recipes

Wondering What to Eat When Sick? May These 41 Recipes Be Thy Medicine

Nothing makes us feel better than these comforting bowls and bevs. 
Image may contain Bowl Dish Food Meal Soup Bowl and Soup

A hypothetical: Your germy kid gave you the lurgies. You’re already at max Tylenol; modern medicine won’t help you now. Hmm, you think, What to eat when sick? Well, sniffler, hold on to your handkerchief! These recipes for delicious garlic broth, chicken and rice soup with peppy chile oil, and soothing (booze-free) green tea toddies are practically made for days when you’re feeling worse for wear. They all lean on do-gooder ingredients—ginger! ferments! heat!—that can help boost your body’s physical—and let’s face it, emotional—defenses. Sure, you should also drink plenty of liquids, get loads of rest, and seek the (real) advice of an actual medical professional (which I am not). But none of that quite hits like a soothing bowl of umami-packed veggie noods. When you’re stuck on what to eat when sick, consider these 41 recipes the antidote—at least to indecision.

  • Image may contain Bowl Food Dish Meal and Soup Bowl
    Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Susie Theodorou, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio
    1/41

    Brothy Beans With Kimchi and Squash

    This stick-to-your-ribs stew gets heft from creamy white beans and winter squash.

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  • 2/41

    Garlic Broth

    This back-pocket broth is hardly even a recipe, but it's the most soothing soup we can imagine for sick days, cold nights, and any other time you need a little extra comfort. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Sue Li
    9/41

    Simple Khichari

    This restorative stew, from Divya’s Kitchen, features a rotating cast of hard and soft vegetables.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    10/41

    Hot Toddy Pick-Me-Up

    The hot toddy is not simply a mixture of hot water and booze. It’s a miracle worker, a doctor, and a life coach in a cup. And although it does seem to do the trick for everything from a sore throat to a cough, it’s just as good when you’re healthy. This version omits the usual honey or sugar and plays up the herbal and spicy notes instead.

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  • Ditte Isager
    11/41

    Chicken Khao Soi

    A simple curry paste gives this northern Thai–inspired soup surprising depth of flavor.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    12/41

    Spicy Citrus Refresher

    A big batch of jalapeño-spiced orange-lime juice that you can top with seltzer or spike with rum. Your call.

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  • 13/41

    Congee With Spring Vegetables and Green Garlic Oil

    If you don’t want to make the chicken stock from scratch for this congee recipe, simmering some store-bought broth with a few slices of bacon and ginger for 20 minutes or so will give you a huge head-start on flavor.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    14/41

    Pork and Shiitake Congee

    Since congee can take hours to make on the stovetop, we came up with a clever trick: Rinse the rice and freeze it overnight. 

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  • Laura Murray
    15/41

    Spicy Kimchi Miso Soup

    If you like your soup extra spicy, add a bit more gochujang or even a bit of the kimchi juice for an additional kick.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Sophie Strangio
    16/41

    Tea-Totaler’s Toddy

    A soothing green tea toddy you can drink on its own–or spike with mezcal.

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  • Gentl & Hyers
    17/41

    Turmeric-Ginger Chicken Soup

    Chicken noodle soup never gets old. If you don’t have udon for this recipe, use rice noodles or regular old spaghetti. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Ayesha Patel
    18/41

    Kimchi Jjigae

    Any vegetable or meat would be in good company with this stew’s spicy-funky base of kimchi, gochugaru, and gochujang.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    21/41

    Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

    This chicken noodle soup recipe is about as comforting as they come. 

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Sue Li, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski
    22/41

    Feel-Better Chicken and Rice Soup

    If you want this take on classic chicken soup to have a similar consistency to congee, add 10–15 minutes to the cooking time.

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    23/41

    Cleansing Tea

    Nutrients are lost when ingredients boil, so steep this cold-and-flu-buster at a relatively low temperature.

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  • Alex Lau
    24/41

    The Cough Suppressant

    Be careful not to boil the tea. It will give you a cleaner flavor and be more nutrient-rich.

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  • Danny Kim
    25/41

    Brad's Prevention Tonic

    Ginger and turmeric have anti-inflammatory powers, the juices deliver vitamin C, and staying hydrated is always a good idea. As for the Quantum Cold & Flu Liquid Extract? It’s touted as a “highly effective” herbal elixir. We’ll take their word for it.

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  • Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    26/41

    Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

    This weeknight chicken soup goes Greek with orzo, lemon juice, and a handful of fresh dill.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou
    27/41

    Fermented Garlic Honey

    You can drizzle this honey over pepperoni pizza (trust!), serve alongside spicy fried chicken, and more.

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  • Gentl & Hyers
    28/41

    Spicy Kimchi Tofu Stew

    ”This fiery Korean stew is my weekend detox,” says senior food editor Alison Roman. “It’s spicy, clean, and capable of reversing any damage the previous night may have caused.”

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  • Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott
    31/41

    Citrus–Prickly Pear Elixir

    This delivers a concentrated shot of vitamin C (from the citrus) and antioxidants (from the prickly pear).

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    32/41

    Vegan Umami Broth

    Roasting the vegetables, along with a trio of umami-rich ingredients (miso, mushrooms, and kombu), give this meat-free broth a deep, satisfying flavor.

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Ali is a writer and editor at Bon Appétit whose culture and lifestyle work includes reporting on the health claims behind fake meats, interviews with opinionated chefs about the evolution of restaurants, personal essays on the intersection of work and identity, and subtle attempts to propagate her favorite Australian foods.... Read more
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