Easy Soup Mixes in Mason Jars
In the United States last year, we spent $465 billion dollars on holiday gifts. Experts estimate it would only take $175 billion to do away with hunger for one year. Why not kill two birds with one stone: gift-giving coupled with feeding loved ones a healthy meal.
Homemade soup mixes in Mason jars are the perfect gift for friends, family, hostesses, co-workers, or vendors. Noncontroversial, healthy, useful, inexpensive, delicious, and beautiful to look at — recipients may not even want to open them! Simply top with a square of cloth, tie on the instructions with some pretty twine, and voila! And they’re zero-waste: after the soup’s been eaten, the Mason jar can be reused indefinitely.
Rice and Lentil Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, unwrapped
- 1/3 cup uncooked converted rice
- 1/3 cup red lentils
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/3 cup uncooked converted rice
- 1/3 cup green lentils
- 2 teaspoons vegan butter or margarine
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup chopped celery (optional)
Measure the first eight ingredients into a one-quart jar in the order listed. Seal and attach a directions card.
Directions:
Bring the butter and water to a boil in a large pot. Pour in the contents of the jar and add celery and chicken (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve with bread/a roll and/or a tossed salad.
Creamy Potato Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups instant mashed potato flakes
- 1-1/2 cups dry vegan milk powder
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crushed
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1-1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
Put all ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Pour into a one-quart jar. Seal and attach a directions card.
Directions:
To serve, place 1/2 cup soup mix in bowl. Add 1 cup boiling water, stir until smooth. Serve with bread/a roll and/or a tossed salad.
Love Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 3 vegetable bouillon cubes, unwrapped
- 1/4 cup dried minced onion
- 1/2 cup dried split peas
- 1/2 cup uncooked twist macaroni
- 1/4 cup barley
- 1/2 cup dry lentils
- 1/3 cup long-grain white rice
- 1 cup uncooked tri-color spiral pasta
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Layer ingredients into a one-quart jar in the order listed, topping with enough tricolor spiral pasta to fill the jar. Seal and attach a directions card.
Directions:
Remove tricolor pasta from top of jar and reserve. Add the rest of the jar’s contents to a kettle with 12 cups water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 45 minutes. Add tricolor pasta and simmer 15 minutes more. Serve with bread/a roll and/or a tossed salad.
French Country Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1/2 cup dried split peas
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/2 cup dry lentils
- 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
- 2 vegetable bouillon cubes, unwrapped
- 1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta
- 1 cup uncooked twist macaroni
Layer the barley, peas, rice and lentils in a one-quart jar. Then layer around the edges the onion, parsley, salt, lemon pepper, bouillon and alphabet pasta. Fill the rest of the jar with the twist macaroni. Seal and attach a directions card.
Directions:
Pour contents of jar into a large pot. Add 3 quarts water, 2 stalks chopped celery, 2 sliced carrots, 1 cup shredded cabbage (optional), and 2 cups (or 1 can) diced tomatoes. Bring to boil, then reduce to medium-low heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour, or until vegetables and lentils/peas are tender. Serve with bread/a roll and/or a tossed salad.
Italian Country Soup Mix
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup barley
- 1/2 cup dried split peas
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/2 cup dry lentils
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
In a wide mouth one-pint jar, layer the barley, split peas, rice and lentils. In a small plastic bag, combine the parsley, garlic, pepper, salt, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and sage. Seal and attach a directions card.
Directions:
Set seasoning packet aside. Empty remaining jar contents into a colander and rinse. Place contents in a large stockpot and cover with 10 cups water. Stir in 1 chopped medium onion and the contents of the seasoning packet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check after 30 minutes and add additional water if necessary. Serve with bread/a roll and/or a tossed salad.
For more mason jar meal ideas check out my post here
For snacks in jars check out this one
