Macaroni Salad vs Vegetable Soup

Per 100 g, Macaroni Salad has 262 kcal and 5 g protein, while Vegetable Soup has 55 kcal and 2.2 g protein.

Macaroni Salad

262
kcal per 100 g
5 g protein

Vegetable Soup

55
kcal per 100 g
2.2 g protein

Nutrition compared, per 100 g

Both foods are shown per 100 g so the numbers are directly comparable. A single serving of each is a different size, so serving-for-serving figures would not tell you much.

Nutrient Macaroni Salad Vegetable Soup Difference
Calories Fewer calories for the same weight 262 kcal 55 kcal better 79%
Protein More protein helps with fullness and muscle 5 g better 2.2 g 56%
Carbs Lower carbs suits low-carb and diabetic diets 21.6 g 7.6 g better 65%
Fat Lower fat means lower calorie density 17.8 g 1.6 g better 91%
Fiber More fibre improves fullness and digestion 0.5 g 3 g better 83%
Sugar Less sugar means a gentler blood-sugar response 3.7 g 1.6 g better 57%
"Better" marks the more favourable value for a general healthy-eating goal, not a judgement about the food overall. Differences under 5% are treated as equivalent.

Which is better for weight loss?

Vegetable Soup

Vegetable Soup is the lighter choice at 55 kcal per 100 g against 262 for Macaroni Salad — about 79% fewer calories for the same weight on your plate. That does not make Macaroni Salad a bad food; it means the portion has to be smaller to fit the same calorie budget.

Which is better for muscle gain?

Macaroni Salad

Macaroni Salad is the stronger protein source, with 5 g per 100 g against 2.2 g for Vegetable Soup. To match that from Vegetable Soup you would have to eat roughly 2.3 times the volume, which is usually the limiting factor when you are trying to hit a protein target. Worth noting the trade-off: Vegetable Soup is more efficient per calorie (4 g of protein per 100 kcal against 1.9 g), so it is the better pick if you are also holding calories down.

Macaroni Salad vs Vegetable Soup — common questions

Macaroni Salad has more calories — about 262 kcal per 100 g compared with 55 kcal for Vegetable Soup.

Macaroni Salad has more protein — 5 g per 100 g against 2.2 g for Vegetable Soup.

Vegetable Soup is the lighter choice at 55 kcal per 100 g against 262 for Macaroni Salad — about 79% fewer calories for the same weight on your plate. That does not make Macaroni Salad a bad food; it means the portion has to be smaller to fit the same calorie budget.

Macaroni Salad is the stronger protein source, with 5 g per 100 g against 2.2 g for Vegetable Soup. To match that from Vegetable Soup you would have to eat roughly 2.3 times the volume, which is usually the limiting factor when you are trying to hit a protein target. Worth noting the trade-off: Vegetable Soup is more efficient per calorie (4 g of protein per 100 kcal against 1.9 g), so it is the better pick if you are also holding calories down.

Yes. Combining them gives roughly 317 kcal and 7.2 g protein per 100 g of each. Indian meals are usually built from pairs like this, and mixing a grain with a protein source generally makes for a better-balanced plate than either on its own.

For most everyday goals Vegetable Soup has the edge, mainly on calorie density. Per 100 g, Macaroni Salad has 262 kcal and 5 g protein, while Vegetable Soup has 55 kcal and 2.2 g protein. Healthy eating depends far more on total daily intake and portion size than on picking one of these two.
Full Macaroni Salad nutrition & serving sizes
Full Vegetable Soup nutrition & serving sizes

Data source: nutrition values are drawn from the Indian Nutrient Databank (INDB), Vijayakumar et al., Curr Dev Nutr 2024;8(7):103790, used under CC BY 4.0, and derived from the ICMR-NIN Indian Food Composition Tables. Values vary with recipe, oil used and regional style.

General information only, not medical advice. See our disclaimer.