It is springtime, and quite possibly, you have begun a detox. Detoxing is a great way to rid your body of toxins that affect your digestion system while boosting the immune system at the same time. On the other hand, overpriced detox kits are not the best way to do so. Instead, broths and whole foods like vegetables and cleansing herbs can make you feel incredible, both on the outside and inside. That is why I recommend a variety of detox soup recipes that are especially great for the spring.
Soup is perfect for detoxing the body. Miso soup, in particular, improves digestion and positively affects the blood. The combination of vitamins, minerals, and liquids are a great way to give the organs easily-absorbed nutrients while flushing the body of unwanted toxins and chemicals we ingest from the environment and processed foods. Everything in the soup will work synergistically to allow for proper detoxification to take place.
So, without further ado, here are five of my favorite detox soup recipes. I’m sure you will enjoy them all spring long.
5 Delicious Detox Soup Recipes
1. Egg Drop Spinach Allium Soup Recipe
Egg drop soup is one of my favorite food recipes because as long as you have broth and eggs, you have a meal. The following recipe is a slight twist on egg drop soup. It also contains various detoxifying vegetables like shiitake mushrooms, spinach, and onions, as well as herbs like fennel, cinnamon, and cloves.
The shiitake mushrooms in particular help protect the liver from toxins. The eggs also add a good source of protein and other beneficial nutrients. Overall, the recipe is good for six servings.
Ingredients:
- 3 to 4 organic eggs
- 1 cup of spinach
- 4 cups of onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- ½ teaspoon of coarse sea salt
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds
- 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon of organic lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos
- 6 whole cloves
- 8 cups of bone or vegetable broth
Directions
In a large soup pot over medium heat, bring a half-cup of broth to a boil. Add the onion, garlic, cinnamon, ginger, and salt, and gently simmer.
Using kitchen twine, tie the cloves, fennel seed, and star anise in a cheesecloth package. When the onions are soft, add the rest of the broth and the spice cheesecloth bag.
Bring the broth to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes more.
Remove the spice bag from the broth. Add the mushrooms and spinach and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, coconut sugar, and coconut aminos.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Put the egg mixture in the soup, and cover for a few minutes on medium-low heat. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir the cooked eggs.
2. Miso Vegetable Detox Soup Recipe
Miso is a popular staple in Japan that contains many health benefits. It consists of fermented soy with lots of probiotics and beneficial nutrients like zinc, copper, manganese, vitamin K, and phosphorus.
Probiotic foods like miso help boost immunity, improve digestion, and have a positive effect on blood pressure. Miso also has anti-cancer effects. All it takes to make this soup is dropping a couple of tablespoons of miso in a soup broth with any vegetables you want.
The following miso soup recipe will make four servings, and contains lots of delicious vegetables.
Ingredients:
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of miso paste
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 6 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 1 cup of chopped cauliflower
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup of broccoli, chopped
- 4 ounces of buckwheat noodles
- 4 kale leaves, center stems removed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons of gluten-free tamari sauce
- 2 wild leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- A dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Directions
In a large pot, bring the stock to a boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the miso paste with a few tablespoons of the stock. Return the miso mixture to the pot.
Add the wild leeks, garlic, celery, carrots, and broccoli. Reduce the heat and simmer for 12 minutes. Then, add the kale, noodles, cayenne pepper, and tamari sauce. Simmer until the noodles are soft, for about five to eight minutes.
Pour the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green onions. Enjoy right away!
3. Salad-in-a-Bowl Detox Soup Recipe
Traditional Chinese medicine considers leafy vegetables to be “cold” from an energetic perspective. People with digestive issues often find lettuce difficult to digest. So, instead of eating a salad, cooking lettuce in a soup allows you to get plenty of nutrition without bloating problems. Also, the addition of sulphur-containing leeks and cancer-fighting mushrooms is great for any detox soup.
