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Lauren's Herbal Healing Broth

Lauren’s Herbal Healing Broth

Naturopath Lauren Glucina
An immune-boosting broth made from organic vegetables, medicinal herbs and spices.
4.72 from 35 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings 8 cups
Calories 20 kcal

Equipment

  • 6 litre/quart stock pot

Ingredients
  

  • 2 onions
  • 1 head of garlic sliced in half
  • 3 carrots
  • 4 large celery sticks
  • 1 tablespoon pink peppercorns
  • small handful fresh parsley
  • small handful fresh thyme
  • small handful fresh sage
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 100 g shiitake mushrooms about 1 punnet
  • 1/3 cup astragalus root, slices or chopped
  • 1 small piece turmeric sliced in half
  • 3 inch piece of ginger root sliced thin
  • 2-3 pieces kombu seaweed 5 inches in length
  • 4 litres/quarts water

Optional

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil if following method 2

Instructions
 

Method 1 (quicker):

  • Scrub vegetables clean, cut the carrots and celery into small chunks, halve the onions (skin on is ok), slice the garlic bulb in half, slice mushrooms thin.
  • Add all ingredients to stock pot and cover with 4 litres/quarts water. Cover, bring to a boil, slide lid half off, and simmer for 1 hour.
  • Remove from stove top, let cool, strain through a sieve into a second large pot.
  • Pour into sterilised glass jars, cap and refrigerate. If freezing, fill glass jars 3/4 full to avoid the glass breaking.

Method 2 (more flavour):

  • Peel and dice onions, chop the carrots and celery into small pieces, peel and slice the garlic cloves, slice mushrooms thin.
  • Add a glug of extra virgin olive oil to the stock pot, then cook onions, carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms until softened.
  • Add all other ingredients to stock pot and cover with 4 litres/quarts water. Cover, bring to a boil, slide lid half off, and simmer for 1 hour.
  • Remove from stove top, let cool, strain through a sieve into a second large pot.
  • Pour into sterilised glass jars, cap and refrigerate. If freezing, fill glass jars 3/4 full to avoid the glass breaking.

Notes

  • I haven't included a nutrition panel (other than guesstimating the calories per cup) due to the difficulty calculating the recipe, being strained of solids and all
  • Feel free to add salt to taste, particularly if you want to go on and use this as a base for your soups and stews
  • The two methods described are just as nutritious as each other, though the second method will impart more flavour 
  • Keep an eye on the broth as it simmers, you want to reduce the liquid by half - you may need to add a little more water as it cooks
  • Other fabulous, medicinal additions include reishi mushroom slices, a scant handful of goji berries, a cup or so of spring nettles
  • If you'd love a richer flavour-flave, you can't go past a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast, perhaps even a splash of tamari (I've used both in my quick pho broth here)
  • This recipe is best stored in sterilised glass jars, in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months
  • If freezing, I find it easier to freeze two cups's worth per jar, filling them 3/4 way full, allowing for expansion of liquid as it freezes (otherwise the glass may crack)
  • I reckon silicon food-grade pouches would be great to freeze in, but haven't tried this myself yet
  • Highly recommend enjoying a cup of warmed broth daily, with a teaspoon of miso paste for additional flavour and gut-friendly bacteria

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 20kcal
Keyword Healing broth, Immune broth
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