7 Immune-Boosting Soup Recipes To Feel Your Best This Season

March 4, 2023

Courtesy of Live Eat Learn

Healthy, immune-boosting soup recipes not only taste good, but are also packed with plenty of good-for-you nutrients. These warming soups are often made with delicious, vitamin-rich ingredients like beans, vegetables, and plenty of herbs and spices, all of which can help keep your immune system in tip-top shape. No matter your age, maintaining a healthy immune system is one of the most important things you can do to fend off colds, flu, and help prevent other serious illnesses.

From soups brimming with plant proteins to others that incorporate garlic and ginger, here are some of our favorite immune-boosting soup recipes that will keep you feeling your best throughout the cold winter months (and beyond).

1. Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Courtesy of Cookie + Kate

Red peppers, tomatoes, and onions come together to create a warming soup that can be served as a main or a side. Red peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C; one medium red pepper impressively contains 253% of the recommended daily value — and this recipe calls for three! Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant, plays a vital role in immune function and may help prevent and treat many ailments, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even the common cold. Enjoyed for lunch or dinner, this is one healthy dish you’ll want to give a permanent spot in your winter recipe rotation.

Try the recipe at Cookie and Kate.

2. Easy Cabbage Soup

Courtesy of A Couple Cooks

Cabbage, which is also high in vitamin C, gets an exciting upgrade in this nutrient-dense soup made using a handful of ingredients. Although it’s vegan (beans, carrots, and fire-roasted tomatoes are also front and center), feel free to experiment by adding shredded chicken breast or tofu for some added protein.

Pro tip: If you can’t find fire-roasted tomatoes (and don’t want to fire up the grill), the recipe developers recommend recreating this flavor by adding a bit of sugar, smoked paprika, and high-quality crushed tomatoes to the broth.

Try the recipe at A Couple Cooks.

3. Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Courtesy of Live Eat Learn

Quinoa, the protein-rich grain that often appears in sides and salads, works great in soups too. This recipe, filled with vegetables, chickpeas, and four cloves of garlic, features a cup of this hearty whole grain.

Quinoa is packed with magnesium, which is especially good for your immune system. According to a 2021 study in The Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association, this nutrient plays a vital role in immune system function, protects the body from oxidative stress, and activates vitamin D.

Enjoyed alone or with a nub of fresh whole wheat bread, this healthy dish is both healing and satisfying.

Try the recipe at Live Eat Learn.

4. Kale Spinach Ginger Miso Soup

Courtesy of Vegan Richa

Green smoothies step aside. This soothing green soup is a great recipe to load up on nutrients. Kale provides high amounts of vitamins C and K, and miso, which is full of probiotics, has been shown to prevent infections. Ginger, which may just be the poster child for immune-supporting ingredients, is also known to be anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative. Light and refreshing, we imagine this simple soup would work great alongside a protein-packed grain salad or a grilled chicken sandwich.

Try the recipe at Vegan Richa.

5. Instant Pot Lentil Soup

Courtesy of Well Plated

Each serving of this easy-to-make lentil soup is packed with 16 grams of fiber, around half the daily recommended intake. A 2019 research study published in the journal Nutrients found that fiber can help protect against chronic diseases, including inflammatory bowel syndrome, colorectal cancer, and cardiovascular disease. This same study found that insoluble fiber can bind to and absorb carcinogens and toxins, preventing illness in the body.

Quick and convenient, this soup recipe is perfect for those who may be low on time. Just throw ingredients, which include green lentils, chopped carrots, and diced tomatoes, into your Instant Pot, and you’ll have a hearty meal in under an hour.

Try the recipe at Well Plated.

6. Turmeric Chicken Soup

Courtesy of Broma Bakery

For years, turmeric has been associated with immune health, and for good reason. Turmeric contains phytonutrients, which support the immune system and decrease inflammation in the body. This soup, which must be simmered, has a couple of teaspoons of this healthy herb. Sweet potatoes, which are high in vitamins C and A, and fiber-rich chickpeas, give it an extra nutrient boost. This recipe uses light coconut milk, but feel free to substitute it with another plant-based milk or broth if you’d like.

Try the recipe at Broma Bakery.

7. Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Garlic Oil

Photo Credit: Margot Foster

Garlic lovers rejoice. This comforting soup, which can be made in just 30 minutes, contains eight cloves of garlic and a hefty drizzle of roasted garlic oil. According to a 2021 study published in Frontiers in Microbiology, garlic has strong antibacterial qualities. It may even protect the body against a range of bacteria, including MDR strains (aka bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics). This soup is also packed with a whole head of cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables, such as cauliflower, have been shown to lower inflammation and positively affect immune system function.

Try the recipe at Clean Plates.