There are few things more soothing, comforting, and healing than homemade broth, especially during the cooler months.

Sure, you can buy high-quality premade broths (and we do sometimes!), but homemade broth is so much more nutritious, economical, and incredibly easy to make.

Here, we’re sharing three of our favorite healing broth & stock recipes for stronger immunity, including: Chicken Bone Broth, Bieler’s Broth, and Herbaceous Root, Mushroom, & Fire Veggie Stock.

Whether you make up a batch for yourself, a big batch to freeze, or a pot to bring to a sick friend, these three recipes are the ultimate food-as-medicine tonic to nourish your immune system, respiratory system, and support overall wellness.

Which Is More Healing? Broth or Stock (the answer may surprise you!)

The terms “broth” and “stock” are often used interchangeably and share the same ingredients, but they are prepared differently and serve different functions according.

Here’s a quick explainer.

Broth refers to a mixture of water, meat, bones, and/or vegetables with herbs, spices, an acid like lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, and other ingredients that’s slow-cooked for 12-24 hours.

Stock contains the same or similar ingredients but is cooked for a shorter time, typically 1-4 hours.

Meat-based products may be broths or stocks, while most veggie-based products are technically stocks, as they are not slow-simmered.

Which Is More Healing? It Depends

Bone broth is touted as the ultimate healing tonic, especially for gut health. 

This is due to its long cooking process, which extracts the maximum amount of gut-healing collagen, gelatin, and minerals from the animal bones, skin, cartilage, and meat.

However, bone broth isn’t the best option for everyone due to its higher levels of free glutamates.

Glutamates are naturally occurring amino acids that give slow-simmered broth its signature umami flavor. It’s also found in Parmesan cheese and other very savory dishes.

Glutamates aren’t inherently unhealthy for healthy people.

However, some people, including those with neurological, digestive, and cognitive issues, may be glutamate-sensitive and triggered by slow-simmered broths and other foods naturally high in glutamates.

For these people, and vegetarians and vegans (naturally), stock is the healthier option.

Veggie-based recipes, like the ones we’re about to share, are technically stocks, as they are quick-simmered.

The quicker simmer is intentional, as it helps preserve more of the vegetable’s nutrients.

However, even if you slow-simmer a veggie broth, free glutamates are only an issue in meat, fish, or seafood-based broths.

How To Make Broths & Stocks: What You’ll Need

Broths and stocks require minimal equipment, including:

• A large stainless steel, glass, or enameled stockpot or soup pot
  
• A ladle
  
• Filtered water
  
• A sieve or strainer
  
• Glass jars to store (such as quart-size mason jars)

Note: You can use a large slow cooker or the slow-cooker function on your Instant Pot for the chicken bone broth recipe.

Related: Our Take on the Safest, Non-Toxic Cookware

3 Homemade Broth & Stock Recipes For Stronger Immunity

As mentioned previously, these recipes include meat-based and veggie-based options for broths and stocks.

1: Recipe 1: Chicken Bone Broth

If you’re new to making bone broth, chicken bone broth is a perfect place to start.

It’s economical, neutral in flavor, loaded with gut-healing nutrients like gelatin and collagen, and super versatile.

This recipe calls for using a whole chicken, which creates the most nutritious bone broth or stock. You can also use chicken backs, or leftover roasted chicken carcasses—although the carcasses won’t impart the nutrients from the chicken skin or meat.

If you’re a canner, you can also pressure can your own homemade broth to store in the pantry. 

