Quick Asian Zoodle Noodle Flu Buster Soup! This Asian inspired paleo zucchini noodle soup is light yet rich in anti-inflammatory properties. A soothing delicious and nutritious soup. Vegetarian and Vegan options! Come now, get healthy!
This is one of those recipes I selfishly made for me. Plus it was an excuse to come up with a fun recipe title. Asian Zoodle Flu Buster Soup! NO FLU or BUST! I hope you will thank me for it later, selfishly. Haha! You see, food is medicine (healing) and I so needed the extra meds these past few weeks. I *might have* overworked myself. But the two snow storms that randomly passed through Utah also didn’t help.
Therefore, it was time. Time for something warm, spicy, and soothing to help me (us) thrive during cold and flu season! You feeling it? Of course you are!
I get really excited every time I create a recipe that serves two purposes. To heal and to taste AMAZING! This Asian Zoodle Flu Buster Soup is just that, and it involves some of my favorite flavor combos. Cilantro and fresh ginger AND spicy peppers? Yes please!
Guys, it’s winter! Our immune systems are working over-time (or in my case, under-working), and if you’re like me, you get anxious every time you sneeze or feel a slight tickle in your throat. I start echoing in my head “I will not get sick, I am not sick, I must not get sick.” Hey, sometimes it works, right? Either way, I’m determined to do everything I can to take better care of myself this year, which is why I love this Flu Buster Soup. Buster, it should be my new word for 2018. Haha!
But I digress… let’s talk about the Asian Zoodle part, mmm k?
It’s both flavorful and comforting, and I’m a little obsessed with the crunch of the cabbage and cashews combined with the tang of lime juice and ginger. Most importantly, it’s filled with delicious ingredients like fresh Asian peppers and cilantro— foods known to boost your immune system, reduce inflammation, and keep you healthy and strong all winter long.
Inspired by traditional soups from Malaysia with heart-healthy updates like low-carb zucchini noodles, sinus-soothing peppers, and infection-fighting cabbage, this truly is the perfect flu-buster recipe. Added bonus, it’s quick and simple to make, and your kitchen will smell amazing the entire time you cook.
How can one soup do so much good? It’s all in the real food ingredients:
- An arsenal of healing spices: anise seed, cumin, and five-spice powder: If you’re unfamiliar with five-spice, it’s a spice blend common in Southeast Asian food and combines the five flavor properties: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory. Aside from the enormous flavor boost, five-spice is also full of antioxidants that help strengthen the immune system. (PS, if you’re cooking in a hurry and don’t have five-spice on hand, cinnamon is a great substitute with many of the same health benefits, so keep your cooking fun and stress-free.)
- Spiralized zucchini and yellow squash: did you both know zucchini and yellow squash contains both antioxidants and healing properties that help reduce inflammation? It’s not just low-carb, it’s also a great digestion aid, and a good source of energy-boosting B vitamins.
- Freshly grated ginger: I’m in a long-term relationship with ginger, it’s easy to incorporate into almost any soup, and adds that sweet and sour tang we all love in Asian-inspired recipes. Added bonus? Ginger is scientifically proven to help fight colds, reduce nausea, and reduce joint pain.
- Purple and/or Red cabbage: protects the body from infection and acts as another flu-busting anti-inflammatory. I also love the pop of color it adds to this soup, proving once again that healthy food can taste great and look pretty.
- Asian or jalapeño peppers (I’ve used both!): A powerful natural antioxidant with plenty of Vitamin C to help the body absorb iron. The added spice doesn’t just taste good, peppers are also an energy-boosting source of B6!
- Cilantro: helps remove toxins, improves digestion, and protects against heart disease. Staying healthy never tasted so good.
BONUS –> Black sesame seed. An excellent source of minerals, B Vitamins, and fiber.
The edible flowers? Well, those are just pretty but I bet they have some health perks.
Alright, now that I’ve justified my “food as medicine” FLU BUSTER SOUP, shall we make it? It’s easy. I pinky promise. Sipping on broth alone will make you feel better. Just sayin…
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Asian Inspired Zoodle Flu Buster Soup
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 3 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Asian inspired zucchini noodle soup is light yet rich in anti-inflammatory properties. A soothing delicious and nutritious soup. Gluten free and paleo, with vegetarian and vegan options!
Ingredients
- 2 zucchini (¾ to 1 pound), spiralized and pressed to remove water
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 small to medium shallot, minced
- 1 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon anise seed
- Pinch five spice or cinnamon
- Pinch kosher salt
- Pinch black pepper
- 24 ounces vegetable or bone broth
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce or tamari sauce (gluten free soy sauce)
- 1 Tablespoon Asian chili sauce (optional)
- 2 to 2 ½ cups shredded or chopped red or purple cabbage + extra for topping
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
Toppings and Garnishes:
- 3 to 4 fried or scrambled eggs, for plating
- Sliced jalapeño or Thai red pepper
- Handful of chopped cilantro or Thai basil, to garnish
- 1 to 2 green onions, diced (use green portion)
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- Sesame seeds
- Crushed salted nuts (cashews, almonds, or peanuts)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Wash the zucchini and either spiralize or julienne cut it. Press the zucchini between 2 paper towels and remove excess water. Place in a bowl and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat, add in the shallots, ginger and garlic. Stir fry until lightly browned or about 1 to 2 minutes.
