With flu, cold and cough season almost here, it’s likely that at some point, your roommate is going to pass on some unwanted germs. So when your plan of chugging Emergen-C goes downhill, don’t worry — we’ve got ya covered.
Here are sixteen creative soups you can sip on to speed your recovery.
1. Ginger Curry Egg Drop Soup
Photo by Julia Maguire
This soup is full of healing ingredients to make you feel better in no time. With garlic to bust those bad bacteria and curry and ginger to clear out your stuffy nose, this unique take on egg drop soup will stop you from begging your roommate to bring you yet another new box of tissues.
2. Miso Soup
Photo by Judy Holtz
If there was a secret weapon to making your immune system strong, it would be miso. This Japanese soybean paste helps with digestion, fights infection, and contains energy-rich nutrients to make your sniffles disappear.
Some experts are saying that miso is so healthy it should be eaten daily. You know what they say, miso a day keeps the doctor away.
3. Carrot Ginger Soup
Photo by Jacky Falkenberg
Carrots are great for their high content of vitamin A and antioxidants. Combined with ginger, which acts as an anti-inflammatory agent, carrot ginger soup will make you ready as you ever could be for that 9 am lecture on Monday.
4. Lentil Soup
Photo by Ally Gossman
Legumes like lentils are excellent for keeping your sugar levels up and your energy high even when you’re feeling low. Add in veggies and garlic, and you’ve got plenty of ingredients sure to boost your immune system so you can stop blowing your nose every five minutes.
5. Spicy Pumpkin Soup
Photo by Kendra Valkema
Keeping up with the “pumpkin spice everything” tradition of Fall, try this soup if you’re feeling under the weather but want to stay trendy at the same time. With cayenne pepper and curry powder, these spices are a one-two punch to any nasty germs that are trying to ruin your life.
6. Thai Coconut and Ginger Soup
Photo by Shaw Eliav
If you’ve been paying attention, ginger is your best friend when it comes to getting better. Yet another creative way to add this healing ingredient is with this Thai Coconut and Ginger Soup, for those of you who are in need of a heartier soup to get going again.
7. Shrimp Noodle Soup
Photo by Elizabeth Kim
Feeling fishy? This easy-to-make shrimp noodle soup is naturally filled with vitamin B thanks to the shellfish staple. It also contains thyme, known for soothing coughs, and basil, known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
8. Caldo Verde Portuguese Soup
Photo by Tallie Gabriel
Newsflash: kale is good for you. So why not put it in a soup? This traditional Portuguese dish mixes the green superfood with chorizo and potatoes, creating a soup you’ll want to sip on throughout your sickness.
9. Thai-Style Vegetable Curry
Photo by Rae Steinbach
Listen to your mom, and eat your veggies. Mix and match your favorites in this special take on curry soup. Bonus points if you can pick out in-season vegetables like broccoli, squash or sweet potatoes.
10. Vegan Carrot Soup
Photo by Viola Spahu
For all of you vegans out there who aren’t on their A-game, try this vegan take on carrot soup. The vitamin A in carrot soup will make your immune system stronger. This recipe has a lot of ways you can vary the soup by adding nuts, avocado, and more.
11. Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Photo by Parisa Soraya
Broccoli kills it on the health scale. And cheese, well, automatically can make anyone feel better. So why not combine them in this take on a classic soup? Cheap and easy, it’s a must-have for those winter days where you just can’t anymore.
12. Vegetarian Sweet Potato Lentil Soup
Photo by Sara Silbiger
Sweet potatoes are a great seasonal food that will also keep you energized no matter how much you want to hibernate. Make it in just 3 steps, and be on your way.
13. Curry Cauliflower Soup
Photo by Brooke Gabriel
You all know that Vitamin C is crucial to getting better after a cold. Cauliflower surprisingly has a ton of Vitamin C — as well as potassium and fiber — all great ways to get rid of any cold.
14. Vegetable Rice Soup
Photo by Kelda Baljon
For all of you who are sick of chicken noodle soup, or don’t eat chicken, this soup is an awesome alternative. Throw in your favorite veggies and sip on this variation on a classic whenever you’re feeling low.
15. Minestrone
Photo by Theo Lee
If you’ve got a stomach ache, this soup is great due to it being broth-based and filled with foods that won’t make your tummy hurt. Even better – you can prepare this recipe in the microwave, and get chowing down in a half hour or less.
16. Butternut Squash Soup
Photo by Theo Lee
One of the greatest things about this time of year is the abundance of squash in literally everything you eat. Which is key when those winter chills hit you – squash contains insane amounts of vitamin A and vitamin C. Try this rad recipe when you’re feeling snotty and see the benefits in no time.
So, whether you’re looking like a zombie or physically cannot breathe, slurp on these soups to bring you back to your normal self in no time. Your mind and body will thank you.