50 Recipes With Immunity-Boosting Ingredients (2024)

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

When it comes to staying well, what you eat plays an important role. That's why it's important to utilize ingredients that are beneficial to your immune system. Nutrients like vitamins A, C, D, and E, fiber, folic acid, iron, selenium, and zinc all promote a healthy immune system, and they're found in many of the ingredients these recipes highlight. Antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients are also key for immune strength. Essentially, the better attuned your body is to protect itself, the better likelihood it'll be able to ward off, or at least minimize, illness. You'll also notice that these recipes steer away from alcohol, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, which can all cause inflammation. That way, your antibodies can focus on protecting your body from germs.

Bangin Seasonal Grain Bowl image

Fall Farro Bowl with Green Tahini Sauce Recipe

With bold but balanced flavors and a vibrant variety of textures, this healthy grain bowl checks all the boxes. We love the colorful, nutrient-dense combo of roasted beets, butternut squash, red onion, and delicate haricot verts, but feel free to include whatever veggies you love the most. You can also add leftover shredded chicken or sliced steak to bump up the protein. Prep the flavor-packed components of this grain bowl in advance for delicious lunches you’ll actually look forward to all week long.

Seared Scallops with Fennel and Citrus

Seared Scallops with Fennel and Citrus Recipe

Scallops are the perfect choice for an effortless date-night dinner. To get the best golden, crispy sear, let your scallops come to room temperature and pat them dry before cooking. Track down dry-packed scallops; they’re lower in sodium.

Chickpea Spinach Salad

Chickpea Spinach Salad Recipe

Starting with pre-cooked leftover chicken, this recipe comes together in only 10 minutes. Thanks to a variety of ingredients, this salad is a nutritional powerhouse, brimming with antioxidants from the oranges, heart-healthy fats from the walnuts and avocado, and folate and vitamin A from the spinach. We skip the croutons and add toasted walnuts for some heart-healthy crunch.

Beet Chips with Turmeric-Yogurt Dip

Beet Chips with Turmeric-Yogurt Dip Recipe

Here's a lighter, more colorful take on the usual chips and dip. Beet chips crisp up in a flash in the microwave. Keep close watch on them to make sure they don't scorch.

Pineapple-Mango Breakfast Bowls image

Pineapple-Mango Breakfast Bowls Recipe

Take your taste buds to the tropics with these fruit-and-yogurt-filled pineapple boats.

Tomato-Red Pepper Gazpacho with Fresh Vegetable Medley

Tomato-Red Pepper Gazpacho with Fresh Vegetable Medley Recipe

Toppingtomato and redpepper-flavoredgazpacho withfresh veggiesmakes a refreshingsummer soup.

Mussels with Buttery Turmeric Broth

Mussels with Buttery Turmeric Broth Recipe

Cooking at home doesn't have to be difficult, expensive, or time-consuming. Mussels are surprisingly affordable and quick and easy to cook. They're also a standout sustainable star, a great option for those looking to make better seafood choices. A Dutch oven is key here; the roomy pot with a tight lid steams the mussels to perfection.

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Lemony Chicken and Spinach Soup Recipe

Inspired by Greek avgolemono, this recipe yields a creamy, comforting, bright bowl of soup that delivers everything we want when feeling a little under the weather. Heck, served with a warm blanket and a cozy couch, we’re convinced this lemony chicken soup can fix just about anything. As delicious as it is, this soup requires very simple ingredients and is easy to make. Just be gentle when adding the hot broth into your egg mixture (to temper), and the rest couldn’t be easier. This is a smart trick for richening soup without cream, and produces a uniquely rich broth that’s easy on the stomach. While we call for rotisserie chicken and store-bought stock for convenience sake, you could certainly roast your own chicken, then make chicken stock with the carcass for an even more flavorful pot of soup. We specifically developed this soup to make a large batch so that there’s plenty to share with friends, or stash in the freezer for the next time you’re feeling a bit under the weather or simply need a warming, fuss-free meal.

