One of the best remedies for everyone’s least favorite seasonal guest is soup—and not just any soup. I’m talking about the BEST soup. When you’re sick with the flu, a cold, or “just allergies,” you may be wondering which soups to reach for at the store. With January and peak flu season upon us, we’ve compiled a list of the best soup for when you’re sick, straight from the Sporked archives. Mmm, that’s good soup (for sick people).
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- Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup
Mythical Kitcheneer Trevor Evarts and staff writer Danny Palumbo ate their way through an impossible amount of chicken noodle soups in Sporked’s best chicken noodle soup ranking, just to find the one soup to rule them all. The ruling soup is Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup, and as we all know, chicken noodle soup is the queen of all soups for sick people. “The noodles feel homemade––eggy, substantial and delightfully chewy. And the herbaceousness is on par with what you’d expect from a homemade soup,” Danny raved. If you’re doomsday prepping for flu season, don’t forget this one, folks.
- Amy’s Organic Southwestern Fire Roasted Vegetable Soup
For our vegetarian friends, Amy’s has the perfect soup for when you’re sick. In Sporked’s best vegetable soup ranking, senior staff writer Jordan Myrick describes Amy’s fire roasted veggie soup as wonderfully seasoned, versatile, and “bursting with flavor.” A stuffy nose can make tasting things a whole lot harder, so a veggie soup that doesn’t skimp on flavor is a great way to bring those taste buds out of hibernation. Jordan recommends pairing this soup with some shredded cheddar, diced raw onion, and a bit of fresh lime to really enhance its flavors. Veggie lovers, don’t sleep on this one.
- Bare Bones Lentil Curry Plant-Based Soup
Danny’s pick from the best lentil soup ranking is a sinus opener in the form of good soup. When you’re sick, sometimes the worst part is having to commit to being a mouth-breather full-time, so a soup with bold spices can be a great way to open up the ol’ sinuses. Danny says Bare Bones’ Lentil Curry soup contains “a lovely combination of lentils, vegetables, and spicy aromatics,” this includes both red and black pepper as well as lemongrass. Bare Bones Lentil Curry soup is great if you’re sick and looking for something with a kick.
- Progresso Traditional Soup Beef & Vegetable
Danny’s number one pick from Sporked’s best vegetable beef soup ranking will convince you that you do have enough energy to take that shower after all, especially after eating a hearty meal like this one. Danny points out that “carrots, potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and onion all work together to provide a robust flavor” in this soup. When you’re sick, you want a meal that hits all the bases: protein, veggies, and maybe a bit of garlic––and that’s exactly what Progresso delivers in their beef & veggie canned soup. Good on you, Progresso, looking out for the (sick) little guy.
- Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Soup
When you’re sick, you might not feel like eating anything solid, and that’s where this creamy tomato soup steps up to bat. “This soup is as decadent as plain tomato soup can get,” Sporked editor-in-chief Justine wrote in her ranking of the best tomato soup. She goes on to describe it further as “comfort to the max,” which is really all we seek in soup when we’re sick. Sick people, rejoice (but not too hard)—Pacific Foods is here to comfort us with their creamy tomato soup!
- Bar Harbor New England Style Condensed Clam Chowder
Flu-ridden friends who are ready for something a little more hearty will want to turn their attention to Sporked’s best clam chowder ranking. In it, Danny placed Bar Harbor’s New England Style Clam Chowder in the top spot. “The potatoes are cut smaller, and it’s absolutely loaded with tender, meaty clams,” he noted. This soup is creamy with a little bit of chew to every bite. It’s a nice way to pace yourself while you’re still getting your bearings.
- MAMA Instant Noodles
Sometimes you need food fast—especially when you’re sick and don’t want to stand in front of the stove for an extended period of time. Thankfully, Jordan’s best instant ramen ranking has one of the best soups for when you’re sick. As any college student will tell you, ramen is the way to go, sick or not. This ramen may be chicken flavored, but it is fully vegetarian. It also comes with everything you need to minimize prep/cook time. “You don’t need to add a single thing to these noodles. They are perfect as is,” Jordan gushed. If I’m sick, I’ll take anything to minimize the amount of time spent away from my bed, so MAMA Instant Noodles are the way to go.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!