Grandma’s Immune-Boosting Winter Soup

When winter hits, sickness rates rise, which only makes sense. Winter is full of festivities (exposure to germs), fluctuating temperatures, and weather that leaves us in wet clothes.

All of these things and more are the perfect storm for weakened immunity. This is where eating seasonally comes in.

If you think back, our ancestors were experts at optimizing their diets for the seasons. They naturally gravitated toward light meals in the summer and soothing broth soups in the winter.

Their winter soups weren’t just meals; they were remedies full of healing elements. In this post, you’ll learn how to make my Grandma’s Immune-Boosting Winter Soup.

This recipe is packed with immune-strengthening mushrooms, warming herbs, and nourishing broth. The combination is not only delicious but highly effective in fighting seasonal bugs and restoring energy.

Whether you’re warding off the sniffles or want to give your immune system a little TLC, this soup will have you feeling better in no time.

Immune-Boosting Soup Ingredients

Each ingredient in Grandma’s Immune-Boosting Winter Soup brings scientifically proven compounds to reduce inflammation and keep your body strong. When you use them together, you get a powerhouse soup that the entire family can enjoy. Here’s what each ingredient does.

Shiitake Mushrooms: These umami treats are full of beta-glucans that boost immune cell activity and reduce inflammatory markers. Shiitake mushrooms keep your immune system on its toes and can even reduce the time it takes to respond to antibodies. Studies also show that shiitake mushrooms balance gut health, a key indicator of immunity to illness.

Reishi Mushrooms: Among the most popular medicinal mushrooms, reishi mushrooms are considered “the mushroom of immortality” because of their longevity benefits. Reishi is traditionally used in Chinese medicine but has grown in popularity in American culture in recent years. It’s used as an adaptogen, but its polysaccharides and terpenoids can also support a balanced immune response.

Now, I’ll be honest—mushrooms aren’t for everyone. Some people can’t stand the texture, others struggle to source quality reishi locally, and let’s face it, preparing them properly takes time you might not have when you’re already feeling run down.

That’s why I keep a ready-made reishi tincture on hand. It’s the same benefits without any of the hassle.

Reishi, also called Ganoderma, has earned its nickname as “the mushroom of immortality” for good reason. It’s been used for thousands of years to support immune function, reduce inflammation, fight fatigue, and even help with sleep and stress. It’s one of those rare herbs that works on multiple systems at once: your immune system, your nervous system, your respiratory system.

If you value your health and want something you can rely on during cold and flu season, a quality reishi tincture is worth having. Click here to learn more about the reishi tincture I trust.

Ginger: This warm spice contains gingerol, which boosts the circulatory system and kicks the immune system into gear. Ginger is most famous for its digestive benefits, but recent studies have confirmed that it is also antiviral and an excellent natural antibiotic for cold and flu season.

Turmeric: Curcumin is turmeric’s primary bioactive compound, which comes to life with a pinch of black pepper. Turmeric contains powerful antioxidants that relieve oxidative stress, reducing the load on your immune system. Plus, it gives the soup a beautiful, bright color reminiscent of Grandma’s best recipes.

Garlic: A true kitchen and garden staple, garlic is readily available to most. Similar to onions, it contains allicin, which strengthens the immune system and fights against harmful germs. Garlic is truly versatile and can be blended into soups, infused with honey for a natural antibiotic, or, if you’re brave, chewed whole.

Lemon: A burst of citrus adds lightness to the soup, but it also gives you a hefty dose of Vitamin C. This element is essential to regenerating antioxidants and improving white blood cell function. Lemon is a must-have for neutral soup flavoring, but you can also get the same benefits from oranges and limes.

Here’s something most people don’t realize: you can completely destroy the Vitamin C in lemons—and the medicinal properties of most herbs—if you prepare them wrong.

Boiling lemon juice too long? You’ve just killed the Vitamin C. Adding honey to boiling water? You’ve deactivated its antibacterial compounds. Using the wrong extraction method for mushrooms? You’re getting flavored water with zero health benefits.

This is the difference between someone who dabbles in herbal remedies and someone who actually gets results. It’s not about having the right ingredients—it’s about knowing how to prepare them so they actually work.

There are specific guidelines for making remedies that preserve and maximize their potency. Without them, you’re wasting time, money, and ingredients on something that looks like medicine but doesn’t act like it.

You can be the person in your family who knows how to do this right. The one people come to because your remedies actually work.
Click here to learn the remedy-making guidelines that separate enthusiasts from professionals.

Optional Addition

Here is an unconventional ingredient that you may consider adding to your soup if you’re extremely under the weather (or adventurous!).

Elderberries: These tart berries are antiviral, anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, and they’ve even been shown to have anti-depressant qualities. Add a few to your soup for extra immune-boosting benefits. Use them sparingly and strain before consuming so you don’t alter the flavor of the soup too much.

Elderberries are one of those remedies with so many different properties that honestly, everyone should be taking it at least twice a day. Antiviral, antibacterial, anti-diabetic, even mood-supporting—it’s ridiculous how much this one berry does.

