Everybody eats. Say it with me! Every. Body. Eats. The thing I love the most about cooking is that I can (if I’m lucky!) bring a little bit of joy and find common ground with anyone, no matter what their background is, how much money is in their bank account, or what their opinions are. Everybody eats, and cooking with (and for) others is a great way to build a bridge and connect. This super hearty, budget-friendly Stone Soup is extra special, because the story behind it really reflects this long held belief of mine.
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Easy Stone Soup Recipe
This recipe is more than just a chicken and vegetable soup! It’s based on the classic folk tale ‘Stone Soup,’ with versions of this story found in many cultures around the world. The story goes that hungry travelers arrive in a village with nothing but an empty pot. The villagers, weary of the travelers, claim they have no food to share. So, the travelers start a fire and fill the pot with water, adding a stone. When asked, they explain that they’re making ‘stone soup,’ claiming it’s delicious but even better with a few extra ingredients. The curious villagers each contribute their own ingredients, transforming the pot into a rich, nourishing meal for all. Showing that when we come together and each contribute a little, we can create something truly special!
My version of this soup takes inspiration from this story, using affordable pantry staples and simple ingredients. This is a true clear-out-your-fridge recipe, as you can use whatever vegetables you like. It would also be fun to get the kids involved! Have them drop a stone (or a mini potato!) into the pot, and let them help gather the other ingredients to create something nourishing and wonderful!
Stone Soup Recipe
Servings 14 servings (1 cup per serving)Ingredients
- 1 stone*
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.19)
- 1 yellow onion, diced ($0.90)
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped ($0.79)
- 3 stalks celery, diced ($0.19)
- 1 tsp sea salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper ($0.08)
- 1 tsp dried thyme ($0.43)
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning ($0.19)
- 2 bay leaves ($0.10)
- 4 chicken drumsticks** ($2.56)
- 1 zucchini, chopped ($0.93)
- ¼ small head of cabbage, chopped (about 4 cups) ($0.75)
- 4-5 red potatoes, large diced (about 1 lb)*** ($1.12)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced ($0.15)
- 6 cups chicken broth**** ($0.54)
Instructions
- If using, wash your stone very well and add it to your stock pot.
- Add olive oil to the stock pot and cook onions, carrots, and celery (mirepoix) with salt, ground pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves over medium heat until glossy and beginning to soften.
- Temporarily move the mirepoix out of the way and add chicken drumsticks to the bottom of your pot to brown them on all sides.
- Then, add the diced zucchini, cabbage, potatoes, and minced garlic. Pour chicken broth on top and bring everything up to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour or until vegetables are fully cooked and the internal chicken temps at 165℉. Pull meat off the chicken bones and discard bones (or save them to make chicken stock along with your vegetable peels from this recipe!)
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper. If you used a stone in your stone soup, be sure to remove it before serving!
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Equipment
- Stock Pot
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!how to make Stone Soup step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Wash the stone (optional): If you want to stick with the story and add a stone to your soup, be sure to wash it very, very well to remove any dirt. You can also use one small, whole potato instead of a stone. Add your stone/potato to a stock pot. I personally didn’t cook with the stones, but I did add some at the end for the photos!
If you don’t want to add a stone to your soup but still want to reference the story, you could use the stone as a table decoration instead.
Sauté the carrot, onion, and celery: Pour 1 Tbsp olive oil into your stock pot over medium heat and add 1 chopped onion, 4 peeled and chopped carrots, and 3 stalks chopped celery (known as a mirepoix) and stir to combine.
Now, add 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground pepper, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, and 2 bay leaves and heat over medium heat until the veggies become glossy and start to soften.
Brown the chicken: Push the sautéed vegetables aside to create a gap at the bottom of the stock pot and add 4 chicken drumsticks.
Brown the chicken on all sides. We aren’t looking to cook the chicken through just yet (that’ll happen when the soup simmers), but browning the outside will help add flavor.
Simmer: Add 1 chopped zucchini, chopped cabbage (¼ of a small head, about 4 cups), 4-5 large diced potatoes, and 3 cloves minced garlic to the stockpot. Pour 6 cups chicken broth over top and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, or until the veggies are fully cooked and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Shred the chicken: Use a fork to pull the meat off the chicken bones into the soup. Discard the bones or use them to make chicken stock (along with your vegetable peels from this recipe!)
Serve: Adjust to taste with salt and black pepper. If you added a stone to your soup, don’t forget to remove it before serving! Serve and enjoy.
What Else Can I Add?
You honestly cannot go wrong, no matter what you add to this recipe for stone soup! Even Dolly Parton’s family has a version of this soup (she’s my favorite person in the world, and my daughter thinks she’s her Aunt because she gets books via Dolly’s Imagination Library every month 😂). Dolly’s version includes ham hock and turnips, so feel free to add them to my recipe, too! Here are some more ideas to try:
- Turkey drumsticks
- Leftover baked ham
- Corn
- Bell Peppers
- Leftover baked corned beef
- Spinach
- Kale
- Homemade croutons
- Andouille sausage
- Chickpeas
- Squash
- Barley, rice, or noodles toward the end of cooking (you’ll likely need to add more liquid if adding any of these ingredients)
Storage & Reheating
Keep any leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let your homemade stone soup thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stovetop.
And I thought you were using an avocado pit!