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    Home » Main Dishes

    Soothing Broth for a Sore Throat

    5 from 17 votes
    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— October 15, 2021 (updated March 13, 2023) — 19 Comments

    1513 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This post may contain affiliate links

    simple soothing broth for a sore throat

    A simple combination of miso, ginger, lemon, and garlic make this my favorite soothing 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.

    👩🏻‍🍳 Why I Like This Recipe

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

    1. A mug of warm, soothing broth, and...
    2. 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 bouillon and alphabet noodle soup for a sore throat. When you're under the weather, you can only manage what you can manage and sometimes that is your maximum and I'm proud of you for that. We've all had those days.

    But on days when I have just a little more energy, or have started to go stir crazy and need to just do something a little creative, I make a mug of this soothing lemon ginger miso ginger broth to sooth my aching throat.

    If you're feeling up for it, I recommend making a small batch mini baguette to go with it — few things are more satisfying than dunking hunks of freshly baked bread in a mug of cozy soup.

    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
    Add your review →

    👩🏻‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

    This soothing broth uses mostly pantry staple ingredients that can stay good for a long time: chicken broth (or water + chicken bouillon), lemons, garlic, and miso paste.

    Miso paste lasts 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.

    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.

    a mug of broth

    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.

    What I can tell you is that this soothing broth tastes fantastic and can provide a bit of instant, sweet, sweet relief on a sore throat.

    The alphabet noodles are small enough that you don't really feel them, but provide a nice substantial 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.

    🥘 Ingredient Notes

    Here's what you'll need to make what I consider one of the best soothing soups for a sore throat.

    ingredients
    • 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.
    • Garlic - One clove, or one heaping teaspoon of the jarred stuff. If you're feeling extra ambitious, you can mash up a clove of roasted garlic instead.
    • Ginger - You can use a spoon to peel it, or just microplane it with the skin on — the skin doesn't go through the holes in the grater.
    • Lemon - You'll need zest from about a quarter of the lemon. I also like to squeeze a splash of lemon juice into my broth, but that's optional.
    • 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 its 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.
    • Olive oil - Just a tiny amount to coat the bottom of the pan.
    • Alphabet noodles - Orzo or any other small pasta shape also work well here.
    • Salt and pepper - Only if needed! Taste first.

    The great thing about this recipe is you don't actually need all of the ingredients to make this soothing sore throat broth.

    If you're missing the ginger, or missing a lemon, or out of garlic, or just don't have miso, you'll still end up with a great, super flavorful mug of broth. Just what your sore throat needs.

    A close up of a mug full of miso ginger soup. A wooden spoon rests across the opening of the mug with alphabet noodles in it.

    🔪 Instructions

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

    Hold the microplane upside down so the ingredients collect on top, held in place by the bent sides, just ready to be used. Boom. Minimal effort, maximum flavor.

    Don't believe me? Look at the photo below. The ginger is toward the top of the microplane, bright yellow lemon zest is in the middle, and the pale garlic is toward the bottom. All three, done without even having to put the microplane down.

    A hand holds a microplane in front of a small pot on the stove. the microplane is upside down so that the bent edges face up. grated ginger, garlic, and lemon zest have collected on the top, ready to be cooked.

    If you don't have a microplane, the small holes on a box grater will do a decent job. You may still want to give the lemon zest a quick chop with a knife though.

    Once you have everything grated, making the broth is quick and easy.

    Heat the oil in a small pot over low heat. Then add the grated ginger, garlic, and lemon zest and cook just until softened, about 30-60 seconds. Add the broth, bring to a boil, and stir in the alphabet noodles.

    Cook the noodles according to the package directions for "al dente" doneness, then remove from the heat and stir in the miso paste until dissolved. You don't want to boil the miso.

    Taste it before deciding whether or not to add salt — depending on what chicken broth you're using you may not need any!

    Pour it into a mug and garnish with thinly sliced scallions if you're feeling up for it. Then pile yourself under some blankets, warm your hands on the mug, and sip slowly to sooth your sore throat.

    📋 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.
    • Use the edge of a spoon to quickly peel the ginger.
    • 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 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. I use it mostly to make the miso maple ribs from Smitten Kitchen Everyday.
    • 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

    overhead shot of a mug of broth

    Soothing Broth for a Sore Throat

    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.
    5 from 17 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Email
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American, Japanese
    Servings 1 mug

    Equipment

    • Microplane

    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)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • 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).

