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Overview

Sopa da Pedra

Portuguese stone soup, Sopa de pedra, Almeirim stone soup

This sopa da pedra recipe makes Portugal's famous stone soup from Almeirim: red kidney beans simmered slowly with pork belly, beef shin, chourico and morcela, with potatoes, carrots and small pasta, until the broth is thick and deeply savoury. A big bunch of fresh coriander goes in at the end, the way cooks in the Ribatejo do it. One serving is about 598 g.

Sopa da pedra, stone soup, is the pride of Almeirim, a small town in the Ribatejo region on the Tagus River about an hour north-east of Lisbon, which calls itself the capital of stone soup. The name comes from a folk tale told across Europe: a hungry travelling friar knocked on a farmhouse door and said he could make a delicious soup from nothing but a stone, then asked for a pinch of salt, a little lard, some beans, a piece of chourico and a few potatoes, until the pot was full of everything good in the house. Restaurants in Almeirim still serve the soup with a clean, smooth stone in the pot as a nod to the story, and the town celebrates it every year at the Festival da Sopa da Pedra.

Pairs well with: Serve with thick slices of crusty bread and a glass of red wine; a little Queijo da Nisa on the side is traditional in Almeirim.

Provenance

Portugal flag Portugal

Almeirim Stone Soup

Mediterranean & Italy

Time Dedication

2h 10m

25m prep • 105m cook

Batch Yield

6 Servings

888 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 598 g

Technical Skill

Intermediate

Medium (Slow Simmer)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Soups & Broths Occasions: Winter lunches, family gatherings, festival weekends, slow Sunday meals Cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home
Tags: Pork Beef Savory Soup
A close-up bowl of Sopa da Pedra with red beans, pasta shells, pieces of pork and a bay leaf in a rich broth

Almeirim Stone Soup

Photo: Nostrix, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Estimated cost: Low — about $3–4 per serving at home (USD)

A true sopa da pedra is judged by its broth: thick, rusty and deeply savoury, with creamy beans and meats that cut with a spoon.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 2h 10m
P

Prep Stage: Soak, Chop & Gather

25 Mins

The night before, soak the beans in plenty of cold water. On the day, drain and rinse them. Cut the pork belly and beef shin into 3 cm chunks, chop the onion, garlic and carrots, and peel and chunk the potatoes. Keep the chourico and morcela whole — they cook in the pot and are sliced at the end. Chop the coriander last, just before serving.

Maestro Tip: Do not salt the beans while they soak or at the start of cooking: salt early can keep dried beans tough.

  1. 1

    Soften the Onion and Garlic

    8 Mins Medium heat, about 160°C (320°F)

    Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft and pale gold, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.

    Do not brown the garlic: browned garlic turns bitter and flavours the whole pot.

    Done when: Onion soft and pale gold, garlic fragrant.

  2. 2

    Add the Beans and Meats

    10 Mins 100°C (212°F)

    Add the drained beans, pork belly, beef shin, whole chourico and whole morcela, the bay leaves and the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then skim off any foam that rises. The water should cover everything by about 3 cm.

    Skimming the foam keeps the broth clear and clean-tasting.

    Done when: Pot at a full boil, foam skimmed, everything covered with water.

  3. 3

    Simmer Until Tender

    70 Mins Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Turn the heat to low, cover the pot with the lid ajar and simmer gently for about 70 minutes. The beans should be creamy inside and the pork and beef tender enough to cut with a spoon; the pork and beef must reach at least 71°C (160°F) inside. Top up with a little hot water if the level drops below the beans.

    A gentle simmer, not a hard boil, keeps the beans whole and the broth clear.

    Done when: Beans creamy, meats spoon-tender, broth thick and rusty brown.

  4. 4

    Add Potatoes, Carrots and Pasta

    20 Mins Low simmer, about 95°C (200°F)

    Lift out the chourico and morcela and set them aside. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot and simmer for 12 minutes, then add the pasta shells and simmer for 8 more minutes until the pasta is just tender and the potatoes are soft.

    Adding the pasta late keeps it firm instead of mushy in the thick broth.

    Done when: Potatoes soft, pasta just tender, carrots cooked through.

  5. 5

    Slice, Season and Finish

    7 Mins 95°C (200°F)

    Slice the chourico and morcela into thick rounds and return them to the pot. Taste and add salt and pepper — the sausages are salty, so add salt only if the soup needs it. Stir in the chopped coriander, remove the bay leaves, and let the soup rest for 5 minutes before serving.

    The coriander goes in last, off the boil, so its fresh flavour stays bright.