The following recipe will make eight cups of soup, and will keep in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups of fresh oyster or shiitake mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 2 cups of sliced leeks
- 1 tablespoon of dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 cups of peas
- 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
- 6 cups of bone or vegetable broth
- 5 cups of sliced romaine lettuce
- 2 cups of spinach
- 1 tablespoon of tahini or cashew butter
- ½ to 1 cup of sliced water chestnuts
- 1 cup of cilantro or parsley
- ¼ cup of hemp hearts
Directions
In a large soup pot, add the broth, mushrooms, leeks, water chestnuts, herbs, salt, and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the lettuce, spinach, peas, and tahini or cashew butter, and cook for two or three minutes. Serve with fresh herbs and hemp hearts, and enjoy!
4. Eat Your Greens Detox Soup Recipe
Want a great detox soup? The following recipe is loaded with nutrient-dense and immune-boosting vegetables that are perfect for a detox. Get your health on track with a green-heavy soup that includes broccoli, kale, and nori seaweed. The recipe also contains detoxifying herbs, such as fresh ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and turmeric.
This recipe will serve three people, and will take under an hour to create. It is a very tasty soup that allows you to get in some daily vegetables. Needless to say, you can’t go wrong with this greens detox soup.
Ingredients:
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups of sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 cup of chopped carrots
- 2 cups of broccoli florets
- Coarse sea salt, to taste
- 1 ½ to 3 teaspoons of grated fresh ginger
- 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ¹⁄8 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 5 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 large nori seaweed sheets, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 cups of chopped kale leaves
- Fresh lemon juice, for serving
Directions
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, and sauté for about five minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the carrots, broccoli, and mushrooms, and stir to combine.
Season with salt and sauté for five minutes. Stir in the turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cumin. Sauté for one to two minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the vegetable broth, and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, for about 10 to 20 minutes.
Before serving, stir in the nori and kale, and cook until wilted. Season with salt, and squeeze with fresh lemon juice.
5. Detox Carrot and Zucchini Soup Recipe
The following is another great detox soup recipe with lots of vegetables that help reduce food cravings and boost immunity. It is the soup you absolutely need at this time of year. Not to mention, you can find many of the vegetables at the farmers’ market.
This detox soup recipe contains zucchini, carrot, cilantro, kale, and celery. The addition of avocado will also give the recipe some healthy fat.
You will get about eight servings with this recipe, while it takes just about an hour to make.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of filtered water
- 2 cups of fresh green beans
- 4 medium zucchini
- 3 to 4 spring onions
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 cups of frozen okra
- 1 cup of chopped wild leeks
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 organic tomatoes
- 1 bunch of fresh Italian flat-leaf parsley
- 3 tablespoons of coconut aminos
- 1 handful of fresh cilantro
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 to 2 nori sheets, toasted and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons of amaranth seeds
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
Directions
Finely chop all the vegetables. Add the fresh vegetables and frozen okra to a large soup pot, and add four cups of filtered water.
Add the seaweed, coconut aminos, and amaranth seeds, and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and cover. Gently simmer it for about 30 minutes.
Serve immediately, and enjoy!
For the Love of Soup
I know you love soup. We all love soup because it is warming and comforting. Any time of year is great for soup, but especially in the spring where fluids can help your system to detox and reset.
When you add lots of nutrient-dense vegetables, soup is perfect for a spring detox. Soup is perfect for boosting the immune system, detoxifying the digestive system, improving overall health, and preventing various diseases like cancer and heart disease.
The detox soup recipes provided are sure to give you some variety; however, don’t feel held back with the recipes. Feel free to use your own creativity in the kitchen and add your preferred herbs, spices, and vegetables.
Sources:
Daniluk, J., “Hot Detox: A 21-Day Anti-Inflammatory Program to Heal Your Gut and Cleanse Your Body (Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., 2016), 188, 198, 205.
Liddon, A., The Oh She Glows Cookbook: Vegan Recipes to Glow from the Inside Out (Toronto: Penguin Canada Books Inc., 2014), 139.
McCarthy, J., Joyous Detox: Your Complete Plan and Cookbook to Be Vibrant Every Day (Toronto: Penguin Group, 2016), 165.
Prepon, L., The Stash Plan: Your 21-Day Guide to Shed Weight, Feel Great, and Take Charge of Your Health (New York: Touchstone, 2016), 239.
Weaver, S., “Detox veggie soup,” Recipe Renovator, March 18, 2017; http://reciperenovator.com/detox-veggie-soup/.