Every healthy kitchen needs a proper chunky vegetable soup, and this is mine. A big-batch, throw-it-all-in soup loaded with beans and vegetables that comes in around 170 calories a bowl with a brilliant 9g of fibre. It is cheap, endlessly flexible, and exactly the kind of no-nonsense lunch that keeps a GLP-1 journey ticking along without any fuss.
A quick word first: I am not a doctor or a dietitian, just someone who lived this. None of these foods or supplements are medication, and if you are on a GLP-1, check anything new with your GP or pharmacist. Right, let us get to it.
For why fibre is so important when you are eating less, see fibre on GLP-1, and for the whole approach, my complete GLP-1 guide.
Why a chunky veg soup is a GLP-1 staple
This is the workhorse of my lunch rotation, and it earns that spot.
Beans make it filling and add protein. Unlike a blended soup, this chunky version has beans in it, which bring protein and fibre and make it genuinely satisfying rather than just warm water.
9g of fibre a bowl. Between the beans and the pile of vegetables, this is one of the highest-fibre lunches you can make, which your GLP-1 digestion will thank you for.
It is cheap and flexible. Use whatever veg needs using up. It is a brilliant way to cut food waste and eat well on a budget at the same time.
The recipe that uses up everything
One of the quiet wins of eating well is wasting less food, and this soup is the ultimate use-it-up recipe. That slightly sad carrot, the half a courgette, the celery going bendy in the drawer — it all goes in. I genuinely never make it exactly the same way twice, because it depends on what needs using up that week. That flexibility is a feature, not a bug.
It also means I always have the ingredients for a healthy lunch, because the recipe bends to whatever is in. On a GLP-1, never being more than a few minutes from a genuinely good meal is what keeps you out of the drive-through, and a soup that adapts to your fridge does exactly that. It is humble, but it is one of the most useful things I make.
The macros that matter
Here is roughly what one serving gives you. Treat these as a guide rather than gospel, since it depends on your exact ingredients and portions:
| Approx per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~170 kcal |
| Protein | 7g |
| Carbohydrate | 28g |
| Fat | 4g |
| Fibre | 9g |
The protein figure is the one I watch on a GLP-1. As a rough guide I aim for somewhere around 1.2 to 1.6g of protein per kilo of body weight across the day to protect muscle while losing fat, and I judge every meal by how much of that it contributes. I log meals like this in Cronometer (it is free) so I know I am actually hitting my targets rather than hoping. The first time I tracked properly I realised I was eating far less protein than I thought, so if you have never done it, give it two weeks.
What you need (serves 1)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 1 courgette, diced
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tin mixed beans or cannellini beans, drained
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 700ml vegetable stock
- Salt and black pepper
- A handful of fresh parsley to finish
How to make it
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot and soften the onion, carrots and celery for 5–6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and mixed herbs and cook for another minute.
- Add the courgette, chopped tomatoes, beans and vegetable stock.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 20–25 minutes until all the vegetables are tender.
- Season well to taste — a chunky soup like this needs decent seasoning.
- Leave it chunky, or blend half for a thicker texture while keeping some bite.
- Serve scattered with fresh parsley.
Pushing the protein higher
At 7g the beans give this a solid base, and it is easy to build on:
Double the beans. The simplest way to make it a proper protein-and-fibre meal — add two tins instead of one.
Add leftover chicken. Shredded cooked chicken stirred in near the end turns it into a hearty, high-protein bowl.
Top with cheese or serve with a protein side. A little grated cheese or a boiled egg alongside works well. See how much protein per day for targets.
Why chunky beats blended when you want to feel full
There is a real difference between how full a smooth blended soup leaves you and how full a chunky one does. Chewing matters — a soup you actually have to eat with a spoon and work through registers as a proper meal in a way that a smooth one you can drink sometimes does not. On a GLP-1, where you are eating less overall, that sense of having had a real meal is genuinely useful. The beans and chunks of veg here give you texture and substance, so this fills you up and keeps you satisfied far longer than a thin, smooth soup of the same calories. When feeling full is the goal, chunky wins.
