever seafood you can find.

Get the seafood bisque recipe

6. The easiest broccoli cheese soup

Six ingredients, one pot, about 35 minutes, and the only real prep is chopping the bacon. A pantry shortcut does all the thickening and seasoning at once. It’s 10g total carbs and 33g of protein a bowl.

Get the easiest broccoli cheese soup recipe

7. Easy shrimp chowder

A creamy chowder with a blended base instead of flour or potato. It takes about 35 minutes, tastes like it simmered far longer, and costs about $3.88 a serving.

Get the shrimp chowder recipe

Low-carb soups and stews worth the simmer

8. Broccoli cheddar soup

The from-scratch version. Blended broccoli stalks thicken it instead of flour, and the sharp cheddar goes in slowly at the end so it melts smooth instead of turning grainy. It takes about 55 minutes and makes 4 servings.

Get the broccoli cheddar soup recipe

9. Mild no-bean chili

The classic, keep-it-simple chili: beef, taco-seasoned turkey, and fire-roasted tomatoes simmered until it’s thick enough to coat a spoon. The seasoned turkey is the shortcut that keeps it flavorful and affordable, at about $1.94 a serving for 6 servings.

Get the mild no-bean chili recipe

10. Hidden veggie no-bean chili

The cozier cousin. Half a can of pumpkin melts into the base, making it thick and velvety without beans. As the pumpkin cooks, it adds just a touch of sweetness. Not too much, just enough. It’s mild enough for kids, takes heat well if you want it, and comes in at about 14g total carbs a bowl.

Not everyone at your table eating low-carb? No need to cook two dinners. You can make the chili as written, then let the carb-lovers doctor up their own bowls with noodles, rice, crackers, or bread. You stay on track, they stay happy, and nobody’s washing a second pot.

Get the hidden veggie chili recipe

11. Hearty beef stew

Well-browned beef, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and a rich tomato-broth base, thickened by slow simmering instead of flour. It takes about 2¾ hours, most of it hands-off, and costs about $2.63 a serving. If you’ve ever wondered why stew meat goes from tough to tender, here’s the scientific explanation.

Get the hearty beef stew recipe

Tips for low-carb soup season

• Make your own stock. The inedible parts from a rotisserie chicken or a holiday turkey make rich stock for free. I explain how I make stock from inedible parts in this article.
• Or use boxed stock. Yes, I literally just told you to make your own. I contain multitudes. 😂 Boxed stock or broth is completely fine if you don’t want to make your own, didn’t plan ahead, or just don’t feel like spending the time and effort. A good store-bought stock still makes a great pot of soup.
• Thicken without flour. Blended vegetables, cream cheese, and a long simmer all work. Here’s my guide to low-carb thickeners.
• Freeze in portions. Most of these freeze well, and smaller portions are easier to actually use. Here are my low-waste ways to freeze soups and broth.
• Add dairy at the end, off high heat. It’s the easiest way to keep creamy soups smooth. Here’s why cheese sauce sometimes gets grainy and how to avoid it.

More low-carb comfort food

Want soup to be part of a whole plan? My free 3-day low-carb kickstart includes the chicken pot pie soup, and my guide to eating low-carb on a budget shows how one grocery run can stretch across a whole week.