Flu Buster Vegetable Soup for Colds
This easy vegetable soup recipe is my go-to sick-day soup whenever someone in my family has a cold, cough, the flu, or even just a sore throat. It’s the best soup for any time you are under the weather! Move over Chicken Noodle, because the ginger, garlic, and other ingredients in this recipe may help you feel better.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Many people swear by Chicken Noodle Soup as the best soup when you are sick. Or maybe even Avgolemono Soup for a low-carb version of the classic. But when I am not feeling well, I reach for this creamy “flu buster” vegetable soup recipe.
Technically, I can’t guarantee this will cure you, but a steaming mug full of veggies and spices that tastes amazing certainly can’t hurt. And even if you aren’t sick, a big bowl of creamy vegetable soup is still a flavorful meal with the comfort food factor, especially on cold winter days. Also, the silky texture from blending it all together is soothing inside and out.
Why Is This The Best Soup For When You’re Sick?
- Creamy: Flu buster vegetable soup is smooth and creamy without any cream. So it’s dairy free without the Greek yogurt on top.
- Lots of Veggies: There’s a whole pot of them, like cauliflower, onions, carrots, zucchini, and potatoes, all blended into one smooth bowl. Put them together, and you’ve got soup-er powers. Garlic and ginger are in there too, and the ingredient notes below have what WebMD says about some of the ingredients and colds.
- Easy Prep: Since the soup is going to be blended, you can skip the step of peeling the carrots or potatoes. This makes it less effort, which is key when you are under the weather.
- Diet Friendly: This recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian if you opt for vegetable broth, and vegan if you skip the optional Greek yogurt.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy vegetable soup. I’ve added notes about some of the ingredients, followed by a recipe overview and some tips. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with the full amounts.
- Olive oil
- Onions and garlic – WebMD notes scientists think garlic may help fight colds, though more studies are needed. And along with the onion, they add great flavor.
- Turmeric – gets its orange color from curcumin, and adds warm, earthy flavor.
- Fresh ginger – WebMD says hot ginger tea can help clear congestion and soothe your throat, and this hot soup has ginger too.
- Vegetables – potatoes, cauliflower, zucchini, carrots, and celery are my choices for this sick-day soup, but you can swap with anything you have on hand.
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon juice – bright flavor, plus a little vitamin C.
- Vegetable broth or chicken broth – helps hydrate you. If you are gluten free, read the labels to be sure you use gluten free broth or stock from a box or that you’ve made yourself.
- Cayenne pepper – while it won’t fight viruses, the heat from capsaicin can help clear stuffy sinuses.
- Greek yogurt – an optional topping for something cool and creamy to balance the spices. If you want to skip dairy, coconut milk or coconut yogurt work too.
How to Make Vegetable Soup for Colds
Here’s a quick look at how to make this soup for when you’re fighting the flu or a cold:
- Sauté the veggies. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and turmeric, and sauté for several minutes until the onions start to soften and become translucent. Add the remaining vegetables, salt, and pepper, and sauté for several minutes longer.
- Simmer till soft. Add the lemon juice and stir to coat the vegetables. Pour chicken or vegetable broth into the pot, along with cayenne and additional salt and pepper, if needed. Bring just to a boil, cover, and boil until the veggies are soft.
- Puree the soup. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup until it is smooth and creamy. Return the soup to the pot, and heat it through before serving in soup bowls or mugs. Swirl in some plain Greek yogurt or coconut milk if desired.
Variations
- Make it vegetarian or vegan. Be sure to use vegetable broth, and if you want to add a creamy swirl, try coconut milk or coconut yogurt instead of Greek yogurt.
- Make it low carb. Skip the potatoes and use a full head of cauliflower instead of a half head.
- Make it chunky. Only puree half of the vegetables and add it back to the pot with the rest of the cooked veggies that you haven’t pureed.
FAQs
What is the key to a smooth texture?
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 – you’ll need to blend it in portions because you don’t want to overfill the blender to avoid spilling hot soup on yourself. Also, to avoid burns, blend slowly to start, holding a towel over the top and venting the steam occasionally so that the hot steam does not build up and cause the pressure to pop the lid off.
What is the best soup for a sore throat?
When your throat hurts, the best soup is whatever goes down easy. This one is smooth and warm with no chunks, since it’s all blended. WebMD says a cup of hot ginger tea can help clear congestion and soothe your throat, and there’s fresh ginger in this soup too. If your throat is really scratchy, you can cut back on the cayenne or leave it out.
What is the best soup when you’re sick?
It depends on what sounds good to you when you are under the weather. WebMD says studies show chicken soup can help clear nasal passages, so you can try my Rotisserie Chicken Soup. But it’s this vegetable soup that I make at my house, and it’s easy to eat when you don’t have much of an appetite.
Can you freeze Flu Buster Vegetable Soup?
Yes, it freezes well, so it’s great to make a big batch and keep on hand for when sickness starts in your house. You can transfer it to smaller containers. I actually like these Souper Cubes for freezing it in portions, but any airtight container will do. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 2 or 3 months. I recommend thawing overnight in the refrigerator before warming it in a pot on the stove or in a bowl in the microwave.
How much soup does this make?
About 8 cups, so 8 servings at 1 cup each. That’s enough for the family with some left over for the freezer.
Is this soup gluten free?
Yes, the ingredients are naturally gluten free. Check the label on your broth and your spices, since gluten can hide in packaged products and brands change. Broth is the main one to watch in this vegetable soup recipe.
Make It a Meal
Here are some serving suggestions to round out your meal.
- Add some crackers. Crush a few of your favorite crackers or make Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers.
