Healing Garlic Broth
A deeply savory, immune-supporting broth that is both medicinal and genuinely delicious.
Garlic has more documented medicinal research behind it than almost any other food. Allicin, the compound released when garlic is crushed or chopped, has demonstrated antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-stimulating properties in numerous studies. The catch is that allicin is unstable — it begins to degrade quickly when cooked. This broth uses both raw and cooked garlic to capture both the flavor benefits and the medicinal ones.
This broth is deeply savory, warming, and genuinely comforting to sip when you're not feeling well. I make a large pot at the beginning of cold season and freeze it in quart portions to have on hand.
The amount of garlic in this recipe will seem alarming — I promise it mellows beautifully during the long, slow simmer into something sweet and deeply flavorful rather than sharp.
Ingredients
- 2 full heads of garlic, broken into cloves and peeled
- 2 large onions, quartered
- 3 stalks celery with leaves
- 2 large carrots
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 quarts water or vegetable broth
- Fresh thyme and parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 to 3 raw garlic cloves, minced (added at the end)
How to Use
- 1Sauté onion and all but 2 to 3 garlic cloves in olive oil until softened and golden, about 15 minutes.
- 2Add remaining vegetables, water or broth, and herbs.
- 3Simmer gently for 45 to 60 minutes.
- 4Strain broth and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
- 5Mince the reserved raw garlic cloves and stir into the hot (not boiling) broth.
- 6Sip as warm broth, one to two cups as needed. Store refrigerated up to five days.