Just keep in mind pressure-canned broth must be strained of as much fat as possible to achieve a proper seal.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole, organic pastured chicken, or two carcasses
  
  • Note: the whole chicken, with its skin, bones, and meat, will produce the most nutritious broth
    
• 2-4 free-range chicken feet (optional)*
  
• 4 quarts purified water (or more to fill your pot)
  
• 2 T. lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar per 4 quarts of water
  
• 4-8 organic peppercorns (more if desired)
  
• 1-2 t. high-quality sea salt
  
• 4 onions quartered
  
• 8 organic carrots – cut into large pieces
  
• 2-4 organic zucchinis – cut into large pieces
  
• 6 stalks of organic celery – cut into large pieces
  
• 4 inches of fresh ginger - grated
  
• 5 cloves of garlic
  
• 1 large bunch of parsley – added 15 minutes before finishing for additional mineral ions
  

*Chicken feet may sound like a strange ingredient, but they are the most gelatinous part of the bird, lending a wealth of gut-friendly nutrients and lovely texture.

How To Make Chicken Broth or Stock

1. Put the whole chicken and optional feet into a large stainless steel, enameled, or glass pot.
   
2. Fill with enough water to cover the chicken by at least 2 inches, leaving room for the vegetables to expand.
   
3. Add the lemon juice or apple cider vinegar (which helps pull minerals from the bones) and let sit for 1 hour without heating.
   
4. Bring to a soft boil, not allowing the stock to come to a full or roaring boil. 
   
5. Lower the heat to a simmer and skim the foam off the top.
   
6. Add all remaining ingredients, except the parsley, and simmer on low heat, skimming occasionally, for 1-2 hours or until the chicken is tender enough to pull away from the bone easily.
   
7. Remove the chicken from the pot using a large pair of tongs and a large ladle, holding the chicken over the pot for a few seconds to allow the cavity to drain.
   
8. Place the chicken on a cutting board, remove skin, and discard. Debone and reserve chicken meat for future use.
   
9. Add the bones back into the broth.
   
10. Continue simmering the chicken bones and vegetables for 12-24 hours to make bone broth. 
    
    1. If you would prefer to make stock, simmer for 1-4 hours.
       
11. Add parsley 15 minutes before the broth or stock finishes.
    
12. Strain the broth and allow to cool completely.
    
13. Store in glass containers in the fridge. If you plan to freeze, make sure it’s cooled completely and leave at least two inches of headspace to allow for expansion.
    

This is a delicious recipe to make in bulk and is far superior to store-bought versions in flavor and nutrition.

Related Podcast: The Many Benefits of Bone Broth With FOND Founder Alysa Seeland

2: Bieler’s Broth Recipe (vegan)

We’ve shared our love of Bieler’s broth on social media, and it’s always sparked lots of questions and interest.

The original Bieler’s broth was created by Dr. Henry G. Bieler, a well-known integrative physician in the early days of alternative medicine. 

Bieler’s broth is highly recommended by health professionals. It’s a favorite!

The magic of this broth lies in its combination of vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables, which help alkalize the body, thereby optimizing detoxification and immune function.

You can enjoy this as a chunky or strained soup. We like drinking at least once a week as a healing tonic, and it’s very soothing and hydrating when you’re sick.

This broth recipe is best for immunity when made and enjoyed fresh, rather than frozen, though it can be stored in the fridge. 

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini
  
• 1 pound string beans
  
• 2 stalks of celery 
  
• 2 bunches curly parsley
  
• 1 ½ - 2 quarts filtered water
  

How to Make:

1. Place the water and vegetables in a large stockpot.
   
2. Bring to a boil, and skim off any foam.
   
3. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender (about 5-15 minutes).
   
4. Remove from heat. 
   
   1. If blending, let cool completely before mixing in a plastic blender.
      
   2. Blend until smooth.
      
5. Enjoy immediately, or store in glass jars in the refrigerator and heat as needed.
   

Bieler’s broth will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Note: The original Bieler’s broth does not contain salt. However, if no salt is a deal-breaker for you, you can add a pinch for more flavor.

Related reading: How To Naturally Clean Fruits & Vegetables

Herbaceous Root, Mushroom, & Fire Veggie Stock

This is the stock to turn to if you feel like you’re coming down with something, can’t warm up, and/or are fighting off an infection.

