Immune Boosting Carrot Ginger Soup

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Immune Boosting Carrot Ginger Soup! Looking to boost your immune system this cold season? Try this vegan and gluten-free creamy carrot ginger soup recipe. Serves 2, the perfect lunch- ready in just 10 minutes!

Having a newborn during this flu season is no joke. I’ve turned into an over-protective mama almost overnight, shielding him from play dates, most travel, the doctor’s waiting room; almost any place where germs could be hiding. Which, of course, is everywhere. My rational brain knows I can’t protect him forever, but he’s just so young and fragile. Is this how life will be from here on out? A constant stream of worry regarding my babe?

Regardless, I’ve been using my diet to up my own immune system. Since I’m the most likely person to pass any germs onto him, I want to make sure I’ve got my own line of defense. That means my daily vitamin D supplement, lots of fermented foods and immune boosting soups, like this carrot ginger soup recipe.

Isn’t the color so vibrant? I swear I feel better just by watching it blend up. It’s so pretty and so silky smooth. I’ve been eating it a few times a week for a quick lunch.

Immune Boosting Soup Ingredients

Produce: For this simple vegan soup, you’ll need a chopped white or yellow onion, a garlic clove, fresh grated ginger, and freshly chopped carrots.

Pantry Ingredients: In addition to the fresh produce, you’ll also need olive oil, orange juice, ground turmeric, vegetable broth and a pinch of salt and pepper.

To garnish the soup before serving, I love to add drizzle a fruity extra-virgin olive oil over along with freshly ground black pepper and finely chopped parsley.

How to Make Carrot Ginger Soup: Instructions

Start by sautéing the carrots and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft. This will provide the soup with lots of aromatics and body once pureed. You need the carrots to be soft enough to blend, otherwise you will end up with a carrot smoothie and not silky, carrot ginger soup.

Once the vegetables have softened, let cool slightly then add to a blender with vegetable broth, fresh ginger, turmeric, orange juice and salt and pepper. Blend until very creamy and smooth. Depending on the power of your blender, this may take a few minutes.

Season to taste, adding in more salt or pepper as desired. For a spicier soup, I recommend adding in a bit of red pepper. To heighten the flavors, you can add in a splash more of orange juice or lemon juice right before serving.

The soup should be ready to eat, but if you want it hotter then place it back into the saucepan and simmer over low heat until warmed through.

Do foods actually boost immunity?

The terms detox, anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting are used so often in wellness circles that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. The truth is that while several foods are believed to boost immunity (like orange juice or chicken soup), their benefits are more hype than hope.

The immune system is very complex and several factors, including diet, play a role. However, it’s unlikely that consuming more superfoods or a single nutrient will do much without a general healthy lifestyle that also includes adequate sleep and minimal chronic stress.

An immune boosting dietary pattern

Because the immune system is so complex and involves a number of pathways, no single food will offer special protection. Rather, eating a more healthful diet (along with other lifestyle factors) is best to help reduce inflammation.

That said, there are certain nutrients that have been shown to be essential in various pathways for both growth and immune function: vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, iron and selenium. In addition, consuming enough calories and protein (especially the amino acid glutamine) seem to be helpful.

What you don’t eat may also play a role; diets that are lower in these nutrients and high in ultra-processed foods, refined sugar and red meat tend to have a less favorable microbiome, which can suppress immunity and lead to chronic inflammation.

Gut Health and Immunity

I often feel silly discussing the microbiome and gut health because this is one area of research that is ever changing as we begin to understand more about the incredible role that the microbiome plays in our overall health, including immune health.

Because our GI tract is a major site (70-80%) of immune activity, our diet therefore plays a large role in determining exactly what kinds of microbes, or gut bugs, live in our intestines.

It’s likely no surprise that a high-fiber, plant-predominant diet that consists of whole grains, nuts, legumes/beans, fruits and vegetables support beneficial microbes. In addition, consuming these fibers leads to short chain fatty acid production, which themselves have been shown to stimulate immune function.

Nutrition science is almost starting to sound like a broken record– eating more plants, more often, is key for overall health– including boosting the immune system.

Can you double this recipe?

While this recipe is designed to be a simple vegan soup option for two, it’s very easy to double– or triple.

You don’t need to make any adjustments to the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card and click the 2x button to double or 3x button to triple for the correct amounts.

How to store leftovers

• Refrigerator: Leftovers will keep for 4 – 5 days in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container.
• Freezer: This carrot ginger soup is freezer friendly and can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 – 3 months. To freeze, let cool completely then place in freezer safe containers or freezer safe bags, leaving ½ inch head space for expansion. Thaw before reheating.
• Reheat: Reheat this soup on the stove over low to medium heat until warm, or in the microwave with 30 second intervals, stir after each interval, until warmed through.

This carrot ginger soup is rich in vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants, which have all been shown to help with immune cell function.

As a bonus, this simple carrot ginger soup recipe serves two, tastes amazing and is ready in 10-15 minutes. Enjoy it whenever you need a boost or are looking for a warming, simple meal. I’ve been loving it for lunch with a slice of toasted sourdough bread or for a simple snack.

More Healthy Soup Recipes:

• Red Lentil Curry Soup
• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Lentil Lemon Soup
• Lemon Chickpea Orzo Soup
• Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
• Vegetable Soup made in the Slow Cooker 

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking! 

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Immune Boosting Carrot Ginger Soup

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5 from 4 votes

Immune Boosting Carrot Ginger Soup! Looking to boost your immune system this cold season? Try this vegan and gluten-free creamy carrot soup. Serves 2, the perfect lunch- ready in just 10 minutes!

Servings: 2 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Equipment

• Blender

Ingredients 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion
• Garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or more/less to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• First, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Then, add the onion and carrots and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and remove from heat.
• Next, add the slightly cooled carrots, ginger, orange juice, turmeric, vegetable broth, salt and freshly ground pepper to a blender and puree until creamy and smooth.
• Finally, serve! I garnished this with an extra drizzle of good olive oil and freshly ground pepper.

Notes

*I let the ingredients cool slightly before putting in the blender so the steam doesn’t make the top come off!

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 157kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 1108mgPotassium: 594mgFiber: 5gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 27123IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 64mgIron: 1mg

Course: Appetizer, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Healthy, low-fat, Vegan, Vegetarian

Author: Alexandra Caspero