Zesty Kale and Sweet Potato Bowl

Zesty Kale and Sweet Potato Bowl Recipe

This loaded veggie bowl gets a touch of smoke from the chili-spiced sweet potatoes and roasted bell pepper and plenty of zing from fresh lime. Chili powder and lime also give toasted almonds an addictive crust; make extra and enjoy as a snack. Cotija cheese has a dry, crumbly texture—it won’t melt or disappear into the bowl. Use it to top tacos, stir into whole-grain salads, or top roasted broccoli.

Fall Festive Salad image

Festive Fall Salad Recipe

This vibrant seasonal salad offers the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors, with a bright cider vinaigrette cutting the richness of the butternut squash and turkey. While this seasonal salad would obviously be an excellent way to utilize some Thanksgiving leftovers, you could also very well leave out the turkey and serve it as a holiday dinner side dish. Full of seasonal flavor and color, it makes a fantastic alternative to heavier casseroles that are often included in the holiday spread. Feel free to swap the butternut squash for sweet potatoes or even roasted beets.

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Ginger Lemon Wellness Shots Recipe

You only need five ingredients—lemon, water, honey, cayenne pepper, and ginger—for this quick home remedy that's full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and vitamin C. These wellness shots are sour in the best way: There's tartness from the lemon juice, and the ginger and cayenne add a pleasant, subtle warmth. Meanwhile, the honey balances out all that acidity and coats your throat.

Black Garlic and Lentil Soup

Black Garlic and Lentil Soup Recipe

For Bar Tartine in San Francisco, chef Nick Balla created this smoky, earthy soup as a tribute to his Hungarian-America father. Dried chiles, paprika sausage, hot paprika, and black garlic--regular garlic roasted for days until it turns sweet and jet black, with a licorice-like flavor--give the soup a rounded spiciness.

Immunity Soup image

Immunity Soup Recipe

This recipe yields a big pot of brothy soup that you can make ahead and enjoy for a couple of days; the flavor just gets better over time. You may be wary of the large amount of garlic, but keep in mind that it mellows considerably after being cooked.

Stewed Chickpeas and Chard over Garlic Toast

Stewed Chickpeas and Chard over Garlic Toast Recipe

This is one of those go-to dishes for busy weeknights--it's fast, easy, and filling. It also happens to be a vegan recipe. Though we're calling this dinner, it would be splendid for breakfast, too.

Creamy Kale Caesar Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs

Creamy Kale Caesar Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs Recipe

We leave out the anchovies for a kid-friendly take on classic Caesar salad. Instead of romaine, we use dark, bumpy lacinato kale leaves; a quick massage makes them perfectly tender. And instead of adding raw egg to the dressing, we add a soft-boiled egg to each serving so the yolk can run over all. A grill pan is a worthy addition to your kitchen for getting quick, chargrilled flavor without having to cook outdoors. Use it to toast the baguette slices and mellow the fresh red onion wedges.

Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

Easy Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Bacon Recipe

We spiced up plain-Jane lentil soup with the addition of tender sweet potato chunks, fire-roasted tomatoes, and bacon. This rich, comforting, smoky soup is perfect if you are planning a tailgate event or weekend party because it can be prepared up to three days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. It tastes even better when the flavors have had a chance to marry.

blueberry-basil-limeade

Blueberry-Basil Limeade Recipe

The vibrant blue-violet color of this refreshing summer sipper is naturally stunning. And the perfect addition to any poolside chill session. Requiring only 4 ingredients (plus water) this limeade is as simple to make as it is beautiful—not to mention, delicious. The tart lime juice is sweetly balanced by juicy blueberries, and fresh basil delivers a refreshing herbaceousness. The addition of the basil just amps up the sophistication of what is normally a down to earth drink.

Kasha with Kale and Pancetta

Kasha with Kale and Pancetta Recipe

In our favorite new weeknight meal, kasha and a poached egg rev up greens and smoky pork. The recipe comes from Sandy Sonnenfelt, prepared-foods director at Market Hall Foods and its flagship store, The PastaShop in Oakland.

