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A simple combination of miso, ginger, lemon, and garlic make this my favorite soothing mug of broth for a sore throat.

This recipe has become so popular amongst The Practical Kitchen community that readers often tell me they're scaling it up to make full-sized servings! This recipe makes enough for a large mug of soup for one sore throat, so make sure you use the 2X and 3X buttons in the recipe card if you'd like to scale this up!

a mug of broth with a wooden spoon inside it. on the wooden counter is a clove of garlic, ginger root, and scallions. — Alphabet noodles always make me feel better.

5 star reader review

“I am dealing with a terrible sore throat right now and made this for myself. SO DELICIOUS!!! My throat is so so happy. Thank you!!”
—Megan

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When I've got a sore throat there are only two things that I want:

A mug of warm, soothing broth, and...
Alphabet noodles

(Am I the only person who associates alphabet noodles with getting to stay home sick from school? I suspect my mom was just trying to make sure I still got my reading in.)

I've got nothing against a plain mug of chicken broth and alphabet noodle soup for a sore throat. When I'm under the weather, I can only manage what I can manage and sometimes that is my maximum, and I'm proud of me for that. But on days when I have started to go stir crazy and need to just do something a little more creative, I make a mug of this soothing lemon ginger miso broth to soothe my aching throat.

When I'm feeling up for it, I also make a small batch mini baguette to go with it — few things are more satisfying than dunking chunks of freshly baked bread in a mug of cozy soup.

This soothing broth uses mostly pantry staple ingredients that I usually have on hand and stay good for a while: chicken broth (or water + chicken bouillon), lemons, garlic, and miso paste. Miso paste lasts basically forever, so if it's not something you use often, pick some up and hang on to it for when a sore throat strikes.

If fresh ginger isn't something you usually have around, pick some up when you feel that first tickle in the back of your throat. It freezes well, so stash any extra in the freezer for the future. Or you can use a dash of ground ginger.

Is there any science behind this tasty, umami-rich flavor combo? A cursory Google search tells me that ginger helps reduce inflammation, miso is a fermented food rich in vitamins B and E, garlic is rich with allicin, and the lemon helps break up mucus and can provide some pain relief.

But, I'm not a medical professional; I'm not a nutritionist, and I don't know you or your body to tell you that this soup has any actual, measurable health benefits. It just tastes good. Please, if you don't feel well, talk to your doctor.

A white mug filled with soothing broth for a sore throat sits on a blue cloth. A wooden spoon with chopped garlic rests on top. Fresh ginger, green onions, garlic, and a plate of lemon wedges are nearby.

What I can tell you is that this soothing broth tastes fantastic and can provide a bit of instant, sweet relief on a sore throat. The alphabet noodles are small enough that you don't really feel them, but provide a satisfying bite when you're just starting to feel up to eating real food again.

Basically, if you aren't slurping this soothing soup out of a mug while swaddled in blankets on the couch, you're doing it wrong.

Overhead view of ingredients on a white surface: a cup of broth for a sore throat, a bowl of garlic, olive oil, a bowl of miso paste, dry noodles, ginger root, sliced scallions, and a lemon. Labels identify each ingredient. — See recipe card (at the end of the post) for ingredient quantities!

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.

Miso paste - There are dozens of types of miso paste, but I've mostly seen them in U.S. grocery stores categorized as red, white, or yellow. I've made this soup with all three, so it's really up to you what you prefer or what you can find in your grocery store. White is a more subtle flavor, while red has stronger umami vibes. I prefer red miso, but again, any will work. Different types of miso can have wildly different sodium levels, which is why I strongly recommend using an unsalted/low-sodium chicken broth.

You don't actually need all of the ingredients to make this soothing sore throat broth. If you're missing the ginger, don't like lemon, are out of garlic, or just don't have miso, you'll still end up with a great, super flavorful mug of broth. Just what a sore throat needs.

