10 Additions That Make Soup More Filling

Soup is often thought of as a light appetizer, or a dish that needs bulking out with carb-heavy sides to feel substantial enough, but this is far from the truth. When whipping up a batch of homemade soup, you don't have to limit yourself to the standard veggie, meat, and broth combo. If you want to turn your comforting creation into a complete meal, there are plenty of delicious ways to upgrade the brothy base into something altogether more hearty.

While carbs, like starchy veggies and grains, are a natural choice for adding sustenance to soup, other add-ins like protein-rich meats and legumes or rich cheeses also do an excellent job of making each bowlful that bit more filling. These ingredients will make your soup taste incredible, too, introducing new textures and flavors that'll complement the other classic components of a soup beautifully. What's more, most of these extras are super easy to incorporate, keeping your prep fuss-free while helping you craft the ultimate satisfying, nourishing meal. So, this soup season, why not embrace a warming bowl as the main event with one of these game-changing additions?

Potatoes have long been a go-to soup add-in, and there's no denying how seamlessly these humble starchy veggies fit into a warming broth. Packed with essential nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and manganese, they bring plenty of health benefits, all while boosting the carb content to ensure every spoonful is as satisfying as can be. Diced into cubes, potatoes can simply be simmered in the broth with other ingredients of your choice until fork-tender. They're perfect for creating a rustic, chunky texture, or blitzing into the broth for a silky-smooth finish.

With their mild flavor and hearty texture, potatoes are also an incredibly versatile soup enhancer. Spuds and leeks are a classic pairing, and this duo works fantastically when combined into a creamy broth with onion, garlic, and perhaps a generous scattering of shredded Cheddar to finish. Ham and potato soup is another favorite, where the robust, salty taste of the meat perfectly complements the potatoes' soft, starchy bite. Fragrant herbs like rosemary and thyme fit in beautifully here, too. 

Another must-try technique is briefly sautéeing the potatoes in sausage grease before they're simmered with the meat and broth, which infuses heaps of savory depth. Or, if you're in the mood for a chunkier, tangier soup, try tossing them into a veggie-packed minestrone alongside carrots, celery, diced tomatoes, and pasta. Sweet potatoes also work brilliantly here. These vibrant veggies are ideal for blending into a smooth soup with warming spices like cumin and chili powder, to balance their natural sweetness.

Pearl barley is an exceptional addition to soup, bringing a chewy bite and subtle nutty taste that can make a simple brothy base infinitely heartier. It also acts as a natural thickener, releasing starch as it simmers and producing an irresistibly creamy texture. Since this form of barley has had its tough outer husk removed, it requires no soaking prior to cooking, so it only takes around 25 minutes to reach tender perfection, making it a wonderfully convenient choice too.

This grain contrasts especially well with naturally sweet veggies like carrots and squash, as well as tender chunks or shreds of meat. To make a comforting beef and barley soup, try browning off some diced beef chuck before simmering this in the broth with your go-to soup veggies, fresh herbs, and the pearl barley. You can leave everything nice and chunky for the ultimate rustic finish. 

A barley-mushroom soup is also an excellent choice. Consider using a mix of different varieties, such as shiitake, porcini, and oyster mushrooms, sautéeing them until browned before adding them to the soup. Paired with a trusty trio of onion, celery, and carrot, the mushrooms will add a welcome hit of umami-richness to the broth, enhancing the nutty profile of the barley and yielding a perfectly balanced blend of flavors and texture. 

Another reliable grain that'll make any soup significantly more fulfilling is rice. This addition feels undeniably wholesome, with the tender grains soaking up the rich flavors of the broth beautifully. Rice is versatile enough to enhance everything from spicy, tomato-based soups to richer, creamier creations, and there are a few different varieties to choose from here. White rice is great if you're aiming for a mild taste and tender texture, while brown rice provides a nuttier profile and slightly more bite, as well as being higher in fiber. Wild rice, known for its impressive nutrient content, is a particularly flavorful choice that's great for adding complexity to the broth.

When adding rice to soup, you'll need to make some tweaks to your usual recipe. Because the grains absorb liquid during cooking, adding a little extra broth is always a good approach, and you'll likely need to increase the simmering time, too. Brown rice works beautifully in a Mexican-inspired soup with canned beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a medley of bold spices. Wild rice can be a great addition to an Instant Pot soup, especially with mushrooms, garlic, and a good pour of heavy cream. White rice makes an excellent alternative to noodles in a comforting chicken- and veggie-loaded broth.