- Dunk some bread. Serve it with a piece of Gluten Free Cornbread to round out your meal.
- Have a sandwich. Cut a couple of slices of Gluten Free Bread and pile on your favorite deli meat or other sandwich fillings.
- Serve soup and salad. This vegetable soup would be wonderful with a seasonal Harvest Salad.
- Make a toddy. Mix up a Cold Toddy Whiskey Mule for a comforting adult drink once you are feeling better.
Flu Buster Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion , chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger root
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric powder
- 2 small potatoes , peeled if desired 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 , peeled if desired and chopped
- 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 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Saute 1/2 small onion, 2-3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon peeled, minced fresh ginger root, and 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric powder for a few minutes, until the onions start to soften and become translucent.
- Add 2 small potatoes, 1/2 head of cauliflower, 1 medium zucchini, 2 large carrots, and 2 stalks of celery, all chopped, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for several minutes longer.
- Pour in the juice of one lemon and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Add 4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and additional salt and pepper, if desired. Bring to a boil, cover, and boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
- Use an immersion blender, or add the contents of the pot to a blender or 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.
Notes
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This is AMAZING. I swear it has cut down my cold / flu times in half. Thank you! I love it spicy and I think it helps flush things out so I’ve added jalapeños.
Wow, you do like it spicy! For a weakling like me, it already has a pretty good kick. But I am so happy it has helped you!
Just got a new vitamix and this was the first recipe I made. It was amazing!! It was pretty spicy so I added a dollop of sour cream. So good, will be making again.
Sour cream or yogurt does balance that little kick of heat, but the kick is good when you are under the weather or just cold 🙂
I made this today and it is very sour tasting. Too much lemon. So sad because can’t eat it and organic veggies were not cheap. Is there a way to salvage this so not so sour? I don’ t do dairy. Thanks.
So sorry it turned out that way for you. Did you use fresh lemon juice or bottled? Just curious since bottled does tend to be more strong and bitter. Or maybe you just had an extra strong lemon! If you can’t have dairy, then I’d recommend a non-dairy yogurt such as coconut yogurt or coconut cream.
Maybe adding more carrot as carrot is sweet. That could balance it out more.
Perhaps that would work.
Absolutely love this soup! I found this recipe about two months ago and it has been a staple in my home. We have it every other week. I don’t care for spicy but I do add extra veggies such as artichokes, asparagus and shiitake mushrooms…yum! 😋
Oh yum, love all the veggies!
Amazing soup. Not only is it healthy but great to manage weight. I have added a pinch of hot red pepper flakes when sautéing the onion and omit the cayenne pepper. In either case it’s great. I did find that different types of potato will Change the consistency. I tried baking potato as well as canned which made the soup very creamy and silky. Versus a Yukon gold or yellow potato had a tiny bit more texture. Either way it’s fabulous!!
Hi, can I use something else instead of yogurt?
It is completely optional, or you can try some coconut yogurt or coconut milk.
This soup is so delicious! I’ve made it twice this fall and it’s turned out perfectly both times. Yum and thank you for this tasty, veggie-packed recipe!
Thank you, Olivia! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the soup. Hope it keeps you healthy this winter. 🙂
Would this receipe stay good in the fridge for 7 days!? I made it and wasn’t able to finish it all in a week by myself! Wondering if I can still freeze it after 7 days, or just pitch it and play it safe!? It is delicious would hate to risk not liking it again!
Hi Tiffany! From a food safety standpoint, I like to recommend that fresh foods like this be eaten within 5 days. All food starts to grow bacteria immediately after it cools down. Some people will eat things as long as they don’t smell or look different than they did the first day, but I prefer to stay on the safe side. The choice is yours. 🙂
I am going to make this tonight but going to sub the potato for butternut squash as that’s been my go to potato substitute and I know turmeric pairs well with squash. Excited to try it!
That sounds like a delicious substitution, Heather. I hope you enjoy the soup!
Does this freeze well? I’d like to make it and have on hand for when sickness strikes. If I’m the sick one, the last thing I want to do is have to cook. LOL!
It freezes beautifully, Sandy. Here’s hoping you won’t need to use it to bust the flu any time soon! 🙂
This is exactly what I am doing, is cooking this soup while feeling so sick. I wish I had already had it in the freezer. Making ahead is probably a good idea for sure.
Loved loved loved the soup It was amazing the only problem I had was I added the exact amount of cayenne pepper you said and it still ended up to Spicy-1/4 tsp other then that flavor was good any idea of how I can save it to cut back on the spicy ness ?? Thank you ?
Aww. I’m sorry that the soup ended up too spicy for your liking, Cassie. You can try diluting it with some extra broth, or add more vegetables to tone down the spice. I hope you find a way to enjoy it.
Hello! Do you know about how big each serving of soup is? I made this some time ago and loved it, but now that I’m going to make it again, I can’t remember what the portion sizes were like.
Hi Christin!
I wrote the recipe for 8 servings of about 1/2 cup each.
I always make a point to leave comments on food that I really felt was worth all the effort. This was an excellent soup with a great consistency that I ate with slices of a buttered baguette that I roasted in the oven for 6 min. It was EXCELLENT with the bread and even very good on its own. I also added about a tablespoon of raw chopped garlic at the end because the immunity-boosting benefits of raw garlic far exceed those of cooked garlic. Hoping this soup kicks whatever I’ve got. Thanks so much for the recipe!
I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the soup. You’re definitely right about the immunity boost from garlic, and I hope it did the trick for getting you back into good health. Thank you for the comment and rating of my recipe!