What Kind of Soup Can I Have on a Daniel Fast?

November 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study on the Daniel Fast published in 2010, participants experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol after 21 days. During this fast, individuals often wonder what kind of soup can I have on a Daniel Fast that fits the strict vegan, whole-foods guidelines. The good news is that many satisfying and flavorful soups are perfectly compliant and simple to prepare.

Quick Summary

The Daniel Fast allows for delicious, plant-based soups made from vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lentils. This guide provides various soup ideas, from hearty lentil to creamy cashew-based chowders, and offers tips for making homemade broth and seasoning without restricted ingredients. It also clarifies common questions about canned soups and creamy textures.

Key Points

Embrace Plant-Based Ingredients: Use compliant vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and healthy oils to form the base of your soups.
Achieve Creaminess Naturally: Use blended cashews, unsweetened nut milk, or pureed starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash to create a creamy texture without dairy.
Favor Homemade Over Canned: While canned goods are allowed if compliant, homemade broths and fresh ingredients offer better flavor and control over additives and sodium levels.
Rely on Herbs and Spices for Flavor: Boost your soup's taste with generous use of garlic, ginger, cumin, thyme, and rosemary instead of relying on forbidden sugars or processed flavorings.
Always Read Food Labels: Scrutinize all store-bought ingredients, including canned tomatoes and vegetable broth, to ensure they contain no added sugar, preservatives, or other restricted items.
Incorporate Whole Grains and Legumes: Add cooked brown rice, quinoa, or various beans and lentils to your soups to increase satiety and provide a complete nutritional profile.

The Daniel Fast is a partial fast based on the biblical book of Daniel, emphasizing a strict vegan diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds while avoiding animal products, processed foods, sweeteners, and leavened bread. Soup is an excellent meal option during the fast, as it can be hearty, nutritious, and easy to prepare in large batches. Below, you will find a variety of Daniel Fast-approved soup options to keep you nourished and satisfied.

Hearty and Filling Legume-Based Soups

Legumes like lentils and beans are staples of the Daniel Fast, providing essential protein and fiber. These ingredients form the basis of many delicious and satisfying soups that will keep you full for hours.

Lentil-Vegetable Soup: A classic choice, this soup combines brown or red lentils with a mix of chopped vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, all simmered in vegetable broth. Season with herbs like thyme, parsley, and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.
Split Pea Soup: Split pea soup is another protein-packed option. Create a compliant version by swapping the traditional ham hock for a hint of liquid smoke to replicate that savory flavor. Use dried split peas, carrots, celery, and onions for a cozy and satisfying meal.
Three-Bean Chili: A hearty, chili-style soup is a fantastic way to incorporate multiple bean varieties, such as kidney, black, and pinto beans. Use a tomato base with plenty of chili powder, cumin, and oregano for a robust and flavorful soup. Add whole grains like cooked brown rice or quinoa for extra substance.
White Bean and Kale Soup: Inspired by Tuscan flavors, this soup features cannellini beans, potatoes, kale, diced tomatoes, and a savory vegetable broth. It’s simple, nutritious, and deeply comforting.

Naturally Creamy and Delicious Soups

While dairy-based cream is forbidden on the fast, you can achieve a wonderfully creamy texture by using plant-based alternatives and blending cooked vegetables.

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup: Roasting squash and sweet potatoes before blending them creates a naturally sweet and rich base. Combine with a small amount of unsweetened almond or cashew milk for extra creaminess and a dash of cinnamon or ginger for warmth.
Creamy Mushroom Soup: For a savory and earthy soup, blend cooked mushrooms, onions, and vegetable broth. The mushrooms provide a rich flavor and the blending process creates a smooth, decadent texture without any added fat.
Vegan Corn Chowder: A surprisingly creamy soup can be made by blending a portion of the soup, which includes potatoes, onions, corn, and a small amount of unsweetened plant-based milk. The starchy potatoes help thicken the soup naturally.

