9 Fat-free Vegan Soup Recipes

Several clinical nutrition studies have shown that choosing a low-calorie soup before a meal will naturally help you consume fewer calories overall while still feeling full, and this can lead to dramatic weight loss. More importantly, studies show that soup can help in keeping the weight off once you've lost it.

Here's a selection of eight fat-free vegan soups which are also low in calories. Choose any one of these as a starter, or even as a light lunch on its own.

See also: What is a vegan?

Recipe: Fat-free Tomato Basil Soup, Served Hot or Cold

Stop by the farmer's market to pick up plenty of tomatoes and fresh basil, and you can have a satisfying tomato basil soup in just a few minutes using this fat-free and vegan recipe.

Get the recipe here: Fat-free vegan minestrone soup

Many minestrone soup recipes call for beans, which add a small amount of naturally occurring fat. This fat-free vegan recipe, however, fills up with plenty of vegetables - including tomato, carrots, celery, green beans and zucchini - so you won't miss the beans. Omit the macaroni if you want this minestrone soup to be gluten-free as well (of course, then it'll be more of a regular vegetable soup rather than a true Italian minestrone). 

Curried Split Pea and Potato Soup Recipe

The flavor from this fat-free and vegan soup recipe comes not from oil or added fat, but from using plenty of celery, onions, and seasonings, and the creaminess comes from pureed potatoes. It's surprisingly filling with a hefty about of fiber and protein, so it's perfect for vegetarians and vegans and it's gluten-free, too.

Need more gluten-free soup ideas? Here's a complete list of gluten-free vegan soups, including bean soups, tomato soups, vegetable soups and more

Recipe: Split Pea and Potato Soup in the Crockpot

Who needs added fat when you can add flavor with bouillon cubes, sage, thyme and bay leaves? This fat-free and vegan split pea soup, made with split peas, potatoes, carrots and celery is filling enough to make a full meal, and completely dairy-free, fat-free and vegan. Omit the bouillon cubes to make it gluten-free, too.

Recipe: Vegan Cream of Asparagus Soup

A creamy soup made from asparagus, potatoes and celery, this vegan cream of asparagus soup recipe uses soy milk, which adds a trivial amount of fat. Want to cut it out completely? Use rice milk instead. With just over 100 calories per serving, this is a nearly fat-free vegan soup you can really fill up on. 

Recipe: Fat-free Indian-spiced Cabbage Soup

This fat-free vegan cabbage soup recipe has absolutely nothing to do with the Cabbage Soup Diet which was extremely trendy in the past, but it is an incredibly delicious soup which will fill you up well. The ingredients are simple: cabbage, vegetable broth, onion and garlic, but the pureed cabbage adds such a richness of flavor that you'll swear it has dairy or added fat. Nope - completely dairy-free, fat-free and vegan. Give it a try.

Recipe: Fat-free Mango Lime Soup Recipe

Mangos are delicious on their own, so it shouldn't be surprising that this fat-free and vegan soup recipe is also incredibly delicious. Made from mangoes, water or vegetable broth, lime, ginger and chipotle powder, this soup is vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free, and it's very close to being a raw vegan recipe, too.

Recipe: Spicy Grapefruit Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a simple chilled Spanish soup that goes well with any meal. Classic gazpacho is made from a base of tomatoes and cucumbers with fresh herbs and balsamic vinegar or spicy peppers for flavor. This version, pictured above, is completely fat-free and made with grapefruit, hot sauce and a bit of lime. 

Most gazpacho recipes include a bit of olive oil for flavor and body, but you can always omit it to make it lower in fat and calories. Like gazpacho? Here's some more low-calorie and low-fat vegan gazpacho recipes to try:

• Red bell pepper gazpacho recipe
• Raw vegan avocado gazpacho soup
• Vegan gazpacho with red wine vinegar and tarragon

Looking for more fat-free and virtually fat-free vegan recipes? Here's 43 fat-free vegan recipes to try, including a fat-free vegetable curry, fat-free vegan salad dressing ideas, and more - all completely egg-free, dairy-free and vegan. 

With the entire internet at your fingertips, you'll never need to buy another cookbook ever again. Here's a few vegan recipe collections to get you started:

• A complete list of tofu recipes from salad dressing to cheesecake
• Vegan Desserts: Cookies, cakes, pies and more
• Most popular vegan recipes
• The complete vegan recipe collection
• 10 easy vegan dinner ideas