It contains a wealth of immune- and respiratory-supportive herbs, like thyme, fennel, ginger, and garlic; vegetables with vitamins A, C, & D; beta-glucan-rich shiitake mushrooms; iodine-rich sea veggies; and expectorant daikon radish, ginger (again), and optional cayenne or red pepper flakes.

Like Bieler’s broth, it’s 100% vegan and ready in minutes, although it will get more flavorful a little longer the longer you simmer it.

If you don’t have everything listed, don’t panic. Just add more of what you do have, refer to the substitutions, and do your best.

Regardless, even if you can add half of the ingredients, you’ll be giving your immune system an incredible infusion of nutrients.

We’ve included recipes for a traditional and fat-free version.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (optional) 3-4 onions, diced
  
• 3 carrots or one large sweet potato, large dice
  
• 1 package of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
  
• 1 daikon radish, diced
  
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  
• 1/2 -1 teaspoon turmeric powder or 1 one-inch fresh piece, grated 
  
• 2-4 tablespoons freshly grated ginger, to taste (there’s the fire!)
  
• 4-6 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
  
• 1 bulb garlic, sliced in half (yep, the whole bulb) 
  
• 1 tablespoon dulse flakes, nori, or a stick of kombu 
  
• A few pinches of cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional for more heat)
  
• 2 quarts (8 cups) of filtered or spring water
  
• Salt to taste (optional)
  

How to Make Version 1 (with fat)

This version has more flavor, but takes more time & effort to saute the vegetables. 

If you feel like you are getting sick or you’re in the middle of an illness, you may benefit more from version 2, which will be easier to digest without the fat, although either version is beneficial.

1. Heat a large stainless steel, glass, or enameled stockpot over medium heat.
   
2. Add the olive oil and heat on low.
   
3. Add the onions, and saute for 5-7 minutes.
   
4. Add the carrot or sweet potato, shiitakes, and daikon, and saute another 5 minutes.
   
5. Add the spices — fennel seeds, turmeric, ginger, thyme, and garlic — and sauté for another 2-3 minutes to release their oils/aroma.
   
6. Toss in the dulse or sea veggie of choice, optional cayenne or red pepper flakes, and water.
   
   1. If you’re not sure you want the extra spice of the cayenne or red pepper flakes, wait until after straining and tasting. It’s easy to add spice, but not so easy to take it away!
      
7. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
   
8. Strain, return to the pot, and season with salt to taste.
   
9. Enjoy immediately, or cool, store in glass containers in the fridge, and heat as needed.
   

How to Make Version 2 (fat-free)

The fat-free version is generally recommended if you’re already feeling ill, cleansing, short on time, or following a fat-free or low-fat diet for healthy reasons.

1. Water-saute the onions until soft.
   
2. Throw everything except the cayenne or red pepper flakes into a large stockpot.
   
3. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.
   
4. Strain, return to the pot, and season with cayenne or red pepper flakes and salt to taste.
   
5. Enjoy immediately, or cool, store in glass containers in the fridge and heat as needed.

You can also enjoy this as a chunky or blended soup, depending on how you’re feeling. 

If the broth’s too spicy, you can add more water, but you want some warming spice to stimulate heat in the body and activate immunity and cleansing.

Related reading: 7 Immune-Boosting Herbs And Spices In Your Pantry

Looking For More Healing Recipes? We’ve Got ‘Em!

Since using food as medicine to cure myself and my son, I’ve learned that simple, nourishing foods —like  broths and stocks —are among the most powerful yet underrated natural remedies.

In that spirit, we have several recipes to share to help you nourish, detoxify, and boost immunity this fall—or any season!

Check out our Food As Medicine section of the blog for more information and recipes, including:

• 8 Ways To Support Your Immune System When You Get Sick
  
• How To Use Food As Medicine To Heal
  
• 10 Day Stay Food As Medicine Recipes

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