20 min Healing Broth Soup

What is this healing broth soup?

This clear broth is the result of me getting sick on my travels and trying to get better in a jiffy AND the input from Paul, who grew up drinking a cup of spiced clear broth as a child in India.

It also includes the knowledge passed down by my Austrian grandmother, who would use a set of spices to beat a cold winter flu.

It's a combination of Asian and European know-how to help you get through a seasonal cold, flu, cough, upset stomach, or any general minor sickness.

It's also the only food that I can take in when I'm feeling under the weather.

Yet, over the years I just ended up making it at least once a week because it tastes great, stimulates digestion, boosts my well-being, my stomach, and gut health, and makes me simply feel better.

So this is also totally a daily soup because it's simply prepared in one pot. Besides, it's low-calorie and can help you on your weight loss journey.

Ingredients

The clear broth soup consists of a ready-made broth of your choice and a set of spices. This saves time and effort. The broth is infused with health-promoting spices.

Broth

You can use a pre-homemade broth as a base. I like to use my clear vegetable soup as a base.

Or you can also use regular clear liquid package broth or concentrated stock mixed with water or dry bouillon cubes/seasoning mixed in hot water. (I do the bouillon cube thingie occasionally)

Pick a base broth such as vegetable, chicken, bone, beef, veal, fish, seafood, lobster, mushroom, or lamb.

Choose one with less sodium if possible and less oil. I like a vegetable broth, Paul enjoys a chicken broth.

You can make this soup vegan by using a vegetable broth as a base and gluten-free by checking the broth labels.

Spices & Flavor givers

Over the years I came up with this perfect selection of spices. I combined European and Asian spice and herb knowledge to create this healing soup.

The combination makes it and you will feel better if you have a cold or it simply helps your overall health when you are not sick.

• Ginger — fresh. Helps digestion, boosts the immune system, reduces irritating cough.
• Garlic — fresh. Same as ginger, except for the cough. Also adds plenty of flavors.
• Turmeric — fresh if possible, or else dry is ok too. Boosts immunity, good for gut health, and will get you back on your feet when you are ill because of antibacterial properties.
• Salt — I like to use pink salt because it adds umami, but any salt will do.
• Black Pepper — freshly crushed if possible. Helps you decongest the nose and sneeze out all the mucus.
• Bay Leaf — as a whole, a typical soup spice. Adds flavor, it's soothing, helps your digestion, and beats the flu.
• Nutmeg — grated, also a common soup spice. It's a warm spice that is antibacterial and antiviral.
• Juniper Berry — dried whole berries. Uplifting moods, numbs body aches when you have the flu, and it's also antiviral.
• Sage — dried or fresh. Relieves sore throat and stomach pain.
• Lime Juice — or lemon juice. I like it better with lime when I add cilantro as garnish. Both are a great option. Freshly squeezed to brighten the flavors and add vitamin C.

How to make it?

Here is an overview on how this soup comes together.

The detailed US and metric measurements are located at the bottom of this post in the recipe card. The video is the pop-up.

Step 1

Prepare your fresh ingredients.

Peel the garlic clove and cut it roughly into chunks.

Cut fresh ginger, and if you are using fresh turmeric, into chunks without peeling.

Step 2

Heat up a soup pot with broth and water.

Season with all the spices.

Allow spices and herbs to infuse for about 20 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in lime/lemon juice

Strain clear soup and serve up hot.

Serving

I like to top my soup with fresh cilantro because of the flavor profile of this soup, but if you don't like cilantro, you can use another green topping.

• chives
• parsley
• mint
• green onion stalks
• wild garlic greens aka ramsons weed (in spring when it's in season)

I like my healing broth in a soup bowl or shallow plate, Paul drinks his in a cup.

Storing

You can meal prep and freeze this soup for the future. I even recommend that you do this because you never know when you will feel a bit ill.

I always keep 2 servings in my freezer!

Just make a batch of a serving and keep in a freezer-friendly airtight container.

To reheat, place the frozen broth in a saucepan or small soup pot and reheat gradually until it's hot, and you can eat it.

FAQs