Carbs certainly aren't the only tool for making soup more filling, and an easy way to add richness to a broth is stirring in some heavy cream. It's an approach we see time and time again, with cream fitting seamlessly into everything from classic chicken or mushroom-based dishes, to tomato, potato, or even celery soup. As well as imparting its signature silkiness, heavy cream thickens the broth and helps to mellow out other spicy or tangy flavors. This add-in is best incorporated towards the end of cooking, to prevent the risk of it splitting and ruining that all-important luscious consistency.

There's plenty of room for creativity here, with cream being just as well-suited to a chunky soup mixture as it is to a smooth bisque. It'll make veggie-forward recipes like broccoli, pea, or spinach soup shine, adding a mouth-watering creamy depth that works to balance the freshness of the greens. Cream is also a top pick for sprucing up seafood soups. Blitzed into a delicate lobster or shrimp bisque, cream adds a touch of luxury that can make each bowlful feel like a restaurant-worthy treat. Spicy, savory meats like Italian sausage or chorizo are another fitting match. Try combining sliced or crumbled sausage with cream in a herby tomato-based broth, and boosting the indulgence further by stirring in a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan.

In the world of pasta, there's an endless array of shapes and sizes to choose from, and each brings its own distinct twist to a steaming pot of homemade soup. Along with the obvious boost of sustenance, pasta offers a moreish chewy texture, and there's no need to cook it separately. Just let it simmer away in the broth until perfectly al dente, and you'll have a well-rounded bowl that feels like a complete meal in itself.

Popular pasta shapes like penne, fusilli, or ditalini will all do the job here, whether you're crafting a herby minestrone or meaty chicken broth. Noodle-like angel hair pasta is an equally delicious option, being an essential ingredient in a classic Mexican-style fideo, where it soaks up the tangy flavors of the tomatoey broth beautifully. Then there's orzo, which, despite looking remarkably rice-like, is in fact a variety of pasta. This is a go-to for adding a delicate, chewy texture to broths without being overly heavy. It's especially wonderful in a lemon-infused chicken soup. 

For a more indulgent approach, you could even go for a stuffed pasta variety, such as tortellini or ravioli. This allows you to match the flavors of the broth to the pasta's filling, perhaps adding ingredients like cheese or spinach into the mix. Alternatively, a lasagna soup is always a winner, made with savory ground beef and a tomato-infused broth, with hearty lasagna sheets simmered right in the pot.

Increasing your soup's protein content will also ensure that every bowl keeps you feeling fuller for longer, and a fantastic way to do this is with sausage. Sliced or diced, the meat can completely transform the overall flavor profile of the soup, loading it with an irresistible savory depth and elevating the texture, too. You can experiment with various varieties here, from smoky kielbasa to tangy chorizo, or even herb-forward crumbled breakfast sausage. An effective technique is to brown the meat in the pot first, allowing it to release some of its flavorful fat and take on a gorgeous caramelized exterior. Then, you can add the broth and other ingredients ready for simmering.

Reach for smoky andouille sausage, and you can create a wonderfully rich soup with just two additional ingredients. Once you've browned the sliced meat, remove it from the pan and briefly sauté some diced potatoes in the leftover sausage grease before topping the pot up with water and letting everything simmer. The sausage can then be returned to the blended soup for a protein-packed finish. Zuppa Toscana is another beloved soup that benefits from the addition of Italian sausage, which works brilliantly with smoky bacon, chunky potatoes, and a robust, white wine-infused broth. Or, if you have kielbasa sausage to hand, this will perfectly complement a creamy soup with veggies like broccoli and carrot, and perhaps some shredded cheese melted in for good measure.

If you're after a lighter, leaner protein source, shredded chicken is the perfect solution. This is great for bulking out a soup without making things too heavy, adding substance that'll leave you feeling fuelled and nourished. It's the perfect way to put leftover cooked meat to good use, and the small shreds allow for even distribution throughout the broth, becoming gloriously juicy as they soak up the rich, savory flavors.