- While sautéing, crush the fennel seeds with back of a knife to extract more flavor.
- Add in the crushed fennel seed, cumin, anise, five spice, salt, pepper, and broth. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
- Mix in the fish sauce, optional chili sauce and chopped cabbages. Simmer until softened, or about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the zucchini noodles, and bring to a quick boil then reduce to low and simmer for another 2 minutes or until everything is cooked though.
- If adding an egg as topping, quickly scramble an egg in a small skillet or fry in 2 teaspoons oil.
- Spoon soup into bowls and top with extra crunchy raw cabbage and cooked eggs. Garnish with sliced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, diced green onion, lime wedge, sesame seeds, crushed nuts, kosher salt and black pepper.
Notes
Substitutes – Use any spiralized vegetable, check for doneness after simmering in the broth. Some vegetable take longer to cook. For a vegan option, use tamari sauce in place of fish sauce and omit the eggs or replace eggs with cooked sprouted tofu, chickpeas, or even tempeh.
Estimated Nutrition for 3 servings, with egg and sesame seeds on top. Sodium is 850mg. Reduce the sodium by using low sodium tamari and broth.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Soup
- Method: stove
- Cuisine: Asian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 3.5g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 11.5g
- Saturated Fat: 2.7g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2.7g
- Protein: 10.5g
- Cholesterol: 186mg
What’s your favorite flu buster soup? I’ll gladly take more recipes!
Cheers,
MORE SOUP RECIPES HERE!
This recipe is part of Our Best Healthy Soup Recipes for Fall collection. Check it out!
It’s the end of 2020 and a cold winter day in Texas. I’m not sick but I bought a Kitchen Aid spiralizer for Black Friday so searched for a dish that I could make that was warm and comforting. I always have peppers in my fridge so sliced up some Thai and jalapeño peppers and I just so happened to have every ingredient on the list too. I had never opened my anise or 5 spice that I bought a few years ago. Those seasonings tasted amazing! Next time I’m adding a small portion of chicken.
Glad you enjoyed this soup, Corina! Love your idea of adding in a small portion of chicken next time!
I was expecting a lot more flavor from this recipe. It tasted okay but was quite bland. Hubby added some soy sauce and I put extra lime juice in mine- it helped. Overall it wasn’t bad but I probably wouldn’t make this again.
so sorry to hear that. Maybe I can help! Did you use a bone broth or regular broth? To enhance flavor, a bone broth helps! I also us tamari sauce and thai pepper or jalapeno on top.
Freaking amazing!! Taste just like pho. I couldn’t find anise seed last minute at Walmart so I made it with out and still was top notch. My husband was sick with a cold and this stuff did wonders for helping him get some life back into him.
For toppings I only used the green onions, cilantro, lime wedge and sesame seed.
Recipe good for 3 ppl… oh and I added mushrooms towards the end
Glad it worked out! We actually made this this weekend too. My husband had the flu. Bugger!
Not only does this heal and taste good, but it is also an absolute work of art!! So stunning
Flu or not, I want a bowl of this goodness! So beautiful too!
This is so something I need right now! Looks delicious!
I need this nourishing soup and that bowl!
I’ll share with you any day!
You’re amazing and I want a bowl of this soup in my fridge and freezer at all times, for every single throat tickle or cough for me and the wee babe. She loves hot sauce, so I’m sure she can handle the heat.
The Hubby planted a whole slew of edible flowers last week and on the seed packets, it tells you the health benefits.
OMG really? your hubby is smart. What a great styling tool. And you’re amazing! Always!
Pressure Cooker Chicken Soup. 4-6 frozen bone-in chicken thighs (use frozen). 1/2 onion. 3 whole garlic cloves. 3 halved celery stalks. 2 tsp salt. 6 cups water.
1. place all ingreds into pressure cooker. 2. Set on high, 45 mins. slow or fast release. I have done both.
3. While chicken cooks, in a stock pot, in 1/4 cup butter or more, sauté 1 large diced onion, 3 diced carrots, 4-5 stalks of celery plus leaves (an herb) and any other veggies you wish to use. 4. Remove thighs to a plate, toss vegs. from pressure cooker, they now have no taste. Pour stock into soup pot. Add 6-8 minced/grated cloves of garlic. Add chicken to pot. I just ate the last of the soup tonight. Taste and season. The pressure cooker replaces hours of boiling. I also use same recipe to make Chicken & Dumplings using 2 cans of woompuns (can biscuits, grand size, cut each biscuit into 4 pieces and while broth boils, drop biscuits in. My family thinks I’ve slaved over a hot stove for hours. Bahahaha…I am under the weather right now.
This sounds awesome! Thanks Laura!
Love all the descriptions of the superfoods you provided! The colors of each ingredient are absolutely magical. I don’t have the flu, but I’d still enjoy this in a heartbeat!
so thought of you! minus the egg, this is your kind of soup!
I need this SO badly right now. Not that I’m sick, but I feel so run down from all of the moving and stress. Whew. I can’t get it together lately! Adding to my list to try whenever I have a kitchen again.
Bro! I would so deliver if I could! The move will be worth it. I know it!
My little guys love soup, and I would feel so good making this for them. Especially during flu season!
So wish I had this a couple weeks ago!
Where was this soup last week?? They look amazing and the ingredients sound delicious. That they help me stay healthy is just an added bonus!!
Prettiest flu buster soup EVER! I feel better just looking at it! 🙂