Wine Pairing: A crisp Riesling such as Trisaetum 2013 Dry Riesling (Willamette Valley; $18). The wine offers bright citrus and minerality to handle the greens and egg, and the pancetta pulls out the wine's apple and stone-fruit notes. --Sara Schneider

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup

Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup Recipe

Snow peas, spinach,and chicken breast give this 5-star Coconut-Curry Chicken Soup flavor, texture,and a wealth of nutrients.

Ginger-Orange Carrots

Ginger-Orange Carrots Recipe

This recipe is great for entertaining: Simply roast the carrots ahead of time and broil just before serving.

Kale and Lentil Bowl with Thai Almond Sauce

Kale and Lentil Bowl with Thai Almond Sauce Recipe

This reigning leafy green is jam-packed with vitamins A, C, and K. Kale’s fibrous greens maintain integrity even in long-cooked soups and braises, but we also love it raw in salads. Just be sure to massage the leaves until they start to soften and tenderize. A few quick pickled carrots and a judicious dribble of creamy almond sauce completely transforms this dish into a hard-to-put-down dinner. Make it a regular in your #meatlessmondayrotation.

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Chicken, White Bean, and Spinach Salad Recipe

The beans, chicken, and dressing can all be made a day ahead in yourslow-cooker. Assemble this mealin minutes and round out this lightsummer saladwith a loaf of crusty bread. If you have any leftover, it will make a great lunch the following day. Slow cooking requires little fat, so trim the excess from meats and poultry. Preserve the flavor of fresh herbs by adding them to the dish once it comes out of the slow cooker. Removing the slow cooker lid while cooking releases valuable heat, so resist the urge to check on the dish as it cooks.

Cucumber Kimchi

Cucumber Kimchi Recipe

Spicy, zingy fermented cukes deliver plenty of probiotics. The double-sealed water bag helps keep them submerged so they ferment thoroughly.

Ombre Citrus Salad

Ombré Citrus Salad Recipe

If you’ve been invited to a potluck and feel fresh out of recipe ideas, this is the dish for you. This stunning citrus salad will fit right in at nearly any occasion—holiday brunch, wedding or baby shower, breakfast with friends, office luncheon, church social. It tastes great chilled or at room temperature, is made with a few ingredients, and is dairy-free and gluten-free, making it ideal for a mixed crowd that might have food allergies or dietary restrictions. We used four types of citrus (blood oranges, Cara Cara orange, Ruby Red grapefruit, and a navel orange) for a rainbow of colors, but you can also alternate two types of citrus for a pretty, simpler look. If you’re not a fan of hazelnuts, use toasted almond slices or chopped, toasted pistachios. Whatever you do, don’t skip the flaky sea salt and black pepper at the end. A little bit of seasoning brings out the flavors of the fruit and makes the whole thing look and taste impressive.

Southwestern Sweet Potato and Egg Hash

Southwestern Sweet Potato and Egg Hash Recipe

Hashes are a great way to incorporate vegetables into the first meal of the day. Here we’ve added a Southwestern spin with chili powder and cumin. Give the potatoes a head start by microwaving them until just shy of tender, then finish them off in the skillet for that coveted crispy texture. Use the leftover black beans to boost protein and fiber in salads, soups, or grain bowls.

Golden Beet Soup with Toasted Grains

Golden Beet Soup with Toasted Grains Recipe

Toasted amaranth adds a nutty flavor that's truly delicious; sesame seeds make a good substitute.

Slow Cooker Chicken Posole image

Slow Cooker Chicken Posole Recipe

Think of posole as chili's brothier, lighter cousin, a Mexican version of chicken soup. Posole is also a name for the hominy, or rehydrated dried corn, that goes in the dish.

Roasted Salmon with Oranges, Beets, and Carrots

Roasted Salmon with Oranges, Beets, and Carrots Recipe

This sheet pan main is as elegant as it is easy. Serve on any weeknight, or for guests with a whole-grain side and seasonal salad. One large (1 1/2-lb.) fillet, also called a side of salmon, will stay moist at the higher oven temperature. If using individually portioned fillets (about 6 oz. each); bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, roasting the vegetables on a separate pan for about 15 minutes or until tender, then combine and sprinkle with the lemon juice and tarragon.

