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This homemade Flu Busting Soup recipe will help boost your immune system and fight the inflammation with natural ingredients. It’s a spicy soup, designed to open the sinuses and help you feel alive; the kind of soup you make when you feel a little something coming on.
And this soup can be made ahead and kept in the freezer so if you are feeling under the weather, just heat it up and sip. Packed with garlic, fresh ginger, and lemon this Lemon ginger soup is plant based can also be called a “Flu Shot Soup“.
Cold season calls for healing soups and drinks. Be sure to check out my Cinnamon Sore throat Tea, Ginger Mocktail, and my Honey Lemon Cold & Flu Remedy. And if you want something sweet with a spicy ginger kick, check out my Ginger Bars with maple cream cheese frosting!
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Ingredients
Of course, mom always said to drink lots of fluids when you’re sick. And soup is a great way to get those fluids. Let’s also take a quick look at some of the benefits of the ingredients.
Ginger: has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help boost the immune system, helps fight inflammation associated with the flu, and reduce the duration and symptoms of colds and flus. Ginger can also help clear a congested head and relieve nausea. And you don’t have to peel the ginger for this recipe. And be sure to try my Ginger Simple Syrup for more spicy flavor!
Cayenne: Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which will trigger sweat and blood flow, helping to eliminate toxins and relieve congestion, including a stuffy nose and postnasal drip. Capsaicin may help relieve pain and inflammation (even inflammation associated with arthritis). It can can stimulate the digestive system, helping to remove toxins from the body. And, it’s rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene.
Lemons: Lemons are packed with vitamin C and will help boost your immune system and may shorten the duration of colds. They have antibacterial properties that can help prevent and treat the flu and help with a sore throat or nasal congestion.
Garlic: Garlic contains allicin (which is produced when garlic is crushed), a compound that may have antiviral effects. And garlic can kill viruses with these antiviral and anti-bacterial properties. It contains antioxidants that may help prevent colds and shorten their duration as well as helping to reduce inflammation in the body.
Storage and make ahead
Keep soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
This soup can be made ahead of time and frozen so that all you have to do is reheat it when you aren’t feeling well.
Changes to the recipe
Soups can pretty much be anything you want, that’s one of the many reasons I love them so much. So, feel free to play around with this recipe as you like. Here are some starter ideas.
Add in some turmeric, lemongrass, black pepper, celery, cilantro, jalapeño or other chili peppers, lemongrass, onion, soy sauce, or honey before straining the broth.
Or, mix some goodies into the soup to make it more than a brothy soup. Stir in steamed bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, chopped scallions, parsley, cilantro, or shiitake mushrooms.
Make it more of a meal with nutritional yeast, shredded chicken, tofu, pasta (like udon, ramen, or a high protein chickpea pasta), won tons, or quinoa.
Change up the flavors with a bit of red curry paste or coconut milk. Add in a splash of apple cider vinegar for its healing properties.
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Recipe
Flu Busting Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1- inch ginger grated
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped or pressed
- 1 lemon juiced
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine broth, water, ginger, cayenne pepper, thyme, and garlic. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer on low for 10 minutes.
- Turn heat off, and let cool and steep for 15 minutes. Strain solids out through a fine mesh strainer. Stir in lemon juice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Debi
This will help you feel better by opening up the sinuses and its spicy flavor will feel great. I also like that you can make it ahead and freeze it for later. Feel better! Debi, author, Life Currents