Chicken will shine in pretty much any style of soup, from light, aromatic noodle-filled broths, to indulgent, cheesy bowls and convenient slow cooker recipes. Some notable pairings include cream cheese, canned green chiles, and pinto beans, which come together to create a rather satisfying enchilada-style chicken soup. Or you can whip up a Thai-inspired, coconut milk-infused soup, adding fragrant lemongrass and galangal to brighten up the tender shreds. You could even take inspiration from the classic dinnertime favorite, chicken pot pie, combining the meat with onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes, and serving each creamy bowlful with a freshly baked golden puff pastry sheet.

If you're starting with raw chicken, this can absolutely be marinated and pan-fried before adding it to the soup, to build extra layers of flavor. Try rubbing chicken thighs with a little oil and a selection of your favorite seasonings, such as paprika, garlic powder, and oregano. Then, it can be seared and simmered, before it's removed, shredded, and returned to the pot to serve.

While adding meat is a reliable way to make soup more filling and boost its protein content, there's another completely vegetarian-friendly way to elevate your broth. Beans and lentils are a super simple mix-in, with endless nutritional benefits and the heartiness to match. Coming in convenient canned form, these humble legumes are ready to toss into the pot after a quick drain and rinse, and they're sure to fill every warming spoonful with fiber, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. They're also an economical way to make a homemade batch go further.

To bring out their best, try pairing beans or lentils with an array of vibrant veggies such as carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and spinach. They'll taste incredible with bold, Indian curry spices like cumin, garam masala, and turmeric, if you fancy making a soul-warming lentil dal-inspired soup. Alternatively, they can add body to lighter, refreshing recipes with bright, tangy notes like lemon and tomato. Dried red lentils also make for a hassle-free addition, softening up significantly during simmering and yielding a thick, creamy texture. One fantastic way to use them is in a curried roasted pumpkin soup, with plenty of cosy spices and aromatics. Green and brown lentils, on the other hand, will hold their shape more readily during cooking. In a creamy or cheesy soup, white beans (think navy, cannellini, or great Northern) make fitting additions, while black beans and pinto beans are particularly well-suited to spicier, Tex-Mex-inspired broths.

Cheese makes everything better, right? Soup is no exception. Whether it's scattered on top as an indulgent garnish, or melted into the broth itself, this add-in is a real game-changer. Not only does it build complexity with its salty, nutty, and savory notes, but it elevates the texture too, with melting cheeses being especially good at making everything delightfully gooey and smooth.

Cheddar is a reliable pick here, melting down with ease and adding just the right level of richness and tang to the broth, and a classic way to do so is in a broccoli Cheddar soup. Here, the cheese amps up the comfort factor no end. It's also perfect for scattering over Mexican-style recipes like tortilla soup or enchilada soup, to contrast the spice and bring plenty of visual appeal to your bowl. Cream cheese also provides a seamless blend, and this can be melted into tomato soup to balance acidity, or stirred into a chicken or mushroom soup to create a creamier consistency. Then, there's grated Parmesan, with its deeper, nuttier taste that makes it a particularly great match for Italian-inspired recipes like this ultra-hearty sausage and orzo soup. If spiciness is the goal, try enhancing your soup with a sprinkling of chile-studded pepper jack cheese. This is great for cutting through the heaviness of potato-based soups, or offsetting the natural sweetness of veggies like carrots and butternut squash.

Adorning your soup with a selection of toppings can also help you turn it into a satisfyingly complete meal. To bring some crave-worthy crunch to a bowlful of smooth, blended soup, garnish it with some toasted nuts or seeds. This will make your bowl more texturally interesting and take the presentation to the next level, while giving you an extra dose of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. 

Pumpkin seeds are a natural fit for garnishing fall-inspired soups, such as those made with pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato. Sunflower seeds also offer heaps of crunchy goodness, with their mild taste blending beautifully with all kinds of meats, seafood, legumes, and veggies. In Asian-style soups, sesame seeds are an ideal finisher, introducing a delightfully toasty flavor element that pairs fantastically with aromatics like garlic, ginger, and chili peppers.

Nuts like almonds, pine nuts, and cashews can bring even more richness to soup, and these can easily be toasted beforehand to make them extra flavorful. Just heat the nuts in a dry skillet, or roast them in the oven for around eight minutes until golden and fragrant. Feel free to roughly chop them before sprinkling them over the soup. They'll pair well with other toppers too, such as fresh herbs, crispy onions, or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.