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What is Hobo Soup?

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Hobo soup is a classic soup, really predating the hobo. Stories of the famous “Stone Soup” where three traveling soldiers trick a town into providing ingredients to make soup can be seen as inspiration for the various itinerant travelers, who often got from one town to another by riding trains. Hobo soup would essentially be a blend of ingredients, gleaned from people kind enough to donate to hobos, or in some cases ingredients liberated (stolen) from people’s gardens.

The ingredients for each hobo soup will vary according to what a company or person wants to put in it. A few things tend to be standard, like navy beans, onions, potatoes, and various herbs. Hobo soup might also contain carrots, celery, bell peppers, leeks or turnips. The soup as made by hobos would depend greatly on what ingredients they had available. Occasionally a little salt pork, ham, bacon, or bits of canned or corned beef might flavor the soup. Generally, though, many versions of the soup were and are still vegetarian and are very tasty.

Navy beans, which are often included in hobo soup.
Navy beans, which are often included in hobo soup.

The soup is rumored to have been discovered by a reporter from Minnesota in the 1950s. He decided to market the delicious soup he received from others while in search of a story about hobos, and now, Hobo Soup is still a brand in addition to being a type of soup. In the recipe for the canned version, artificial smoke flavor is added, which to some is distasteful. It’s meant to replicate the taste of making this soup outdoors over campfires, but isn’t quite the same.

Hobo soup may contain meat, but primarily features vegetables.
Hobo soup may contain meat, but primarily features vegetables.

It can be very hard to find this soup in stores. You’ll generally have to order cans online from places like the Vermont Country Store. Ironically, this soup that generally came to hobos free of charge is very expensive as compared to most store brands of soup. For instance, you’ll pay just under $10 US Dollars (USD) for three cans of the stuff. $10 USD in the grocery store can purchase about 5 cans of soup, more if they’re on sale.

Hobo soup ingredients may include bell peppers.
Hobo soup ingredients may include bell peppers.

You might be better off making your own hobo soup, and you’ll find many recipes to help you with this. Most require sautéing some vegetables first, especially with a little bit of onion prior to adding the other soup ingredients. You can use a little bacon sautéed, and the grease from the bacon to impart more flavor to the soup. If you use dried navy beans, you need to begin the night before by soaking them. You can take a little shortcut here by using canned navy beans instead.

Bacon is often added to hobo soup.
Bacon is often added to hobo soup.

The end result is a delicious and healthy soup that in vegetarian form is very low in fat. Hobo soup can be a perfect and satisfying soup for cold days or nights. It’s excellent served with crusty bread, or use it as a lunch soup or afternoon snack for kids coming in from outdoor play in the cold.

Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen

Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

anon174969

We love Hobo Soup, a tradition in my family since childhood. In the summer we invite guests and tell them to bring a can of food along with them.

We use a dutch oven over an open fire and have started a base with a variety of items but chicken base seems to be a favorite. When each guest has arrived they open their can and add it to the pot. In the end, although never the same, it has always been delicious.

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    • Navy beans, which are often included in hobo soup.
      By: BronxPhotog
      Navy beans, which are often included in hobo soup.
    • Hobo soup may contain meat, but primarily features vegetables.
      By: msheldrake
      Hobo soup may contain meat, but primarily features vegetables.
    • Hobo soup ingredients may include bell peppers.
      By: Malyshchyts Viktar
      Hobo soup ingredients may include bell peppers.
    • Bacon is often added to hobo soup.
      By: Mat Hayward
      Bacon is often added to hobo soup.