Granny's Garden Vegetable Soup, Freeze-Dried

Stacy Lyn Harris — cookbook author, gardener, mother of seven, and a guest chef on RFDTV's Rural Heritage — shares a soup recipe passed down from her grandmother and father. "I could live on this soup forever," she says of it. Freeze-dried, a batch keeps in the pantry for up to 25 years, ready whenever that craving hits.

Granny's Garden Vegetable Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 lbs. okra, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
• 8-10 tomatoes, peeled and crushed
• ¾ cup butter beans
• 4 ears corn, cut off the cob (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon chopped basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
• 3 dashes hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot and sauté the celery, onion, and garlic for about 1 minute.
2. Add the okra, tomatoes, butter beans, corn, basil, thyme, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
3. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.

Freeze-Drying and Storing

Let the finished soup cool completely, then freeze-dry it on trays and pack it into mylar bags with oxygen absorbers for long-term storage — up to 25 years when packaged properly. To serve, add hot water and stir until it returns to its original consistency.

More From Stacy Lyn Harris

Meet Stacy Lyn Harris covers more of her background, and freeze-dried mac and cheese with Stacy Lyn Harris is another of her family recipes worth trying.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does freeze-dried soup last in storage?
Packaged properly in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, freeze-dried soup can keep for up to 25 years.

Can vegetable soup with okra and corn be freeze-dried?
Yes — cook the soup fully, let it cool completely, then freeze-dry on trays and store in an airtight container until you're ready to rehydrate it.

Who is Stacy Lyn Harris?
A cookbook author, gardener, mother of seven, and guest chef on RFDTV's Rural Heritage show, known for sharing family recipes passed down through generations.