10 Soups & Stews to Make on the Mediterranean Diet
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Soup is good any time of year. But here in Maine, as soon as September comes around, I’m all in! The veggies I’ve been roasting all year long find themselves together in a warm bowl of soup that delivers the ultimate feeling of warmth and comfort that I crave in Autumn.
Making soups and stews is a great way to mix things up while still enjoying all the vegetables that are an important part of a healthy, well-balanced diet (such as with the Mediterranean diet.)
In this blog post, I’m sharing my favorite soups and stews that I recommend making while following the Mediterranean diet
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How You Can Drastically Improve Your Health By Following the Mediterranean Diet
In 2018, I was struggling to make healthy food choices and experienced constant joint pain, brain fog, blood sugar highs and lows, and extreme fatigue every day. These were symptoms that had become a part of my every day and was something that I thought I would always have to live with.
However, I knew there had to be a way for me to feel better, so I started doing research on evidence-based ways of eating that supported long-term health. As one of the healthiest diets in the world, the Mediterranean diet showed up repeatedly in my searches. In 2020, I decided to make the shift toward eating a more Mediterranean-based diet to support my health.
I started applying what I learned by following a Mediterranean-based diet and immediately saw great results!
After implementing a Mediterranean-based diet, I quickly noticed my energy levels drastically improve, I was sleeping SO much better each night, and my skin had become clear and glowing (yay for no more “adult acne!”) and I did all of this in a healthy, balanced way. I was so ecstatic about my results that I put together all my recipes that I had used and developed at this time and started sharing them with others with the hopes that they would feel just as amazing as I was feeling.
Eating a Mediterranean diet restored my physical and mental health.
My goal for you is to experience these same incredible benefits. My 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan is the exact plan I used to improve my health and eat intuitively.
Essential Ingredients for Delicious Soup
Must-Have Kitchen Tools for Soup-Making
10 Soups & Stews to Make on the Mediterranean Diet
Comforting Chicken Soup
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
5 medium-sized carrots, sliced
5 stalks of celery, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
8 cups chicken bone broth
Directions:
In a large pot, add the olive oil and chicken thighs and cook over medium heat.
Cook the chicken thighs for 3 minutes, then flip the thighs and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Add 1 cup of the chicken broth to the pot, then cover the pot with a lid and allow the chicken to cook for 10 more minutes until completely cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pot, shred it with a fork, and set it to the side.
Add the carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and remaining chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, reduce heat and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
Once the vegetables are soft, add the shredded chicken, mix together, then serve.
Winter Italian Minestrone Soup
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground Italian sausage
2 T. olive oil
1 large red onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. oregano
1 T. minced garlic
1 cup diced carrots
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup diced zucchini
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, drained (or 2 lbs. fresh tomatoes, diced)
1 (14.5 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed well
¼ cup dry red wine (I use Prophecy Red Pinot Noir)
6 cups chicken bone broth
2 cups baby spinach
Parmesan cheese to garnish
Directions:
In a large pot, add the Italian sausage and cook over medium heat until cooked through. Use a spatula to crumble up the sausage.
Add the olive oil and red onion to the pot and cook over medium heat until the onion becomes soft.
Add all remaining ingredients except the spinach and bring the soup to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Add the spinach, then stir the soup until the spinach becomes wilted.
Serve with parmesan cheese.
African Peanut & Sweet Potato Soup (Instant Pot & Stovetop Version)
Recipe adapted from Connoisseurus Veg’s African Peanut Soup recipe.
Ingredients:
5 cups chicken bone broth
2 cups diced sweet potato (skin on)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 T. minced garlic
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
6 cups spinach or kale
salt & black pepper to taste
Instant Pot Directions:
Add the chicken broth, diced sweet potato, yellow onion, and minced garlic to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
Once completed, quickly release the pressure, then mix the soup, allowing the sweet potato to break down and make the soup “creamy.”
Add the ground cumin, ginger, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, creamy peanut butter, and tomato paste to the pot and stir until well combined.
Add the spinach or kale and mix until the kale becomes soft or the spinach becomes wilted.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
Stovetop Directions:
In a large pot, add the chicken broth, diced sweet potato, yellow onion, and minced garlic. Bring the soup to a boil and allow to cook on medium-high heat for about 25-30 minutes or until the sweet potato and onion are soft and the sweet potato breaks down a bit, making the soup creamy.
Add the ground cumin, cayenne pepper, creamy peanut butter, and tomato paste to the pot and stir until well combined.
Add the spinach or kale and mix until the kale becomes soft or the spinach becomes wilted.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.
Sausage & Kale Soup (Dairy Free, Gluten Free)
Ingredients:
2 T. olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 T. minced garlic
6 cups chicken bone broth
4 medium yellow potatoes, quartered (about 3 cups)
2 cups kale (stems removed)
8 oz. chicken sausage, cut into coins
1 T. cumin
1 T. coriander
salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large pot, add the olive oil, yellow onion and minced garlic, and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft.
Add the chicken broth and quartered potatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the kale and continue on simmer until the potatoes are soft and have broken down to make a creamy soup.
Add the chicken sausage, salt, pepper, cumin, and coriander and serve.
