Farewell to Boring Office Lunches: 4 Cup Soup Recipes to Try

Get ready to upgrade your lunch with a set of simple soups made for preparing meals in advance. These tasty dishes come in mason jars, ideal for taking lunch with you. While store-bought soups are fine sometimes, these recipes, like Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles and Anti-Inflammatory Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup, are filled with healthy vegetables and lean protein that store-bought options often don’t have.

Immune-Supporting Creamy Tomato Soup (Pack It for Lunch!)

This simple soup recipe only needs three ingredients, making it perfect for a quick snack or a healthy lunch. Plus, it’s packed with over 20% of the daily value of vitamins A and C, important for a strong immune system. This recipe makes one serving, but you can easily make more for a convenient lunch on the go.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup no-salt-added canned tomato puree
• ¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon reduced-fat cream cheese

Directions:

1. Whisk together the tomatoes, broth, and cream cheese in a large heatproof mug.
2. Microwave on High, stirring occasionally, until heated through and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Spicy Ramen Noodle Cup Soup Packs 16g Protein

In just 15 minutes, you can make three jars of vegetarian ramen cup soup that you can take with you to work or school. These cup soups not only save time but also give you protein from hard-boiled eggs, keeping you full until your next meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tablespoons reduced-sodium vegetable bouillon paste
• 1 ½ teaspoons white miso
• 1 ½ teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
• 1 ½ teaspoons grated ginger
• ¾ cup shredded carrot
• ¾ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 ½ cups chopped baby spinach
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 1 ½ cups cooked ramen noodles
• 3 tablespoons sliced scallions
• ¾ teaspoon sesame seeds
• 3 cups very hot water, divided

Directions:

1. In each of 3 pint-and-a-half-size canning jars, add 1/2 tablespoon bouillon paste, 1/2 teaspoon miso, 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger.
2. In each jar, layer 1/4 cup carrot, 1/4 cup mushrooms, 1/2 cup spinach, 2 egg halves, and 1/2 cup noodles.
3. Top each with 1 tablespoon scallions and 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds. Close the jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
4. To prepare one jar, add 1 cup of very hot water to it. Close and shake to mix. Microwave uncovered on high for 2 to 3 minutes until hot. Let stand for 5 minutes before eating.

Anti-Inflammatory Eat-the-Rainbow Vegetable Soup [Meal-Prep Friendly]

This colorful and healthy soup recipe is good for you. It has lots of different colorful veggies, like tomatoes, which have lycopene, a natural substance that might help reduce swelling in your body. You prepare the base of the soup ahead of time and keep it in separate containers. When you’re ready to eat, just add the broth and warm it up in the microwave. If you can’t take vegetable broth with you or don’t have a microwave, you can use low-sodium bouillon instead and add hot water.

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup tomato sauce without salt
• 1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped plum tomatoes
• 1 cup packed chopped spinach
• 2 1/4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
• 3 pinches salt, divided

Directions

1. Divide the tomato sauce evenly among 3 (1-pint) canning jars or other microwave-safe containers.
2. Top each jar with 1/2 cup lima beans, and 1/3 cup each of carrots, bell pepper, tomatoes, and spinach.
3. Cover the jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To prepare 1 jar of soup:

1. Add 3/4 cup of broth to the jar.
2. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper, and a pinch of salt.
3. Microwave the jar, uncovered, on High in 1-minute increments, stirring after each, until the soup is hot and the vegetables are tender, for a total of 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Easy Green Tortellini Soup to Balance Blood Sugar [Make Ahead!]

This green tortellini soup is made ahead of time and stored in separate containers for a quick lunch. Place spinach on top of the pesto to keep the tortellini from getting soggy. When you’re ready to eat, just add broth and heat it in the microwave. This recipe is low in saturated fat, which is important for people with health conditions like diabetes. It also has a good amount of carbs to keep your blood sugar levels stable, which means steady energy levels.

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons basil pesto
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups refrigerated spinach-and-cheese tortellini
• 1 cup packed chopped spinach
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup scallions
• 3 cups unsalted vegetable broth, divided

Directions:

1. Divide the pesto and lemon juice evenly among 4 (1-pint) canning jars or microwave-safe containers; mix well.
2. Layer each jar with 1/2 cup tortellini, 1/4 cup spinach, 1/4 cup peas, and 2 tablespoons scallions.
3. Cover the jars and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To prepare 1 jar of soup:

1. Add 3/4 cup of broth to the jar.
2. Microwave the jar, uncovered, on High in 1-minute increments, stirring between each, until the soup is hot and the tortellini is tender, for a total of 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Let it cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Veggie-Packed Peanut Noodle Cup Soup

This peanut noodle soup is filled with crunchy veggies and tofu. We make the base early so the tofu can soak up the flavor. We use precooked noodles to save time, but you can use any leftover noodles too. If the precooked noodles are sticking, soak them in hot water for a bit to loosen them up.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 (7-ounce) package precooked Thai noodles
• 1 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1 cup diagonally sliced snow peas
• 1 (8-ounce) block extra-firm tofu, drained and cubed (1/2-inch), divided
• 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth, divided

Directions

1. Mix peanut butter, tamari, water, garlic, and ginger in a bowl.
2. Divide the mixture into 4 jars.
3. Layer each jar with noodles, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, snow peas, and tofu.
4. Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
5. To make one jar of soup: Add 3/4 cup broth to the jar. Microwave on High in 1-minute increments, stirring between each, until the soup is hot and veggies are tender, about 2 to 3 minutes total. Let cool for 5 minutes.