And in tincture form? You can use it in so many ways. A few drops in water, in tea, straight under the tongue when you feel something coming on.

Nicole Apelian vouches for elderberry so much that she developed her own tincture specifically so people could stay healthy through winter without constantly getting knocked down by every bug going around.

I’ll be honest, I was skeptical at first. Another immune booster? Sure. But then I tried it, and wow. WOW. It’s way better than I expected.

Here’s what Linda R. said after using it:

If her whole family stays healthy even when surrounded by sick people, that’s the kind of protection you want this winter. Click here to get the elderberry tincture that actually works.

Feel free to add other immune-boosting spices and herbs such as thyme, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaf, all of which are tried-and-true additions. You can also add a dash of cinnamon or cloves for antimicrobial support.

Fresh herbs are another great pick. Choose cilantro or parsley, and stir them in at the end for best results. These additions allow you to customize the soup to fit your family’s needs and personal taste preferences.

How to Make Grandma’s Immune-Boosting Winter Soup

Now that you know the “why” behind the ingredients, let’s make a pot of Grandma’s Immune-Boosting Soup. This recipe comes together in less than 40 minutes, making it the perfect snow day dish.

Ingredients

4 cups broth (vegetable, chicken, or bone broth)
4 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1-2 tablespoons dried reishi chips (or ½ teaspoon reishi powder)
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and pepper to taste

00 Immune-Boosting Soup Ingredients copy

Step One: Pour the broth into a large soup pot and bring to a simmer over low heat. Don’t heat the soup too fast, or you can reduce the nutritional benefits of the mushrooms.

Step Two: Add the shiitake mushrooms, reishi, ginger, turmeric, and garlic. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, so the mushrooms are infused with herbs. 01 Immune-Boosting Soup Step Two copy

Step Three: Remove the soup from the heat and strain out the reishi chips (if using). Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve warm.

How to Use This Remedy

This remedy is gentle and safe for daily use during illness. Children will love it too—just strain out the reishi chips before serving.

If you have mushroom allergies, substitute with leeks, fennel, onions, or extra garlic and ginger. For general immune support, enjoy 1 bowl a few times a week. If you’re feeling run down, have 1-2 bowls daily.

Like pho, this soup gets better the longer it sits. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 4-5 days or freeze in individual portions for up to 3 months. Remove reishi slices before storing to prevent them from hardening in the broth.

Reheat gently over low heat (or thaw overnight if frozen) to preserve the beneficial properties of the mushrooms and herbs. 02 Immune-Boosting Soup How to Use copy

The Complete Winter Wellness Shield

Look, even the slightest cold means something very different for someone 56+ than it does for someone in their 30s. The body isn’t as resilient. One small thing leads to another, and another, and suddenly you’re in the ER because what started as “just a cold” turned into something serious.

This isn’t about being dramatic. It’s about being realistic. Winter illnesses hit harder as we age, and ignoring early symptoms because “it’s just a sniffle” can snowball fast.

That’s why I’m telling you about the Winter Defense Bundle. It’s the most complete shield you can get against winter wellness threats. Not just one tincture—everything you need to hit illness from multiple angles before it takes hold.

The benefit? High quality at a price that actually makes sense. It’s way cheaper than buying all these tinctures separately, not to mention the time and effort of sourcing ingredients and making them yourself.

And here’s the thing—it’s not just for you. Your parents, your spouse, your kids—this is something your whole family should have access to. Help the people you care about stay strong this winter instead of watching them struggle through illness after illness.

Click here to get the Winter Defense Bundle before winter really hits you and your loved ones.

Make Your Own Winter Remedies Like a Pro

If you’re the kind of person who loves making remedies like this soup and wants to take it further, there’s something you need to know about.

Inside The Lost Remedies Academy, Nicole Apelian teaches you how to make a Fever Sponge—one of those old-school remedies that can pull a fever down fast and get you or your kids out of bed quicker. It’s a fever-absorbent herbal plaster made from a common backyard plant, and she walks you through the whole process on video so you can see exactly how it’s done.

But that’s just one remedy. The Academy has dozens more specifically for winter wellness:

Grandma’s Antibiotic in a Jar – for bacterial infections when you can’t get to a doctor
The Tincture That Strengthens Your Entire Immune System – stops infections before they start
What Happens If You Smoke Mullein – clears lungs, kills germs, opens airways naturally
The Fatty Liver Repair Tea – for when winter sluggishness hits and you feel drained
Nature’s Anesthetic from Cattails – numbs pain instantly, better than store-bought options
3 Powerful Remedies to Always Have on Hand – covers emergencies, pain, and infections
Anti-Inflammatory Root Tea – fights the chronic inflammation that weakens immunity

You get lifetime access, so you can come back to any lesson whenever someone in your family gets sick. No more guessing if you’re doing it right. No more wondering if the remedy will actually work. Nicole shows you everything step by step.

If you’re serious about being the person your family turns to when they’re sick—the one who knows what to do instead of panicking—this is how you get there.

Click here to explore The Lost Remedies Academy and start making real medicine at home.