Hingvastak Chicken & Garden Root Soup with Fennel, Rutabaga, and Cabbage
This deeply nourishing soup layers chicken, fennel, rutabaga, cabbage, and carrots in a fragrant apple–Hingvastak broth. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, pungent, and earthy — a meal that kindles digestion, supports immunity, and soothes Vata during the cooler months. The flavors come alive when made with my Apple & Hingvastak Bone Broth with Summer Savory and Oregano, though a good-quality chicken or vegetable broth can also be used.
SERVES
8-10
PREP
20 minutes
COOK
50-60 minutes
Ingredients
1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cubed
1–2 tbsp ghee
Directions
In a large pot, warm the ghee over medium heat. Add fennel and sauté until soft and aromatic.
Stir in rutabaga and carrots; cook a few minutes to release their natural sweetness.
Ayurvedic & Western Perspective
This soup embodies what it means to eat seasonally and intentionally — grounding roots, warming spices, and digestive herbs all coming together in a gently spiced, aromatic broth. The base — made with Hingvastak churna, an Ayurvedic blend of eight digestive spices — stimulates agni and clears ama (toxins), while apple adds a subtle sweetness and cleansing quality that harmonizes the flavors.
Chicken provides strength and nourishment for the tissues (especially mamsa dhatu), while rutabaga and carrots root the body in stability and warmth. Fennel soothes digestion and balances the subtle tension in the nervous system, and cabbage supports gentle detoxification and colon health. A final touch of lemon juice brightens the entire bowl, awakening the senses and enhancing nutrient absorption.
From a Western perspective, this soup is rich in vitamins A and C, minerals, fiber, and natural antioxidants — a restorative blend of gut-healing and immune-supportive ingredients. It’s a perfect example of how Ayurvedic wisdom and modern nutrition meet in the kitchen: wholesome, flavorful, and balancing for body and mind.
Enjoy it with a slice of sesame sourdough brushed with ghee and, if possible, outside in the crisp autumn air — nature’s dining room always adds a little extra prana.
Explore the Ingredients
Each ingredient in this recipe offers its own unique qualities and actions in the body. In Ayurveda, food is more than nourishment — it is medicine. Click below to learn how these ingredients support balance, digestion, and overall well-being.
Cabbage