Easy Kimchi

Easy Kimchi Recipe

Learn how to make this traditionalKorean sidelike a pro.

Millet Amaranth Buddha Bowls

Millet Amaranth Buddha Bowls Recipe

Imagine a classic Asian-style rice bowl, but with a risotto-like blend of millet and amaranth as the base. At Vital Root in Denver, chef-owner Justin Cucci tops the grains with loads of vegetables and tofu, then drizzles on a silky tahini sauce.

Wine Pairing: A dry but aromatic white like VML 2014 Gewürztraminer (Russian River Valley; $24). The perfume of the sesame and tahini match the wine's floral and spicy aromas; the haunting minerally character and mouth-filling weight of Gewürz work well with tofu. --Sara Schneider

ck-Sweet Potato-and-Red Lentil Curry

Sweet Potato-and-Red Lentil Curry Recipe

This fragrant, Indian-style stew hits all the right notes with aromatic garam masala, fresh ginger, and concentrated red curry paste. The coconut milk mellows and loosens the potato and lentil mixture just enough so that it can be spooned over rice.

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pear and Walnut Spinach Salad

Pan-Seared Salmon with Pear and Walnut Spinach Salad Recipe

Wild salmon has less saturated fat, fewer calories, and 5 to 10 times fewer contaminants and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than farm-raised (in early studies, POPs have been linked to impaired brain development, type 2 diabetes, and obesity). There's no need to give up all farmed salmon, and eating some is always better than none. Aim to eat at least 1 to 2 servings of omega-3-rich fatty fish weekly.

Matcha Green Tea

Matcha Green Tea Recipe

Matcha, a traditional Japanese tea, is one of the most nutritious beverages you can consume. Bonus: It's pretty yummy, too.

Whole Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Fennel, and Apple image

Whole Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes, Fennel, and Apple Recipe

For an easy, autumnal dinner, this wholeroasted chicken is the way to go. Perched on a bed of root veggies, fennel, apples, and mushrooms, this chicken becomes irresistibly crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside. Apples and mushrooms absorb the savory chicken fat and slowly break down throughout the slow-roasting process, making them almost melt-in-your-mouth delicious. The sheet pan will be crowded upon assembly, but don't fret,roasting will shrink the veggie and apple mixture'ssize.

Edamame-Avocado Hummus

Edamame-Avocado Hummus Recipe

Soybeans and avocado unite to create a super creamy dip. Thanks to cilantro, sesame oil, tahini, fresh ginger, and Sriracha chili sauce, it's loaded with flavor as well as nutrients.

Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Cumin

Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric and Cumin Recipe

"I love this hot or cold, by itself or as part of a larger meal," says Sera Pelle of this cauliflower dish that's a vibrant yellow from turmeric and fragrant with cumin, cilantro and mint.

Silky Garlic Soup with Sourdough Soldiers

Silky Garlic Soup With Sourdough Soldiers Recipe

If you’ve never had garlic soup before, don’t be scared off by the idea. The garlic flavor is present, but it’s quite mellow and sweet after cooking. The soup is barely thick, with more of a “coats the back of a spoon” texture than, say, the thickness of a creamy potato soup—making it perfect for dunking toasted breadsticks into.

Kale and Spinach Salad with Beets and Roasted Garlic-Citrus Vinaigrette

Kale and Spinach Salad with Beets and Roasted Garlic-Citrus Vinaigrette Recipe

Filling half the plate with plants isn't as hard as you think. We make it easier with salty, crispy bacon--one piece is all it takes to elevate this bountiful bowl of fruits and vegetables.

Glazed Salmon and Rice Bowl

Glazed Salmon and Rice Bowl Recipe

A soy sauce, honey, and vinegar mixture doubles as a marinade for the salmon and a drizzle over the finished dish.

Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato image

Thai Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potato Recipe

This healthy dinner for one is loaded with big flavor and couldn’t be easier to throw together. Bonus: It’s made entirely in the microwave.

