Description
Friendship soup mix celebrates comfort and community with hearty ingredients that blend traditional flavors. Warm spices and carefully selected beans create a nourishing meal you’ll cherish sharing with loved ones.
Ingredients
Scale
- ⅓ cups beef bouillon granules (or vegetarian bouillon for vegetarian version)
- ½ cups dried green split peas
- ½ cups dried lentils
- ½ cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- ½ cups small pasta (like ditalini or elbow macaroni)
- ¼ cups pearl barley
- ¼ cups dried minced onion
- 2 tsps Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Protein Preparation: Sauté the ground meat or plant-based alternative in a large pot over medium heat, thoroughly browning and draining any excess fat to ensure a clean, rich base for the dish.
- Liquid Foundation: Combine tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and water into the meat, stirring vigorously to create a harmonious and flavorful liquid environment that will support the dish’s overall complexity.
- Seasoning Integration: Add all dry seasonings and herbs directly into the simmering liquid, allowing them to bloom and release their aromatic essence. Cover and let the mixture gently simmer for 30 minutes, developing deep, layered flavors.
- Pasta Incorporation: Fold pasta directly into the robust sauce, continuing to cook for an additional 15 minutes until the pasta reaches perfect al dente texture and has absorbed the surrounding liquid’s rich characteristics.
- Final Flourish: Remove from heat, let rest briefly to allow flavors to meld, then garnish with fresh herbs or cracked black pepper. Serve piping hot in warm bowls, offering a comforting and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Choose Lean Protein: Select low-fat ground meat or plant-based alternatives to reduce overall calorie content and enhance nutritional value without compromising flavor intensity.
- Customize Spice Levels: Adjust seasoning blend by incorporating additional herbs or reducing salt content for personalized taste preferences or dietary restrictions.
- Pasta Texture Management: Add pasta during final cooking stage to prevent overcooking, ensuring perfect al dente consistency and preventing mushy texture.
- Freezer-Friendly Preparation: Portion and store soup in airtight containers for convenient meal prep, maintaining robust flavors up to 3-4 weeks when properly refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Snacks, Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg