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<div> Soups are routinely included in home-delivery meals for the elderly, making them an effective vehicle for increasing protein intake in this population at risk of malnutrition. Adequate protein and essential amino acids, particularly branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), are critical for preserving muscle mass in this group, prompting this study to examine whether enriching vegetable-based soups could improve their nutritional quality. Five soups (pumpkin, lentil, chickpea, mushroom, and split pea) were fortified by animal-derived proteins (ham, processed cheese called La Vache qui rit, and egg yolk) and an alternative protein source (spirulina). Protein content, free iron, and phytic acid were quantified, and a static in-vitro digestion model adapted to the elderly gastrointestinal tract was applied to assess the effects of enrichment on protein degradation, peptide release, amino acid bioaccessibility, and bioaccessible free iron. Protein content increased in all soups after enrichments, although the magnitude of improvement depended strongly on the soup base. Enrichment consistently enhanced proteolysis, without increasing non-digestible protein. Yolk and spirulina produced the greatest increases in bioaccessible BCAAs, and spirulina-enriched soups showed exceptionally high levels of bioaccessible free iron. In contrast, lentil soup, characterized by its high phytic acid content, exhibited markedly lower iron bioaccessibility, illustrating that inhibitory matrix components can limit the effectiveness of enrichment. These findings underscore the strong moderating role of phytate on nutrient availability, even when highly bioavailable protein sources are added. Overall, the results indicate that combining animal-derived proteins and spirulina with plant-based soup matrices can substantially improve protein quality for older adults, with spirulina and yolk providing the greatest enhancements in essential amino acid release and free-iron bioaccessibility. </div>