The Easiest Homemade Gift: Friendship Soup Mix in a Mason Jar

Prep time: 10 minutes

Let's be honest, most gifts get used once, if that, and forgotten. This isn't one of those. Friendship soup mix is practical, personal, and actually gets used. It takes about 10 minutes to assemble, looks great layered in a Mason jar, and turns into a full, hearty meal. That's the kind of gift people remember: perfect for holidays, host gifts, or anyone who appreciates something homemade without the fuss.

What you'll need to make the soup:

• 1½ lbs ground beef
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 quarts (12 cups) water or beef stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

Dry ingredients for the jar:

• 1 cup dried split peas
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1/2 cup pearl barley
• 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 tsp each basil, oregano, parsley, and thyme
• 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup small pasta (ditalini works well)

How to layer it for gifting: (Presentation is what turns "ingredients" into a gift):

• 1/2 cup split peas, brown rice and minced onion
• 1/2 cup lentils and spices
• 1/2 cup split peas, beef bouillon cubes and pearl barley
• 1/2 cup lentils
• Top with the pasta
• Seal it up, add a tag with the cooking instructions, and you're done.

How to prepare the soup:

1. Remove the pasta from the jar and set it aside.
2. In a large stockpot, combine the soup mix (minus the pasta), water, cooked ground beef, garlic, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4. Simmer for 1 hour.
5. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Why this works: Shelf-stable and easy to store, budget-friendly but still feels thoughtful, turns into a full meal instead of just a snack, and looks good without much extra effort. It hits that rare sweet spot; useful and personal.

Make it even more giftable: Pair your jar with a reusable lid from reCAP, like the POUR or FLIP lids: Easy to open and reseal, and it turns the jar into something reusable once the soup is gone, instead of a throwaway lid tossed in the trash. A good gift shouldn't end up there once it's opened.