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America's Melting Pot
Depression Soup hero image coming soon
1930-1945 - Home cooks and families during the Great Depression in the United States.
Depression soup is a simple, hearty soup made from inexpensive vegetables, beans, and pantry staples to stretch limited resources. Rooted in 1930s and 1940s home cooking, it embodies the resourcefulness of families coping with economic hardship.
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Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
15 minutes
Cook time
45 minutes
Total time
1 hour
Servings
6
Region
New York and Chicago Depression relief kitchens and Hooverville camp cooking
Era introduced
1930-1945
Introduced by
Home cooks and families during the Great Depression in the United States.
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During the Great Depression, Americans relied heavily on simple, affordable meals using accessible ingredients. Depression soup combined dried beans or other legumes with vegetables like onions, carrots, and potatoes to create nourishing meals. Often cooked in one pot with scraps and broth, this style of soup helped families survive economic hardships and is emblematic of American culinary resilience.
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