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

March 2, 2024

Courtesy of Live Eat Learn

It’s that weird time of year — not quite spring, winter on the way out — when our immune systems can be challenged by Daylight Savings, changing weather, and more. It’s a perfect time to lean on warming, immune boosting soup made with plenty of nutrient-rich ingredients like beans, vegetables, herbs, and spices.

From chicken soup to bowls that incorporate inflammation-fighting garlic and ginger, here are some of our favorite immune boosting recipes to help keep you feeling your best.

1. Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

Courtesy of Cookie + Kate

Red peppers, tomatoes, and onions come together to create a warming soup you can enjoy as a main dish or a side. Red peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that plays a vital role in immune function. Roasting the vegetables before pureeing with broth gives this soup extra depth and complexity.

Try the recipe at Cookie and Kate.

2. Easy Cabbage Soup

Courtesy of A Couple Cooks

Cabbage, which is also high in vitamin C, takes center stage in this nutrient-dense soup. As written it’s vegan, but you could bump up the protein by adding some shredded cooked chicken. 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 pinch 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 you often see in sides and salads, works well in soups, too. This recipe, filled with vegetables, chickpeas, and four cloves of garlic, features a cup of this hearty whole grain.

Quinoa is also a good source of magnesium. Research suggests this mineral plays a vital role in immune system function, protecting the body from oxidative stress and activating vitamin D.

Try the recipe at Live Eat Learn.

4. Kale Spinach Ginger Miso Soup

Courtesy of Vegan Richa

Step aside, green smoothies. This soothing green soup is a warmer way to load up on nutrients. Kale provides high amounts of vitamins C and K, and miso, which has probiotic benefits, may help prevent infections. Warming, spicy ginger has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. Sip this soup as a light snack, or have a cup alongside a sandwich or salad to make it a meal.

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 study 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.

Plus, this soup is super convenient. Just throw a few simple ingredients, including 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

Turmeric is associated with immune health, and for good reason. The bright spice contains phytonutrients that support the immune system and reduce inflammation in the body. This soup contains plenty of turmeric, plus sweet potatoes, which are high in vitamins C and A, and fiber-rich chickpeas. This recipe is creamy thanks to light coconut milk, but feel free to substitute another plant-based milk, if you prefer.

Try the recipe at Broma Bakery.

7. Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Garlic Oil

Photo Credit: Margot Foster

Garlic lovers, rejoice: This comforting soup, which is on the table in just 30 minutes, contains eight cloves of garlic and a hefty drizzle of roasted garlic oil. Research shows that garlic has strong antibacterial qualities, and may even protect the body against certain antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This soup is also packed with a whole head of cauliflower. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower may lower inflammation and positively affect immune system function.

Try the recipe at Clean Plates.