5 Soup Recipes for Boosting Your Immune System

As the winter chill sets in, there's nothing quite as comforting and nourishing as a steaming bowl of soup. But what if your soup could do more than just warm you up? 

A soup full of nourishing ingredients can help to not only satisfy your taste buds, but also give your immune system a powerful boost. In this blog post, we'll cover 5 hearty and immune-boosting soup recipes, all rich in vitamins and minerals, to help keep you healthy and resilient during cold and flu season. From nutrient-rich broths to vibrant vegetable-packed favorites, these recipes are not only kid and family approved, but they can also help shield you from the seasonal sniffles. So, grab your ladle and get ready to serve up some flavor!

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Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1-2 cups chicken
• 3 tbsp grassfed butter
• 3 tbsp flour or arrowroot
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/2 cup onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 cups bone broth
• 2 cups organic whole milk
• 1 cup wild rice
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook wild rice on stove in 2 cups of boiling water, or in an instant pot.
2. Cook chicken 7 minutes each side.
3. Chop celery, onions, mushrooms, and garlic then sauté in butter.
4. Add flour to celery, onions, mushrooms, and garlic, and butter.
5. Add all ingredients to one pot and heat.
6. Simmer for 10 minutes.

NOTES

• Works great in a pot on the stove to warm or a crockpot.
• Time: 50 mins.
• Serves: 6-8
  

Lentil Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 13 bean soup mix
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 32 oz bone broth
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste
• Sea salt
• Garlic salt
• Onion Salt
• Pepper
• Optional: grassfed beef

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak bean mix in purified water for at least 8 hours. Strain beans, and put in instant pot.
2. Chop onion and mince garlic, then add to instant pot with the beans.
3. Pour in 1 cup of bone broth and cook on manual for 20 minutes.
4. As beans cook, warm 2 cups of bone broth in a separate pan and add corn and peas. Chop tomatoes and add to this.
5. Optional: Brown ground beef in a separate pan and add to soup/bone broth mixture. When beans are finished in the instant pot, add to soup mixture, and season to taste with real salt, garlic salt, onion salt, and pepper.

NOTES

• Time: 1 hour + overnight
• Serves: 6-8

Beef & Minestrone Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz grassfed ground beef
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 4 cups beef bone broth
• 3 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cups mixed beans, cooked
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 2 cups baby spinach

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook ground beef and olive oil in a pan, breaking the beef up as it cooks through.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt.
3. Cook through and add tomato paste.
4. Stir in beef broth, diced tomatoes, mixed beans, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil.
5. Stir in the zucchini and the spinach.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 40 minutes until the veggies are tender and the soup has reduced slightly.

NOTES

• Time: 1 hour
• Serves: 6-8

Chicken Ramen

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken
• 32 oz water
• 32 oz bone broth
• 1-2 onions
• 4 stalks of celery
• 2-3 carrots
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh parsley
• 3-4 rice ramen cakes
• Optional: corn, peas, mushroom, other veggies

DIRECTIONS

1. Put chicken, bone broth, water, salt and pepper in a pot.
2. Slow boil for 1 hour.
3. As chicken boils, chop onion, celery, carrots, parsley, garlic, and all additional veggies.
4. Take chicken out and shred.
5. Add shredded chicken and veggies back into the pot, and boil until veggies are soft.
6. Add rice ramen and boil for 3-4 minutes.

NOTES

• Time: 1 hour + 30 mins.
• Serves: 8

Sweet Potato Soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 stalks of celery
• 2 leeks
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 large sweet potatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3 tbsp organic flour
• 1/4 tsp rosemary
• 1/4 tsp ground thyme
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 cups bone broth
• 1 cup organic heavy cream
• 2 cups green beans
• 1 1/2 lb chicken

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook chicken 7 minutes each side.
2. Chop onions, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, and leeks. Mince garlic. Cut sweet potatoes into 1/2" cubes. Trim and half green beans.
3. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, red bell pepper, leeks, garlic, and sweet potatoes in olive oil.
4. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, cooking wine, bone broth, heavy cream, green beans, and chicken.
5. Simmer until ready.

NOTES

• Time: 1 hour
• Serves: 6-8

As we wrap up our journey through these immune-boosting winter soup recipes, just remember that a steaming bowl of wholesome goodness can be a powerful ally in fortifying your body against seasonal challenges. Winter, with its cold and flu threats, may seem daunting, but the arsenal of fresh, whole food ingredients found in these soups can help you stay healthy.

Remember, the benefits of these recipes extend beyond their immune-boosting properties. The act of preparing and enjoying a nourishing bowl of soup can be a soothing ritual in itself, promoting a sense of well-being during the darkest and coldest days of the year, especially when the whole family gets involved to make a meal together.

So, whether you find solace in the vibrant hues of a vegetable medley, the heartiness of chicken and wild rice soup, the flavor of a spiced lentil soup, or the sweetness of sweet potato soup, each spoonful is a step towards a healthier, more resilient you. 

May your kitchen be filled with the aromas of healing herbs and spices, and may your immune system be boosted by the fresh ingredients in these recipes. Here's to a winter of good health, comfort, and the simple joy found in a nourishing bowl of soup. Stay warm, stay well!