Building Your Soup: Homemade vs. Canned Ingredients

Choosing your ingredients wisely is key to maintaining Daniel Fast compliance. While both canned and homemade ingredients can work, there are some important distinctions to consider.


Feature	Homemade Ingredients	Canned/Store-Bought Ingredients
Compliance	100% compliant if you control all inputs.	Must be read carefully for forbidden ingredients like sugar, preservatives, or non-compliant oils.
Flavor	Richer and more robust flavor profile.	Often contain high levels of sodium, which can dull flavor.
Additives	No chemicals or artificial additives.	Risk of BPA contamination and other preservatives in packaging.
Nutritional Value	Maximum nutrient retention.	Some nutrients may be lost during the canning process.
Convenience	Requires more time for prep and cooking.	Offers a quick and easy shortcut for busy schedules.
Cost	Often more economical, especially for staple items like vegetable broth.	Can be more expensive than cooking from scratch.

Simple Tips for Flavor and Compliance

Make Your Own Broth: To ensure full compliance and maximize flavor, consider making your own vegetable broth from scratch. Simmer a variety of vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and herbs in water. A pre-made, compliant vegetable stock like Kitchen Basics Unsalted Vegetable Stock is also an option, but always check the label.
Use Herbs and Spices Liberally: With no animal products or sweeteners, you must rely on herbs and spices to build depth of flavor. Ingredients like garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves are your best friends.
Don't Overlook Texture: For creaminess, blend a portion of the soup and stir it back in. For heartiness, add whole grains like cooked quinoa or brown rice at the end of cooking. Toasted pepitas or seeds can add a satisfying crunch.
Check All Labels: This is the most critical step for store-bought ingredients. Ensure there is no added sugar, yeast, or processed components. For example, some canned diced tomatoes contain added sugar, and not all spices or seasonings are free of additives.

Example Daniel Fast Compliant Soup: "Hearty Mediterranean Lentil Soup"

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 diced yellow onion, 2 diced carrots, 2 stalks celery (diced), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 cup brown lentils (rinsed), 6 cups compliant vegetable broth, 1 (14.5 oz) can no-sugar-added diced tomatoes, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, a handful of fresh spinach.
Instructions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook until softened (about 5-7 minutes).
2. Stir in garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add the rinsed lentils, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
5. Stir in fresh spinach just before serving and cook until it wilts.

Conclusion

Making soup during the Daniel Fast is not only allowed but also a great way to enjoy nutritious, flavorful, and satisfying meals. By focusing on whole, plant-based ingredients, relying on herbs and spices for flavor, and being mindful of food labels, you can create a wide variety of delicious soups. From thick and creamy blends to chunky, legume-filled recipes, soup can be a nourishing centerpiece of your fasting experience, proving that simple food can also be deeply fulfilling. For more detailed food guidelines and recipes, consider exploring the official Daniel Fast website at https://daniel-fast.com/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but you must read the ingredients label very carefully to ensure there is no added sugar, preservatives, meat broth, or other non-compliant ingredients. It is often safer and more flavorful to make your own.

Yes, as long as the creaminess is achieved with compliant ingredients. You can use blended soaked cashews, unsweetened almond milk, or puree cooked vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, or squash to create a creamy texture.

Yes, you can use a store-bought vegetable broth, but you must check the ingredient list to ensure it is free of sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives. Many fasters prefer making homemade broth to have complete control.

All types of beans and legumes are allowed, including black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans, lentils, and split peas. Canned beans are acceptable if they are rinsed and have no added sugar.

You can thicken soup by pureeing a portion of the cooked vegetables and stirring it back in, adding compliant whole grains like cooked quinoa, or by blending in a small amount of compliant nuts or nut butter.

Yes, all fresh and dried herbs and spices are permitted on the Daniel Fast, though salt should be used sparingly. They are essential for adding depth and flavor to your soups.

Yes, compliant oils such as olive, coconut, or avocado oil can be used minimally for sautéing vegetables, but deep-frying is prohibited. Using a small amount of oil is perfectly acceptable.