Roasted Broccoli & Bacon Soup (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Ingredients:
6 cups chopped broccoli (can use frozen broccoli florets)
2-3 T. olive oil
salt & pepper
3-5 cups chicken bone broth (start with 3 cups, then add more to reach the desired consistency)
1 T. minced garlic
6 pieces cooked bacon, crumbled
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the broccoli onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzle olive oil evenly over the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper, then roast for 30 minutes in the oven.
On a second sheet pan, lay down parchment paper and lay out strips of bacon. Place the tray in the oven and bake for about 14 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure it doesn’t finish cooking early. You may also have to add a minute or two (each oven varies slightly.) Once cooked, lay a paper towel down on a plate and transfer the strips of bacon to the plate.
Add the roasted broccoli, 3 cups of the chicken broth, and minced garlic to a large pot and, using an immersion blender, blend until the soup is smooth and creamy. Add more chicken broth if needed to reach the desired consistency. (You can also use a blender to do this step, just be sure to remove the cap from your blender and cover with a towel before blending.)
Mix in the cooked, crumbled bacon and serve.
French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
6 large red onions, cut into thin slices
4 T. ghee (or more as needed)
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
1 T. minced garlic
8 cups beef bone broth
½ cup dry white wine (Chardonnay, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, or Viura)
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 ½ cups Gruyere, Swiss, Gouda, or Mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
Directions:
In a large pot, add the thinly sliced onion, ghee, salt and pepper. Cook the onion on medium heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are soft.
Increase the burner to medium-high heat and cook the onion an additional 20-40 minutes until the onions become caramelized. You may need to add a bit more ghee in this step if the onions start to stick to the pot. Pay careful attention in this step and mix the onions often.
Add the garlic, beef bone broth, dry white wine, and dried thyme to the pot and continue to mix well.
Just before servings, add the cheese to the soup and stir to combine, allowing the cheese to melt just a bit before serving.
Instant Pot Turkey & Pumpkin Chili (No Beans)
Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground turkey
2 cups chicken bone broth
15 oz. canned pure pumpkin
1 yellow onion, diced
2 T. minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, drained
2 T. chili powder
1 ½ T. cocoa powder
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ tsp. cumin
2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Directions:
In the Instant Pot, cook the ground turkey on the sauté setting.
Once the turkey is cooked, add all of the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and pressure cook on high for 16 minutes.
Either allow a slow release or do a quick pressure release once the soup is done cooking, then mix the soup until well combined and serve.
Instant Pot Lentil & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion
1 T. minced garlic
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 ½ cups dried lentils (may use brown, green, yellow, red, or a mix)
2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
4 cups chicken bone broth
Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to the Instant Pot and mix until well combined.
Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, then allow a slow release of pressure once completed.
Mix the soup again, then serve.
One Pot Turkey Chili
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey (can also use ground chicken or beef - try them all!)
1 T. minced garlic
1 yellow onion, diced
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (14.5 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 T. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. Himalayan pink salt
½ tsp. ground black pepper
Whole Greek yogurt or sour cream to garnish
Directions:
In a large pot, brown the turkey over medium heat. Add the garlic and diced onion to allow to cook with the turkey.
Once the turkey is cooked, add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer.
Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Note:
Add chopped scallions or a few Tablespoons of high-quality shredded cheese for a delicious, high-protein meal.
Simple Tomato Basil Soup (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)
Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, diced
1 T. garlic, minced
4 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes (drained)
3 cups chicken bone broth
½ T. coconut sugar (to taste)
½ - 1 T. dried basil (to taste)
1 tsp. Himalayan pink salt (or more to taste)
½ tsp. black pepper (or more to taste)
Directions:
In a large pot, add the ghee or olive oil, diced yellow onion, and minced garlic. Cook on medium heat until the onion is soft.
Add the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Allow to cook for about 20 minutes.
Add the coconut sugar, dried basil, salt and pepper.
Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth, then serve.
Other recipe collections you might like from Beyond the Brambleberry:
15 Easy Salad Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet (That Aren’t Boring!)
10 Easy & Healthy Breakfast Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet
10 Quick & Easy Side Dish Recipes for the Mediterranean Diet
Start Eating Healthy with the Mediterranean Diet
If the Mediterranean diet is very different from how you have been eating, I HIGHLY recommend you follow a meal plan that has already been designed to help you be successful and quickly see results. The 30-Day Mediterranean Meal Plan I created includes everything you need to get started on the Mediterranean diet. It includes over 80 easy and delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks that you can simply follow along to and enjoy all the delicious flavors that come with the Mediterranean diet.
Once I learned how to eat a balanced Mediterranean diet, I quickly saw great results! By having an understanding of what my own body needed each day, I was able to set myself up for success and have maintained this healthy lifestyle for almost 2 years.
I want this for you too! If you are ready to fully benefit from the Mediterranean diet, I urge you to get started with my 30-day meal plan now while it’s the lowest price it will ever be! Click here to get started.
Choosing the right foods makes all the difference in how you feel. Even if you’re not yet ready to go all in, I have something that will help you make a step towards eating healthy and reaping the benefits of a healthy, balanced diet. Download my ebook Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes by using the form below to get instant access to this valuable resource. I have also included a Mediterranean Diet Shopping List to help you get started.
Get Your FREE ebook: Top 10 Must-Try Mediterranean Diet Recipes + A Free Shopping List
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