Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Sick day soup is exactly what it says it is. A great soup to have on hand when you’re feeling less than your best.

Feeling under the weather? If you have nausea, vomiting, sore throat stuffy, nose, or any other symptoms of a cold or flu, rest and proper nourishment is what you need. What you eat, can make just as much of a difference in how fast you heal, as getting adequate rest and liquids.

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (1)

Getting Good Nutrients

With everything going on in the world right now, feel-better food is in high demand. It never hurts to have some good soup, or at the very least, some good broth, stocked in your freezer.

Nobody wants to cook when they don’t feel good. But if you make some ahead of time to keep in the freezer, you’re far more likely to eat something that will actually benefit your body and give your immune system a nice, nutritional boost when it’s feeling at its worst.

Can You Freeze Sick Day Soup?

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (2)
Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (3)

You can! Just don’t freeze it with pasta in it. Pasta doesn’t hold up well in a freezer. Other than that, portion this out, if you wish, and freeze it in freezer-safe, airtight containers. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months. It never hurts to have some of this in the freezer for when you feel too sick to cook.

If you are curious about the containers pictured above, Souper Cubes are fantastic for freezing in portions! I use them all the time. The one pictured is the 1 cup measure. Each well holds 1 cup of soup (or whatever you are freezing). Plus, they are dishwasher safe in the top rack! You can find them on Amazon by clicking the image below. (Affiliate link).

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (4)

Other Foods To Eat When Sick

If you want something to serve with this soup, the most logical answer is, of course, toast. But to get the most vitamins and minerals out of your diet, you’ll want to eat a variety of foods rich in high-quality nutrients.

So here are some other ideas as well to generally round out your day nutritionally. You can serve them with the soup if you like, or serve them separately. This is simply a list of foods that always helps me feel better when I’m down for the count. Some are just comfort foods, but most are usually good options nutritionally when you feel yucky.

  • orange juice
  • ginger ale or ginger tea
  • a teaspoon of honey
  • grapefruits
  • any citrus fruits will help thanks to the vitamin C.
  • ginger tea
  • turmeric
  • plain yogurt – this is good when you are sick but not congested. Dairy products make congestion worse. But plain yogurt is great for the gut because it’s full of probiotics. So only eat yogurt if you aren’t congested.
  • hot water with lemons or limes
  • broccoli – it’s a superfood for a reason!
  • crackers or pretzels – not the highest-nutrient foods, but they really well with soup without making an upset stomach worse. (In most cases)
  • coconut water – great for keeping you hydrated!
  • bland foods are typically better than spiced foods. You won’t need a ton of flavor in your food anyway if you are congested and can’t taste much.
  • sweet potatoes – they are easy to bake or microwave and have a ton of good nutrients. Plus they tend to be gentle on your tummy.
  • cereals – as long as they aren’t full of sugar, they tend to be easy to throw together and are usually pretty gentle on your tummy. Just remember, if you’re congested, you may want to use non-dairy milk to avoid further congestion. Your nasal passages will thank you.
  • bananas
  • applesauce
Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (5)

About The Ingredients

Chicken broth– No sugar added (usually as dextrose), low sodium is best. If you are vegetarian, this works with vegetable broth too.

Celery seed

Garlic granules – Garlic powder work great too.

Largeeggs – Beated in a bowl with a fork or whisk.

Cooked quinoa– Cooked pasta or rice work too.

How To Make Sick Day Soup

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (6)

In a large soup pot, combine your broth, celery seed, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (7)

Add your pre-cooked quinoa or pasta. (Or whatever grain you want to use.) Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (8)
Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (9)

When everything is warmed through, turn the heat off, whisk in your eggs quickly and remove the pot from the heat.

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (10)

Season with salt and serve.

How To Store Sick Day Soup

Made with vegetable broth – This will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Made with chicken broth – This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

See freezing instructions above.

Need Recipe Supplies?

More Feel Better Soups

  • Lentil Soup
  • Chicken Soup (Just add noodles for chicken noodle soup!)
  • Split Pea Soup

Sick Day Soup Recipe Card + Video

Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (14)

Sick Day Soup Recipe

Comforting soup that's excellent when you are sick.

3 from 20 votes

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, German

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 11 servings

Calories: 98kcal

CLICK TO WATCH THIS RECIPE IN ACTION!

Ingredients

  • 8 cups chicken broth (no sugar added, low sodium is best)
  • 1 tsp. celery seed
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 cups cooked quinoa (cooked pasta or rice work too)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, combine your broth, celery seed and garlic powder. Bring to a boil.

    Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (15)

  • Add your pre-cooked quinoa or pasta. (Or whatever grain you want to use.) Cook for about 1 to 2 minutes.

    Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (16)

  • When everything is warmed through, turn the heat off, whisk in your eggs quickly and remove the pot from the heat.

    Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (17)

  • Season with salt and serve.

    Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (18)

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data given here is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 664mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Recipe from the ®Gracious Pantry archives, originally posted 11/23/10.

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it
Sick Day Soup Recipe - | Feel Better Soup (2024)

FAQs

What soup makes you feel better when sick? ›

Broth-based soups are helpful, as it's important to stay hydrated when you're not feeling well. Recipes like Baked Vegetable Soup and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup with Kale are flavorful and comforting for days when you need an easy, delicious nutrition boost.

What is the best broth for when sick? ›

Chicken broth - Chicken broth, chicken stock, or water mixed with one teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, one bouillon cube, or bouillon powder. I prefer an unsalted or low-sodium chicken broth because the miso can add quite a bit of saltiness and you don't want to overdo it.

Does chicken soup really make you feel better when you're sick? ›

The warm broth itself may also help to open up congested nasal and throat passages, which helps to better manage cold and flu symptoms.” Also, chicken soup is an easy way to get important micronutrients, macronutrients, and fluids when you're sick and may not have an appetite for other foods.

What kind of soup is good for upset stomach? ›

Chicken soup is a staple for upset stomachs for a reason. It provides vitamins, protein and other nutrients, and it can help keep you hydrated. You don't need to use a lot of different ingredients to get the benefits either. This basic chicken soup recipe can help you feel better in no time.

Why do doctors recommend eating soup when we are sick? ›

The sodium in the recipe helps relieve sore throat pain (the same principle behind gargling warm salt water), the heat helps clear nasal congestion, and can relieve pain and sinus pressure.

Does soup actually help sick people? ›

Compared with hot water alone, studies show chicken soup is more effective at loosening mucus. The herbs and spices sometimes used in chicken soup, such as pepper and garlic, also loosen mucus. The broth, which contains water and electrolytes, helps with rehydration.

Can I just drink chicken broth when sick? ›

Even the water or broth in chicken soup could offer benefits. When sick, it's easy to get dehydrated, Pike said, so consuming something water-based can be helpful. Plus, if you're losing electrolytes from gastrointestinal illness, chicken broth can replace them—it's rich in sodium at 924 milligrams per cup.

Is beef or chicken broth better when you're sick? ›

And it's better for skin and nails,” Schiff says. “Chicken bone broth is better for tendons and joints, and better for hydrating with electrolytes; there's a reason chicken soup is so great when you're sick.”

Is bone broth better than chicken broth when sick? ›

While you might turn to store-bought chicken noodle soup or juice when you're feeling sick, bone broth is a great alternative to consider with its immense healing benefits. Bone broth can be made in different ways using chicken bones, beef bones, to name a couple.

What to eat when sick if you hate soup? ›

Good old plain toast is a top sick-day go-to if someone just craves something bland. Sometimes, the unwritten rule for comfort foods is the blander, the better. Basic toast, unseasoned rice, saltine crackers, or plain pasta work well as the first solid foods following a stomach bug or influenza.

Is Campbell's chicken noodle soup good for you when sick? ›

Research shows that some soups – such as chicken and vegetable flavours – can help the body to kick a cold by easing congestion and inflammation. Stock up on Campbell's Soup collection to get you through the seasonal sickness.

Why do people eat chicken noodle soup when sick? ›

Organizers found that chicken soup provided a mild anti-inflammatory effect—one that could help mitigate infections in the upper-respiratory area, such as the common cold.

What soup stops diarrhea? ›

Try light meals of clear soups, such as chicken soup or bouillon cubes dissolved in hot water. Drink plenty of fluids to replace what you are losing with diarrhea. Stay hydrated by sipping clear liquids throughout the day. High-protein foods, such as skinless chicken or scrambled eggs.

What soup is good for cough and phlegm? ›

Lotus Root & Pork Soup is a traditional Chinese soup recipe that has been used for centuries to help relieve coughs. This soup is made with lotus root, pork, and ginger, and is believed to help nourish the lungs and remove phlegm.

What kind of soup is good for a sore throat? ›

Chicken soup.

Plus, it's delicious. The broth in chicken soup soothes a sore throat and helps inhibit the movement of white blood cells called neutrophils, which help the immune system fight infection, the hot fluid promotes movement of nasal mucus and keeps you hydrated, and the salt helps your tissues retain fluids.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Wyatt Volkman LLD

Last Updated:

Views: 6051

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Wyatt Volkman LLD

Birthday: 1992-02-16

Address: Suite 851 78549 Lubowitz Well, Wardside, TX 98080-8615

Phone: +67618977178100

Job: Manufacturing Director

Hobby: Running, Mountaineering, Inline skating, Writing, Baton twirling, Computer programming, Stone skipping

Introduction: My name is Wyatt Volkman LLD, I am a handsome, rich, comfortable, lively, zealous, graceful, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.