    Done when: Soup thick and steaming, sausages sliced back in, coriander stirred through.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Ladle the soup into deep bowls with slices of chourico and morcela in each one, and serve it steaming hot with thick slices of crusty bread.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

888

kcal / serving

Protein

40g

Complete AA

Carbs

73g

Complex

Fats

48g

Healthy

Per serving (6 servings · 1 serving ≈ 598 g)
Energy888 kcal
Protein40 g
Carbohydrates73 g
Fat48 g
Fibre13.4 g
Sugar4.6 g
Sodium1191 mg
Per 100g
Energy149 kcal
Protein6.6 g
Carbohydrates12.2 g
Fat8.1 g
Fibre2.2 g
Sugar0.8 g
Sodium199 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Iron and folate (beans and morcela), vitamin B12 (pork and beef), vitamin A (carrots), vitamin C (coriander). Nutrition values are estimated.

High in Protein

One bowl gives about 40 g of protein from beans, pork, beef and sausage, so the soup is a full meal on its own.

Beans for Fibre

Red kidney beans give about 13 g of fibre per serving, which is part of what makes the soup so filling.

Iron from Beans and Blood Sausage

Beans and morcela are both good sources of iron, and the vitamin C in the coriander and carrots helps the body use it.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Crusty Bread

Thick slices of crusty bread are made for this soup: they soak up the thick, savoury broth and turn the bowl into a full meal.

Queijo da Nisa

A slice of this firm, sheep's milk cheese from the Alentejo is the traditional Almeirim partner — salty and nutty against the rich soup.

Drinks

Red Wine

A glass of red wine from the Ribatejo stands up to the smoked sausage and rich pork in the soup.

Sauces

Olive Oil Drizzle

A thread of good olive oil over each bowl adds a fresh, peppery note that lifts the long-simmered broth.

Complete menu

Serve a deep bowl of sopa da pedra with thick crusty bread and a slice of Queijo da Nisa, and a glass of Ribatejo red wine.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Salting the Beans Early

Salt added at the start of cooking can keep dried beans tough and slow to soften, so the soup takes far longer and the beans stay chalky. Season at the end, after tasting. This is general cooking advice, not medical advice.

Boiling the Soup Hard

A hard boil breaks the beans apart and clouds the broth, turning the soup starchy and dull. A gentle simmer keeps the beans whole and the broth clear. This is general information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

  • General adultsA hearty, complete lunch in a bowl — one deep bowl with bread is plenty for most adults.
  • ChildrenChildren enjoy the beans, pasta and potatoes; cut the sausage into small pieces and go easy on the pepper.
  • ElderlyThe beans and meats are soft and easy to chew; serve a smaller bowl, as the soup is rich and salty.
  • Pregnant womenPork and beef cooked to at least 71°C (160°F) and served hot is fine; keep portions moderate and ask your clinician about salty, cured meats if unsure.
  • Breastfeeding womenA filling, iron-rich meal that suits breastfeeding; the beans, meats and bread together make a complete lunch.
  • AthletesHigh in protein and carbohydrate, so it refuels well after training — eat a full bowl with bread.
  • Weight gainEnergy-dense from the pork, beef and pasta, so it suits people who need extra calories.
  • Weight lossEnergy-dense at about 888 kcal a bowl, so keep to a smaller bowl, eat more of the beans and vegetables and less of the sausage.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

  • DiabetesBeans and pasta add a lot of carbohydrate — keep the portion modest and eat more of the vegetables; ask your clinician about portions.
  • High blood pressureContains sodium from the cured sausages, morcela and added salt; use less salt and less sausage if you need to limit sodium, and ask your clinician.
  • Kidney diseaseHigh in protein and potassium from the beans and meats; people with kidney disease should watch portion size and ask their clinician.
  • GoutPork, beef and cured meats are moderate to high in purines; a large bowl may not suit people prone to gout — ask your clinician.
  • Stomach issuesBeans and rich pork can be hard on a sensitive stomach; eat a small portion and skip the morcela if your stomach is sensitive.
  • Cardiovascular diseaseHigh in saturated fat and sodium from the pork and cured sausages, so people with cardiovascular disease should eat a smaller portion with plenty of bread and vegetables; ask your clinician.
  • Fatty liverRich and high in fat, so keep portions modest and favour the beans and vegetables over the fatty meats; ask your clinician.
  • Food allergiesContains wheat (gluten) in the pasta. Pork and beef are the main meats. If you have any food allergy, check every ingredient and ask your clinician.
  • Special therapeutic dietsNot suitable as a low-fat, low-sodium or low-purine therapeutic diet without changes (leaner meats, no morcela, less salt, gluten-free pasta); discuss adaptations with your clinician or dietitian.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

Storage & Use

How to store
Cool quickly and store in airtight containers in the fridge.
In the fridge
3-4 days; the soup thickens as it sits, so thin it with a little water when reheating.
In the freezer
Up to 3 months without the pasta; add fresh pasta when reheating.
How to reheat
Reheat in a pot over medium heat until bubbling throughout, to 74°C (165°F); stir often so the beans do not stick.
Freezing recommended
Yes, up to 3 months; freeze the soup before adding the pasta for the best texture.
Signs it has spoiled
Sour smell, slimy surface, or mould.

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