    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.

    YOUR NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes. Only you can see these.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!

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

    Main DishesUnder 30 MinutesGarlicLemon
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 17 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cheryl

      August 09, 2021 at 7:54 am

      I was taught by Japanese cooking teachers to never boil miso - it ruins the properties of the fermentation. I will add it after reducing the stock and stopping the active boil. Looking forward to making this!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        August 09, 2021 at 8:17 am

        Ah so interesting! I’ve never heard that before. Next time I make this I’ll have to stir it in at the end and see how much of a difference it makes. I hope you like it!

        Reply
    2. Suzanne

      November 02, 2021 at 11:10 pm

      5 stars
      I just made this because I’m not feeling too hot. Sadly, I didn’t have my microplane handy 🙁 I ended up finely chopping the ginger and squeezing in lemon juice instead and it still turned out AMAZING. It’s so good!! I feel better right now than I have all day. Definitely adding this to my list of favorite recipes!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        November 03, 2021 at 11:39 am

        Sorry you aren't feeling well, but so glad to hear you loved the recipe!!! Get well soon!

        Reply
    3. Cynthia

      January 16, 2022 at 10:22 am

      5 stars
      This broth recipe is perfect and delicious. I’m making it in big batches for ready to go cups.

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        January 18, 2022 at 10:55 am

        Love this!!

        Reply
    4. Emily

      June 21, 2022 at 7:48 pm

      5 stars
      My fiancee has covid and a bad sore throat, made this broth for him and he LOVED it! Perfect way to do something special for him while he's under the weather!

      Reply
    5. Shelby

      November 06, 2022 at 9:40 pm

      Tried this recently for a pair of friends with Covid. They said it really helped 😁. And just made it tonight for my boyfriend who is starting to get the flu. He has been slamming the OJ, so figured the extra lemon juice wouldn’t hurt. We have been calling the ‘magic soup’ around here!

      Reply
    6. Jenn

      December 04, 2022 at 5:09 pm

      Just what I needed today. Perfectly soothing & delicious.

      Reply
    7. Tavie

      December 15, 2022 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      I didn’t have the miso or noodles but made this anyway and it is still wonderfully soothing for this horrible sore throat and cough I’ve developed.

      Reply
    8. Beth

      April 05, 2023 at 9:04 pm

      5 stars
      My 11 year old wouldn't have anything when she was sick but she drank this up! Used veggie broth and 1 tbsp red miso.

      Reply
    9. Megan

      July 01, 2023 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      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!!

      Reply
      • Rebecca Eisenberg

        July 02, 2023 at 11:23 am

        I'm so glad you liked it! Feel better soon 🙂

        Reply
    10. nicole

      January 23, 2024 at 9:45 pm

      5 stars
      this broth really hits the spot on a cold day when youre feeling blah, and was extra appreciated since my husband has been fighting a stomach bug. its mild and soothing but not bland, plus so quick. we had it the other day for lunch and it came together really easily. the only changes we made were to use udon noodles instead of pasta, and to toss in some shredded chicken. i like that this is such a flexible recipe, it was much enjoyed by both the sick and non sick eaters XD

      Reply
    11. Ashley

      November 27, 2024 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      This was a great online find! Slight modification is I sautéed my aromatics then deglazed with mirin and then added a splash of apple cider vinegar. Delicious and sweet relief from my sore throat and congestion!

      Reply
      • Rebecca Eisenberg

        November 27, 2024 at 2:13 pm

        Those are FANTASTIC modifications! Feel better!

        Reply
    12. Brian John Key

      December 05, 2024 at 6:41 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this and I'm enjoying it now. Substituted lemongrass for lemon rind since I didn't have any and the flavor is quite nice. Also added a bit of tarragon! Hopefully it busts the hell out of this cold and sore throat.

      Reply
    13. Alyssa D

      March 01, 2025 at 9:10 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe!! I made it this morning for my sick husband and it's so good! Thank you for making this!

      Reply
    14. Meghan

      March 03, 2025 at 9:24 pm

      I made this tonight as written, but I used good powdered ginger (all I had) plus turmeric and black pepper, it was really tasty and so cozy.

      Reply

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