A white mug of yellow soup with green herbs, perfect as a soothing broth for a sore throat, sits on a blue cloth. A wooden spoon rests in the soup. Fresh ginger, garlic, a small dish with sliced herbs, and a bowl with a yellow miso paste are nearby.

A Microplane Zester Makes Things So Easy

If you don't have a fine Microplane zester, you may have been reading the above thinking "ugh, but when I'm sick, the last thing I want to do is peel garlic, zest a lemon, and mince ginger."

But if you DO have a microplane, you know that you can do all three things with the same tool easily. I hold the microplane upside down so that the ingredients collect on top, held in place by the bent sides, ready to be used. Boom. Minimal effort, maximum flavor.

A hand holds a Microplane grater with grated ginger, lemon zest, and garlic—perfect ingredients for preparing a soothing broth for a sore throat. Nearby are bowls and a measuring cup containing broth, miso paste, sliced green onions, and other ingredients on a white surface. — All three, minced and zested without even having to put the microplane down.

Practical Tips & Recipe Notes

Use the smallest pot you can find for this soothing sore throat broth — a cup and a half of broth is all you'll need, so a 2-cup pot like this works perfectly.
If you regularly make your own chicken stock, freeze it in pre-measured portions so you can easily defrost what you need. You can drop the frozen cubes of stock right into the pot, no need to defrost first.

Top Tip

This sore throat soup is designed to be made when you're not feeling your best. It is a very forgiving combination of ingredients. If you don't get them all in the right order, or need to make a swap, or just don't feel like peeling the ginger, don't worry about it.

This will still be a great mug of broth if you combine all the ingredients together and then warm them up in a sauce pot. Boiling the miso isn't ideal, but also it won't ruin everything if you do so by mistake. Do what you need to to take care of yourself!

📖 Recipe

Soothing Broth for a Sore Throat

Servings mug

Author Rebecca Eisenberg

Minimal effort, maximum flavor — miso, ginger, lemon, and garlic make the perfect soothing broth for a sore throat. Basically, if you aren't slurping this out of a mug while swaddled under a pile of blankets on the couch, you're doing it wrong.

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Recipe Notes

Don't use too much oil in step 2 — just enough to prevent the garlic, ginger, and lemon from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Too much oil will combine with the miso paste and make your soup greasy.
If using frozen cubes of chicken stock, no need to defrost first. Add the cubes right into the pot.
If you've never worked with miso paste before here's some good tips on incorporating it into soup. Miso is fermented, so it stays good in the fridge basically forever, though the flavor might wane slightly after a year. It's a great thing to always have in your fridge to add some extra umami to your favorite soups, stews, stocks, and sauces.
Use the edge of a spoon to quickly peel the ginger.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon oil (olive oil or canola)
1 clove garlic
1 inch fresh ginger (peeled)
2 teaspoon miso paste (if vegetarian, increase to 1 TBSP)
¼ lemon (to zest)
1½ cups chicken broth (OR vegetable broth OR water with bouillon stirred in)
1 tablespoon alphabet noodles (or orzo)
1 scallion (thinly sliced)
salt and pepper (optional, to taste)

Instructions

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Hold the microplane so that the sharp surface is facing down and the curved edges are facing up.
Grate the fresh ginger, garlic, and lemon zest on the underside of the microplane so that it collects on top. Set aside.
Heat oil in a small 2-cup pot over low-medium heat until shiny. Add the ginger, garlic, and lemon and cook until fragrant and soft, about 30-45 seconds.
Increase heat to high and add chicken broth. Stir well to keep anything from sticking to the bottom.
Bring to a boil and add alphabet noodles. Cook according to package directions for al dente doneness (usually 4-6 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in the miso (do not boil the miso). Continue stirring to dissolve the miso.
Taste, and add salt or pepper if needed.
Pour broth into a mug and garnish with sliced scallions and a squeeze of lemon juice (optional).

Video

This post was originally published on 3/9/2020 and has been updated with a revised recipe and all new photos.

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Comments

5 from 19 votes (7 ratings without comment)