The ultimate batch-cook
This is the batch-cook soup by which all others are judged. It scales up brilliantly, freezes perfectly and, if anything, tastes better the next day once the flavours have settled. I make a huge pot, eat it for a couple of days and freeze the rest in portions. It is the cornerstone of my meal prep ideas for Mounjaro and the reason I always have a healthy lunch to hand.
How it fits a full day of eating
With beans in, this is a more substantial lunch than a blended soup, and if I double the beans or add chicken it is genuinely a balanced meal. On the days I keep it lighter, I lean on a protein-solid breakfast from my high-protein breakfasts and a proper high-protein dinner to hit my protein.
Either way it keeps me full and out of trouble through the afternoon, with a protein shake as a backstop if needed. The GLP-1 principle holds: aim for your protein across the whole day, and let a hearty, high-fibre soup do the job of keeping you satisfied. My complete GLP-1 guide ties it together.
No appetite today?
Even on a poor-appetite day, a small bowl of this is manageable and gets real nourishment in — fibre, veg and some protein from the beans. When cooking is off entirely, HelloFresh keeps proper meals coming so you never have to skip. More in what to eat with no appetite.
Supplements that pair well
This is a fibre powerhouse, so a probiotic like Pre + Pro 15 pairs naturally, and if you are building fibre up, do it gradually with plenty of water — my constipation on GLP-1 guide explains why. I also take a daily Super Supplemental as insurance. The free Lily & Loaf lifestyle analysis matches a routine to your goals.
Frequently asked questions
What vegetables work best in this soup?
Almost anything — carrots, celery, courgette, leeks, peppers, spinach, whatever needs using up. That flexibility is the whole point; it is a use-it-up recipe.
How do I make it a complete high-protein meal?
Double the beans, stir in leftover chicken, or serve with a protein side. Beans are the easiest way to boost both protein and fibre at once.
Does it really have 9g of fibre?
Roughly, yes — between the beans and the pile of veg it is genuinely high in fibre, which is a real bonus for GLP-1 digestion. Build up gradually if your fibre intake has been low.
Is this good for batch cooking?
It is the best of the lot — it scales up, freezes perfectly and tastes even better the next day. Make a huge pot and portion it.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes — soften the onion, carrot and celery first if you can, then everything goes in the slow cooker for a few hours. Add quicker veg like courgette later so it does not turn to mush.
The bottom line
Very vegetable soup is the no-nonsense workhorse every GLP-1 kitchen needs — cheap, endlessly flexible, 9g of fibre a bowl and just 170 calories, with beans making it genuinely filling. Double the beans or add chicken for a complete meal, batch-cook a huge pot, and you will always have a healthy lunch to hand. To find the supplements worth adding around a routine like this, the free Lily & Loaf lifestyle analysis is the sensible place to begin.
The tools I lean on
If you are putting a GLP-1 routine together, this is the order I would do it in, free tools first:
- Track a fortnight of food in Cronometer so you can see your real protein and calories.
- Take the free Lily & Loaf lifestyle analysis to find the supplements actually worth buying.
- Start an Audible trial for something to listen to while you cook or walk.
- Keep HelloFresh on standby for the weeks cooking from scratch just is not happening.
A bit about me
I am Alan Spicer. I lost around seven stone on Mounjaro and filmed the whole thing, warts and all, on my YouTube channel. Simple, protein-first lunches like this were a real part of how I held onto muscle and kept the weight off.
This article shares my personal experience and general information only. It is not medical advice. Food and supplements support a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and do not replace it or any treatment prescribed by your doctor. Speak to your GP or pharmacist before making changes, especially while on a GLP-1 medication. Nutrition figures are approximate and will vary with the exact ingredients and brands you use.
Inspired by the kind of fresh, wholefood lunches in the Lily & Loaf lunches collection. This is my own version, written from my own kitchen.
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