Stone soup holds a special place in Dolly Parton’s family stories. She has described how her mother, Avie Lee, involved the children by asking them to choose a stone for the soup, giving each child a sense of pride in helping feed the family. The real nourishment came from vegetables, chicken stock, and smoked ham. This hearty version honors that tradition without requiring a stone in the cooking pot.

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Recipe Information

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: Approximately 2 hours
Total Time: Approximately 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8–10
Difficulty: Easy — Level 2 of 5
Cost: Economical — $$
Region / Ethnic Origin: Appalachian / Southern United States

Ingredients

• 2 quarts (8 cups) low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices
• 1 small head green cabbage, cored and coarsely chopped
• 1 pound turnips, peeled and diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 smoked ham hock
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Prepare the vegetables. Wash and cut the potatoes, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion, and garlic. Keep the potato, turnip, and carrot pieces fairly even in size so they soften at about the same rate.
2. Fill the pot. Pour the chicken stock into a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the potatoes, tomatoes and their juices, cabbage, turnips, carrots, onion, garlic, and smoked ham hock.
3. Bring to a simmer. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring the liquid just to a boil. Reduce the heat until the soup bubbles gently.
4. Cook slowly. Simmer partially covered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the smoked ham has flavored the broth. Add a little water or stock if the soup becomes thicker than you prefer.
5. Prepare the ham. Carefully lift the ham hock onto a plate. When cool enough to handle, pull off the edible meat, discard the skin, bones, and excess fat, and cut or shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
6. Finish the soup. Return the ham to the pot. Taste the broth before adding salt, since the smoked ham and stock may already be salty. Season with black pepper and additional salt as needed.
7. Serve. Ladle the soup into warm bowls. If sharing the family story, display a clean decorative stone on the table rather than putting it in the food.

Cook’s Notes

The meaning of the stone: In Dolly’s family story, the stone made a child feel included in the meal. It is not necessary for cooking or flavor, and keeping it outside the pot avoids possible contamination or damage to cookware.

Vegetable texture: This is a long-simmered soup. Some potato and cabbage will soften into the broth, giving it body without flour or cream.

Ham hock: Smoked ham hocks vary in size and meat content. Choose a meaty one when possible, and remove all bones before serving.

Make ahead: The soup may taste even fuller after a night in the refrigerator. Cool promptly in shallow containers, refrigerate, and use within 3–4 days. Reheat until steaming hot.

Serving Suggestions

Dolly Parton’s Skillet Cornbread: Serve wedges alongside the soup to soak up the savory broth.

Dolly Parton’s Buttermilk Biscuits: Offer warm biscuits for a comforting country-style supper.

Beverage Suggestions

Serve with unsweetened iced tea, hot black tea, or chilled water with lemon.

Editorial Disclaimer: This recipe is part of an independent Carter Family Recipes collection celebrating the cooking traditions associated with Dolly Parton. It may be an adaptation or independently developed interpretation rather than an exact reproduction of a previously published recipe. Carter Family Recipes is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dolly Parton, Rachel Parton George, Dollywood, or their representatives.