Thinking about how to fill up while on a diet? Think about soup.

Soup as a main course is an excellent way to feel satisfied by eating low-calorie vegetables and liquid. Of course, you still have to take care with which soups you select. A 1-cup serving of New England clam chowder can have as many as 17 grams of fat. But not all creamy soups are similar dietary offenders.

There are, however, several techniques for making thick and delicious soups that don’t require serious amounts of fat.

• Consider pureeing cooked beans with some broth or water to make the base of a soup. The results are hearty and flavorful, though admittedly not quite as smooth as a cream-based soup.

• Products such as light sour cream and low-fat yogurt also can be used to get creamy results. They have enough fat to achieve a satisfying richness and add a pleasant, tangy flavor.

• Pureed vegetables do an excellent job of creating smooth textured soups. Winter or summer squash can be roasted (which creates complex flavor by caramelizing the natural sugars in the vegetables), then put through a food mill or pureed in a blender or food processor.