5 Reasons (with 5 Recipes) to Have Broth for Breakfast

Breakfast broth is rapidly gaining in popularity as a healthy option for a morning meal. The reasons for its benefits are simple and so are the recipes for making it!

One of my challenges as a Nutritional Therapist is getting people to think outside the box for what they can have for each meal of the day. Homemade broth for breakfast certainly fits the bill.

This is especially important if we’re removing things like gluten or grains for a while. Because outside of eggs, there’s not a whole lot left, at least in the standard American breakfast landscape of cereals, muffins, croissants, pancakes, waffles, and bagels.

Also, keep in mind that although broth for breakfast isn’t common in America, it is in many other places around the world, especially Asia.

When I traveled to Burma, I started every morning with a fish-broth based noodle soup called mohinga (trust me, it tastes better than it sounds). And when I was in Thailand, I often had a light breakfast of rice in broth (known as a “congee”) with different herbs and seasonings.

Since then, broth for breakfast has become a standard part of my breakfast repertoire, especially in the colder months.

But even if you’re not traveling to Asia or going grain-free anytime soon, here are four good reasons to consider broth for breakfast:

1. Broth for breakfast is great when you’re in a rush

Warm up some broth on the stove. Add in whatever you want – some greens, some chopped garlic, poached some eggs in there, maybe throw in some leftover chicken or sausage, spice it up with salt and pepper or soy sauce. Boom. Breakfast is ready in five minutes.

2. Broth for breakfast is light yet nourishing

As a Nutritional Therapist, I hear this all the time: “But I’m not hungry in the morning.” Many people don’t do well with heavier protein-based breakfasts for many reasons. They often skip breakfast as a result but regret it a few hours later when they’re starving at work and have nothing prepared.

If you’re one of those people who get nauseous at the thought of eggs and bacon in the morning, consider having broths for breakfast instead. They’re easily digestible and won’t make you feel bloated. But if you’re like me and need a bit more protein…

3. You can still have eggs!

Broths don’t have to be light. If you’re one of those that thrive on heartier breakfasts, broths can still do the trick. Adding a good protein and some starch like rice or potatoes can make for a very filling meal. And the easiest way to add some quick protein is to add some eggs. They work well in almost any broth. You can poach ’em right in the broth and they’ll cook in just a few minutes.

So on that note, here are a few super simple broth for breakfast recipes with eggs:

Basic Eggs in Broth

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups broth of choice – chicken, beef, fish, pork, etc.
• 1-2 eggs
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Several sprigs parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring broth to a simmer.

2. Add in eggs and simmer a few minutes until whites are cooked but yolks are still soft and runny.

3. Top with parmesan cheese, parsley and salt, and pepper, to taste.

Basic Eggs in Broth, Asian-style

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups broth of choice
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-inch piece of ginger, chopped
• Kale, chopped
• Soy sauce or fish sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Bring broth to a simmer and add in ginger, garlic and simmer a few minutes, longer if you have time, to further infuse garlic and ginger flavor.

2. Add in eggs and kale and simmer a few minutes until eggs are cooked and kale is thoroughly wilted.

3. Season to taste with soy sauce or fish sauce.

Eggs in a Tomato-Basil Broth with Sausage

Ingredients

• 1-2 cups chicken or beef broth
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• ¼ – ½ link sausage, crumbled or chopped into rounds
• 3-4 basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Bring broth to simmer. Remove about a ½ cup to a bowl, mix in tomato paste and return to the broth, thoroughly mixing. Add a little more or less tomato paste, to your liking.

2. Add sausage and cook for about a minute. Alternatively, if you have time, saute the sausage separately in oil for more flavor and then add it to the broth at the end. Add in eggs and poach a few minutes.

3. Top with basil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. You can still have oatmeal!

The first time I heard about savory oatmeal in bone broth I thought, “Bone broth? In oatmeal? Dear God…NO!”

After all, oatmeal is supposed to be sweet. Everyone knows that. Like the sky is up. Like dogs are better than cats (sorry cat lovers but it’s a fact). And like bacon is the greatest food ever. It’s just a law of Nature.

Then again, who would’ve thought butter and coconut oil go so well in coffee?!

Well, the same goes for savory oatmeal. The first time I tried it, I was hooked.

Get More Broth for Breakfast Recipes!

The recipes above are just a small sample of the broth for breakfast recipes in my new book, Fearless Broths and Soups: Ditch the Boxes and Cans with 60 Simple Recipes for Real People on Real Budgets.

But there’s a lot more to it than just broth for breakfast.

It also includes chapters on:

• How to make basic bone broths in 5 simple steps
• How to make broth-based soups in 3 simple steps
• Asian Noodle soups including Thai, Vietnamese and Burmese-inspired recipes
• Creamy Vegetable soups including Sweet Potato Coconut Curry and Creamy Carrot-Apple with freshly ground cinnamon
• Soups from the Sea including Cioppino, Clam Chowder, and Bouillabaisse
• Simple Sausage and Meatball soups including Italian Meatball and Portuguese Kale
• Lots more!

Just like the broth for breakfast recipes above, all of the recipes emphasize simplicity. They’re geared to all you stressed out moms and dads, workaholics and non-cooks trying to figure out how to eat well with limited funds and time.

And these days, that’s just about everyone.