07/08/2025

Broths and hot drinks for cold season

When you have a cold, freshly prepared teas, homemade soups with lots of vegetables, and warming broths are a real treat. We have a few delicious recipe ideas for cold season that will add some healthy variety to your cup and bowl.

Cold feet, runny nose, scratchy throat – what could be more comforting when you have a cold than a warm cup of tea, a delicious soup, or a steaming broth? These tried-and-tested home remedies are our faithful companions during the cold season – and for good reason: teas, soups, and broths provide us with sufficient fluids when we have a cold, help to moisturize irritated airways, and the warmth simply feels good. Beyond the classic herbal teas and vegetable soups, there are other recipes that offer a welcome change during the cold season.

Mediterranean vegetable broth: a classic soup for the cold season

Gemüsebrühe mit Gemüsestücken in einer Schüssel.

In this somewhat unusual variation on vegetable broth, fennel, tomatoes and basil lend a Mediterranean flair that allows us to dream of sunny olive groves, picturesque villages and deep blue seas even when we have a cold. And it's not just the taste of this clear soup that has a lot to offer – it's also good for our immune system: fennel contains almost twice as much vitamin C as an orange, and tomatoes are also rich in this vitamin.

Ingredients for the Mediterranean vegetable broth:

100 g carrots
1 bulb of fennel
75 g celery
80 g tomatoes
50 g red onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs of basil
8 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
4 litres of water

Here is the recipe for Mediterranean vegetable broth:

1. Wash and chop the carrots, fennel, celery and tomatoes.
2. Cut the onion in half without peeling it. Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with a knife.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the vegetables and sauté over a low heat for around 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add water and bring to the boil.
5. Wash and pluck the basil and add it to the saucepan with the peppercorns and bay leaves. Simmer the stock over a medium heat for around an hour.
6. Strain the liquid into a second saucepan and reduce to approx. 1200 ml over high heat.
7. The stock will keep in the refrigerator for three days, but is also perfect for freezing or preserving.

Hot chocolate with chilli: a fiery treat for cold days

Frau bereitet heiße Schokolade mit Chili zu.

How about a little dessert after your soup? Even when you have a cold, you shouldn't miss out on a little treat. Hot chocolate is obviously no substitute for water or tea, but a little healthy snack between meals is a welcome treat even when you have a cold. While the classic version contains plenty of industrial sugar, this recipe does without it entirely thanks to the natural sweetness of dates. Another special feature is the pinch of chilli, which harmonises perfectly with the cocoa powder and contains valuable pungent substances that stimulate blood circulation.

Ingredients for hot chocolate with chilli:

1 ½ teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 pitted soft dates
1 pinch of chilli
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
250 ml milk or plant-based drink

How to make hot chocolate:

Mix all the ingredients in a blender and heat slowly in a saucepan. Pour the hot chocolate into a cup and enjoy.

Miso broth: Japanese soup to combat cold symptoms

Misobrühe in einer Schüssel auf einem Tisch.

Ever heard of miso? This fermented seasoning paste is an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine. With its hearty, savoury flavour, it is mainly used as a base for sauces and soups – and is perfect for making a warming broth when you have a cold, which can be spooned up in just a few minutes. Ideal for anyone who doesn't want to spend a long time in the kitchen preparing a simple soup when they have a cold.

Ingredients for the miso broth:

5 tablespoons miso paste
1 litre water

How to make the miso broth:

Bring the water to the boil. Put the miso paste in a saucepan, pour boiling water over it and stir until the paste has dissolved. You can also add chilli or fresh herbs such as coriander or flat-leaf parsley to the broth. 

Fresh apple and cinnamon tea: fruity warmth from your cup

As the saying goes, ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. Most of the healthy nutrients in apples are found in and just under the skin. So, if you have unsprayed apples, you can wash them briefly under warm water and then bite into them – unless you want to use them to make a delicious apple and cinnamon tea. In this case, it may be worth peeling the apples, as the tea is made from fresh apple peel. A fruity alternative to all those cups of herbal and cold teas and a delicious change from soups and broths.

Ingredients for apple and cinnamon tea:

3 unsprayed apples
1 cinnamon stick
1 litre of water

How to make apple and cinnamon tea:

Wash and peel the apples. Place the peel and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, add a litre of water and bring to the boil. Simmer for around 15 minutes, then strain. Sweeten with a little honey if desired.