Skip those store-bought instant soup cups loaded with sodium and artificial ingredients and make your own Instant Soup Jars with Protein! Made with real food ingredients, bone broth collagen, packed with protein, and perfect for meal-prep! Customize your own nourishing lunch that’s ready to eat in minutes!
What do you do on a busy day when you want a protein-packed lunch, but you don’t want to eat meat? Well, you can eat something like Moroccan Chickpea burgers, or have a snappy power bowl, but what if you don’t have much time to make the meal?
That’s when meal prep recipes like instant soup come in handy!
Are instant soups healthy?
With a rare exception here and there, most instant soup cups that you buy at the store are NOT at all healthy. They are full of artificial ingredients and food coloring, packed with sodium, and unhealthy starches.
My Make Ahead Instant Soup Jars with Protein are a great option for those who want a healthy meal to go.
So, I bet you’re wondering how to make protein-packed instant soup, am I right? It’s SO easy, thanks to the protein power of collagen found in Vital Proteins bone broths! Their bone broth collagen comes in two flavors; free range chicken bone broth and grass fed beef collagen bone broth!
Bone Broth Benefits
In addition to the nutritional boost that you get from bone broth, there are also healing benefits to bone broth. Bones are packed with collagen, some anti-inflammatory amino acids, minerals, and compounds that help the body heal from injuries.
- Improves digestion. Naturally occurring amino acids in collagen peptides provide a strong line of defense for your stomach.
- Aids joint health. Keep moving! Naturally occurring hyaluronic acid in bone broth, along with collagen, enhance strength and flexibility in joints.
- Enhances bone health. Stay strong with the bone strengthening power of collagen.
Instant Soup ingredients
My 3 favorite versions of Make Ahead Instant Soup are all gluten-free recipes made in a 20-24 ounce mason jar.
Note: To each jar you will add a scoop (or 2 packs around 20-25 grams) of chicken or beef bone broth collagen plus hot water to fill the jar.
Jar 1 – Lasagna Noodle Soup
A low-carb instant soup option!
- Canned tomatoes – With Italian spices or plain.
- Zucchini – Spiralized or julienne-cut into large noodles.
- Spinach – I prefer baby spinach because it’s more tender.
- Herbs and spices – Garlic and onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
- Crumbled cheese – Mozzarella and/or Parmesan. Use nutritional yeast for dairy-free and paleo option.
Jar 2 – Thai Curry Soup
- Cauliflower rice – Swap out the cauliflower rice for cooked white rice if you’d like.
- Shredded carrots – Yellow or orange carrots. If you can find yellow carrots, they tend to be a tad sweeter and have fruitier notes.
- Green onion – And cilantro if you like!
- Lime – Use fresh squeezed lime juice for the best flavor.
- Thai peppers – Add slices of Thai peppers for a spicy soup. Omit if can’t tolerate spicy foods.
- Ginger – Fresh grated ginger root is best, but you can substitute ground.
- Curry paste – Adjust amount for spiciness level.
- Protein – Add in leftover chicken, beef, shrimp, etc.
Jar 3 – Southwest Black Bean Soup
Fiber packed with plant-based protein as well!
- Corn kernels – If using canned, use non-GMO corn and drain first.
- Black beans – If using canned, drain and rinse first
- Veggies – Sliced onion, bell pepper, celery, and cherry tomatoes
- Herbs and spices – garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Jalapeño and fresh cilantro – For garnish.
- Optional protein – Uncured crumbled bacon.
Simple ingredients, layered in a jar and ready to grab and go! Then all you do is add hot water and bone broth collagen when you’re ready to eat.
More of Our Favorite
Healthy Meal Prep Recipes
Make Ahead Instant Soup Jars with Protein (3 recipes)
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings per 1x
Description
These 3 recipes for Make Ahead Instant Soup Jars are made with protein-packed bone broth collagen and other REAL FOOD ingredients. A healthy meal prep idea!
Ingredients
For any of the Instant Soup recipes you will need access to 24 ounces hot water and 25 grams bone broth collagen. See notes.
Lasagna Noodle Soup
- ⅔ cup crushed canned tomatoes with Italian spices or plain
- 1 medium zucchini, spiraled or julienne cut into large noodles
- Handful of spinach leaves and herb of choice
- 2 –3 Tablespoons crumbled cheese (mozzarella and/or parmesan or use nutritional yeast for dairy free & paleo option)
- ¼ teaspoon each – garlic powder, salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, red pepper flakes (optional) and onion powder (optional).
