Healthy Creamy Vegetable Soup for Colds

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Creamy Vegetable Soup full of delicious healthy veggies and spices is the best soup for a cold, the flu, or any time you are sick. But with all the delicious flavors and silky smooth texture, this is a recipe you’ll want to make to fill your belly any time. So creamy, but made without cream, so it’s gluten-free, and can easily be made vegan, paleo, Whole 30, and keto friendly. Move over Chicken Noodle, because the antiviral ingredients in this immune-boosting Flu Buster Vegetable Soup will help chase the germs away. 

Healthy Vegetable Soup for Colds

Are you sick of being sick yet? Or sick of your kids being sick? I am. Colds, the flu, ear infections, strep throat, pinkeye, stomach big. Yeah, I am pretty much over it.

It is time for a soup full of all kinds of delicious antiviral goodness! And during the winter with the flu and all kinds of other viruses and bacteria running rampant, I thought I would bring you this creamy and healthy vegetable soup recipe. With all of the virus-fighting ingredients, it is definitely a Flu Buster Vegetable Soup!

Technically I can’t guarantee this will cure you, but a steaming mug full of veggies and vitamins that tastes amazing certainly can’t hurt. 

What is in the best soup for a cold?

• Olive oil
• Onions and garlic – both contain compounds believed by some scientists to fight and even prevent the common cold.
• Turmeric – gets its orange color from curcumin, an antioxidant with healing properties.
• Fresh ginger – clears congestion and soothes your throat, and it might even block the common cold virus.
• Vegetables – potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, and celery will provide plenty of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon juice – citrus contains Vitamin C that can help you feel better faster.
• Vegetable broth or chicken broth
• Cayenne pepper – while it won’t fight viruses, the heat from capsaicin can help clear stuffy sinuses
• Greek yogurt – an optional topping, and despite claims that dairy increases mucus production, it can actually be quite soothing on sore throats.

Source: WebMD

How do you make soup smooth?

You have a couple of options to puree the veggies to make an ultra creamy vegetable soup:

• Immersion blender – you’ll have fewer dishes to wash when you puree your soup right in the pot you are using to cook it when you use a stick or hand blender.
• Blender – a standard blender will work, but I always recommend a high-powered blender like the Blendtec for the smoothest, most silky soup. The Wildside+ Jar is nice and big, so you don’t have to blend it in batches, as you would with a smaller blender, and it gets perfectly smooth in seconds. You can even use the “Soup” setting to keep it hot while you blend it.  I am a Blendtec ambassador, and should you make any purchases through that link, I will receive a small commission, but that also means you can use the code CUPCAKESANDKALECHIPS to receive 25% off. 

How do you make Flu Buster Vegetable Soup?

1. Saute onions, garlic, fresh ginger, and turmeric in olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
2. Add the veggies and saute for another few minutes.
3. Pour in the broth.
4. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
5. Blend it all up till it’s velvety smooth.
6. Simmer just a bit longer until it is and hot and comforting and everything you want on the coldest winter days. Top with a dollop of sour cream, Greek yogurt, or coconut cream, if desired.

Serve it with a piece of Gluten Free Corn Bread or Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers to round out your meal.

Why is this the best soup for a cold?

• Flu buster vegetable soup is smooth and creamy, without using any actual cream. So if you are watching your calories, it’s a great lunch option.
• Each of the vegetables, that are nutrient powerhouses on their own, like cauliflower, onions, carrots, and zucchini.
• Since the soup is going to be blended, you don’t have to peel the carrots or potatoes. This adds additional fiber and nutrients.
• Onions, garlic, ginger, and turmeric all have antiviral properties with immune-boosting benefits.
• And the addition of cayenne pepper for a little heat will help clear the sinuses.

Is Flu Buster Vegetable Soup Gluten Free or Vegan?

As always, please read all of your ingredient labels to ensure they are gluten free and not affected by cross-contamination or hidden sources of gluten. But since this is mostly vegetables and spices, as long as you use gluten free broth or stock from a box or that you’ve made yourself, then it is fine.

You can use chicken broth or vegetable stock, giving you the option to make it vegetarian or vegan.

I like to top my soup with a bit of Greek yogurt to balance the bit of heat from the cayenne pepper. However, if you leave off the Greek yogurt or choose a coconut or soy yogurt, this vegetarian soup recipe is also vegan. Plus it also fits in with your paleo diet or that Whole 30.

You can even swap the potatoes for more cauliflower to make this healthy vegetable soup low carb and keto-friendly too.

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What is the best soup to eat when sick?

• Flu Buster Vegetable Soup is definitely the best soup for a cold.
• Chicken Noodle Soup is what some people swear by when it comes to soup for colds.
• Avgolemono Greek Chicken Zoodle Soup is a veggie-packed, low carb version of the classic.
• Chicken Corn Chowder swaps the noodles for corn to make it gluten free and it’s creamy without cream.
• Coconut Sriracha Black Bean Soup  has the perfect amount of spice to clear your sinuses.
• Butternut Squash Soup with Sage and Thyme is another healthy vegetable soup that warms the body and soul.
• Low Carb Broccoli Cheese Soup is definitely cozy and comforting

What are some other home remedies?

• Cold Toddy Whiskey Mule has the germ-fighting favorites in a hot toddy, but will cool a burning throat like a frosty Moscow Mule.
• It might not be a home remedy, but this Turkey Tenderloin Slow Cooker Recipe with Sriracha is sure to clear your sinuses.
• Try this Homemade Cough Remedy from Barefeet in the Kitchen.
• Or pop some Homemade Cough Drops in your mouth from The View From Great Island.
• Foodie With Family is also going to kick those germs to the curb with Fire Cider Health Tonic.
• You can also check out 10 Recipes for the Best Home Remedies to Fight Germs and Make You Feel Better

Flu Buster Vegetable Soup Recipe – The Best Soup for a Cold

Even if you aren’t sick, you can still reap the benefits of a big bowl of creamy vegetable soup, especially with the comfort food factor on cold winter days. The combination of veggies and spices taste amazing together. Also, the silky texture from blending it all together soothes the body and soul.

I hope you’ll leave a comment and give it a FIVE STAR rating or share a photo on this pin on Pinterest!

4.7 from 26 votes

Flu Buster Vegetable Soup

A delicious, creamy vegetable soup without any cream, this gluten-free, vegan, paleo, and Whole 30-friendly recipe is packed with lots of antiviral goodness.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 25 mins

Total: 35 mins

Servings: 8

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Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger root
• 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped (you can substitute another half head of cauliflower for a low carb option)
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 medium zucchini, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped (no need to peel)
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• salt and pepper, to taste
• juice of one lemon (about 2 Tablespoons)
• 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to preferred level of spice)
• Greek yogurt, if desired, for serving

Instructions

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric for a few minutes, until onions start to soften and become translucent.
• Add the remaining veggies, and salt and pepper, and saute for several minutes longer.
• Pour in the lemon juice, and stir to coat the vegetables.
• Add the broth, cayenne and additional salt and pepper, if desired bring to a boil, cover and boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the veggies are soft.
• Use an immersion blender, or add the contents of the pot to a blender of food processor (in portions, if needed, based on the size of your blender), puree until smooth and creamy.
• Return the soup to the pot, and heat through.
• Serve with Greek yogurt, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Flu Buster Vegetable Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 cup)

Calories 57 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Sodium 498mg21%

Potassium 287mg8%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 2920IU58%

Vitamin C 19.7mg24%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips

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Enjoy! (Originally published on Jan 21, 2013)