Avocado-Egg Salad Sandwiches with Pickled Celery

Avocado-Egg Salad Sandwiches with Pickled Celery Recipe

To prevent avocado from browning in leftover egg salad, place any remaining salad in a bowl and cover surface with plastic wrap. Then cover the entire bowl tightly with plastic wrap.

Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup

Onion, Kale, Chickpea, and Chicken Soup Recipe

Few things beat a steaming bowl of veggie-packed chicken soup on a crisp autumn evening, and this one happens to be a perfect potion for the seasonal chills. You can leave the thyme sprigs in the broth (just ladle around them) so they'll keep releasing herbaceous goodness into any leftovers.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Cherry Salsa

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Fresh Cherry Salsa Recipe

The meaty texture of fresh cherries holds up in a salsa that goes well with the charred sweet potatoes.

Golden Milk

Golden Milk Recipe

If you're wanting to incorporate the health benefits of turmeric into your diet, the options don't get more delicious than this richly spiced drink created by Emanne Desouky, co-owner of Super Juiced in Oakland. (Imagine eggnog, but vegan and good for you.) Desouky includes coconut milk and black pepper to make curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, more bioavailable. You'll need a nut-milk bag or cheesecloth for straining.

Brown Rice Bowl with Miso, Poached Egg, and Kale-Radish Slaw

Brown Rice Bowl with Miso, Poached Egg, and Kale-Radish Slaw Recipe

Nutrient-rich kale has a mild flavor and becomes tender very quickly, making it a snap to add to speedy meals like this one.

Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels image

Sheet Pan Thai Red Curry Mussels Recipe

Easy weeknight dinners don’t get any more impressive than these sheet pan mussels. Bold aromatics come together with curry paste and rich coconut milk for an incredible broth that goes right on the sheet pan to steam the mussels and infuse them with flavor. We keep the prep time low on this restaurant-quality dish by opting for prepared ginger, garlic, and lemongrass paste; however, feel free to substitute fresh, whole ingredients. In fact, if you have some time to spare, you could even try your hand at making your own curry paste.

Ruthenian Mushroom Soup

Ruthenian Mushroom Soup Recipe

This healthy mushroom soup is one of the heartiest bowls you'll serve this season—it all comes together in one pot with a handful of spices and warm potatoes. Pro tip: soak your mushrooms in water overnight for best results.

Turmeric-Dill Cucumbers

Turmeric-Dill Cucumbers Recipe

If you loved watching your Mom or Grandmother make various kinds of pickles during the summer, you will get a kick out of making a batch of these Turmeric-Dill Cucumbers. The Master Pickle Brine is used as a base for this recipe and can also be used to pickle any of your favorite seasonal fruits or vegetables. This brine is made up of just four ingredients - rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt (plus 1 cup of tap water) – and comes together in just 20 minutes. This easy method would surely make Grandma jealous! The brine makes 4 cups - enough for one 32-oz or two 16-oz pickling jars. Slice the cucumbers and divide them, along with your fragrant dill sprigs, between the pickling jars. Make the Master Pickling Brine, and add the additional herbs, seasonings and spices. Once the sugar in the brine has melted, let it cool a few minutes, then pour it into the cucumber-packed jars. Cover with the lid, make sure it is sealed tightly, and chill a couple of days. This gives all the flavors time to work their way into the cucumbers, turning them into pickles. You can keep the pickles in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Because you are making refrigerator pickles instead of storing them on the pantry shelf, you don’t need to use a hot and steamy water bath to process them. Serve these pickles alongside fried chicken or fried fish, or anytime you need a taste of summer.

Sweet Pea and Avocado Dip with Baked Pita Chips

Sweet Pea and Avocado Dip with Baked Pita Chips Recipe

Incorporating green peas into this tasty summer snack not only reduces the amount of fat but also adds sweetness and further brightens the green color.

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Instant Pot Kichidi Recipe

This comforting dish is nutty, earthy, and slightly lemony. It’s often given to people who are sick and is packed with nutrients thanks to the lentils, turmeric, and ginger. For optimal flavor, use cumin seeds rather than ground cumin, and temper them in ghee or oil. In a pinch, split yellow peas also make a good base.