- 20–25 grams chicken or beef bone broth collagen (2 stick packs)
Thai Curry “Rice” Soup
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 1–2 handfuls shredded carrots
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced. Add a few slices to top, for garnish
- 1 /2 cup torn cilantro
- Thai peppers (sliced) on top for extra spice.
- optional 2 teaspoons sugar or honey
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red curry paste or curry powder (the more you use, the spicier)
- Optional add in – diced cooked chicken
- 20–25 grams chicken bone broth (2 stick packs)
Southwest Black Bean Soup
- ½ cup cooked corn kernels (if using canned, use non-GMO and drain first)
- ½ to ⅔ cup cooked black beans (if using canned, drain and rinse first)
- ½ cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- ¼ to ⅓ cup sliced onion
- handful of celery ribs
- handful of bell pepper slices
- ¼ teaspoon each garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
- Jalapeño slices and fresh cilantro for garnish.
- Optional: 2-3 Tablespoons crumbled bacon on top
- 20–25 grams chicken bone broth or beef bone broth collagen ( or 2 to go packs)
Instructions
For any of the Instant Soup recipes:
- Layer all ingredients into a 20-24 oz mason jar.
- When ready to eat, fill jar with hot water to desired level (usually 2 to 2 ½ cups to make it full, depending on mason jar used).
- Mix thoroughly and let the spices and vegetables sit for 1-2 minutes. Enjoy or save for later!
- Don’t have bone broth collagen? See notes.
Notes
- If you are using smaller, 12-16 ounce mason jars, you may only need 12-16 grams of bone broth. Divide the ingredients into 4-6 smaller jars, fill jar with hot water ¾ full before serving.
- Don’t have bone broth collagen? Try using regular veggie or chicken broth versus water. You could also or add in a scoop of regular dissolvable collagen powder for protein.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: soup
- Method: meal prep
- Cuisine: American
How to make instant soup vases with protein is simple and fast. The food is delicious and good for health.
Lindsay I cants seem to find where to get the individual packs of the Vital Bone Broth. I can only find where they sale the large container. Where did you get the individual packs?
I know you can search Vital Protein’s website to find where you can buy specific products at a store near you (https://www.vitalproteins.com/pages/store-locator).
You can also purchase a box of packets off of Amazon! https://amzn.to/2RM9jGY
How do you preserve the soup for the make-ahead portion of the recipe?
These actually lasted about 3 – 5 days in fridge no prob! I used lemon or lime wedges in each.
This is 100% happening in January. We’re traveling literally every week and this is likely the only way I eat something other than airport or hotel food!
You better be traveling here! 🙂
Where did you get those jars?!?!
Amazon! https://amzn.to/2LrngEB
This is such a good idea!! I love homemade soup, and to have it made ahead is brilliant. Nice recipe!
Love how easy these look to make! I can’t wait to try them all!
Who needs Mason Jar salads when you can have Mason Jar soups?! I want to try the Thai cauliflower rice soup–looks absolutely brilliant! I have to try it out sometime!
lol right?! Thank you so much, you’ll have to let me know how they turn out:)
I love make ahead meals! These look perfect!
same here! Thank you <3
Love this for lunch meal prep! Looks so delicious!
THanks friend!
Seriously SO genius!
These are SO SMART and the protein is key!
Super easy! Love these options.
This is brilliant! I am going to try vegan versions of your recipes.
great! Keep me posted Colleen!
Now I know what I’m making for lunch the next few weeks! These look incredible!!
Woohoo! Let me know how they turn out! Thanks Liz <3
I love these!!! Such a great on-the-go meal. Brilliant!
thanks ALyssa!
These look amazing! The addition of bone broth is super smart. So convenient and delicious, can’t wait to try.
Thanks so much Lex! If you make them, let me know how they turn out!
epic idea!!
Thanks so much, Gerry!
I absolutely love this idea, Lindsay! What a great way to have a healthy option waiting and ready to go! Definitely feeling ready to turn the calendar to 2019. 2018 was a little nutty!
Thank you so much, Liz! 😀 And I couldn’t agree more, friend. So excited for new opportunities of growth!
Wow, ALL the soups sound fabulous! And to answer your question for 2019: ready.
right? me too! bring on 19!!!