
For Meatless Friday, Maria Morera Johnson shares a cozy recipe for soup that makes the most of whatever you have on hand. Download our recipe card!
There’s nothing like a nice hot cup of soup on a winter afternoon. The cozy feel of the warm cup and the delicious aroma floating up in the steam drives away the blahs. If you happen to be feeling poorly, it’s a medicinal boost to your system. When I found out that my daughter’s entire family was knocked down with a virus, I immediately went to the fridge to see what was available.
Nothing. Well, nothing at first. I had visions of making a schmaltzy chicken soup or a hearty beef vegetable. I didn’t have enough of anything, so I grabbed everything!
Remember the story of Stone Soup? A whole town comes together to make a soup by contributing whatever scraps they have available. A charming stranger starts off with a stone in a pot of boiling water and asks for contributions, however small. Together, the townspeople create something delicious for everyone.
Basically, I had a pot, some boiling water, and a bunch of scraps that didn’t add up to much alone, but when added to the pot, simmered into something magical. There’s a big lesson in there about working together with each of our unique talents, but that’s for a different feature.
I’ll share my recipe, but please don’t follow it to the letter. Let that pot of boiling water inspire you to create your own stone soup!
Stone Soup
Basic Ingredients (adjust to your heart’s content):
3 teaspoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion, diced
2 small red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, chopped
3 small ribs of celery, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 potato, cubed
2 cups of butternut squash, cubed
6 cups of vegetable broth
1 large clean stone, optional
sage, thyme, turmeric, salt, and pepper to taste (I just sprinkle and taste)
In a deep pot, sauté onions, peppers, carrots, and celery. When translucent, add the garlic, potato, and squash, and continue to sauté for about three minutes to incorporate the flavors a bit. I add the seasonings here. Stir well and add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a low medium, and simmer until all the veggies are soft. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings. Put in blender or use an immersion blender for a creamy finish.
Note: I made this dairy free and vegetarian, but you can easily substitute chicken broth and add a cup of milk or cream to finish before serving for a creamier, more robust version.
Copyright 2024 Maria Morera Johnson
Images: (top) Canva; all others copyright 2024 Maria Morera Johnson, all rights reserved.
About the Author

Maria Morera Johnson
Maria Morera Johnson, author of My Badass Book of Saints, Super Girls and Halo, and Our Lady of Charity: How a Cuban Devotion to Mary Helped Me Grow in Faith and Love writes about all the things that she loves. A cradle Catholic, she struggles with living in the world but not being of it, and blogs about those successes and failures, too.
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