Layered Soup Mix in a Jar: 10 Cozy Recipes to Gift

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There is something about handing someone a mason jar layered with beans, lentils, and pasta that a gift card will never touch. It says: I thought about you, I stood at my counter and funneled split peas into this jar for you, and on some cold night when you don’t feel like cooking, dinner is already half done.

Every winter here in Western New York, I put together a batch of these dry soup mixes in a jar for teachers, neighbors, my kids’ bus driver, and anyone who shows up at my door in December.

They cost a few dollars each when you buy the dried beans and grains in bulk; they keep for months in the pantry, and they look absolutely beautiful sitting on a counter — all those layers of color stacked up like sand art you can eat.

If you’ve been searching for mason jar gift recipes with dry mixes, this is your post. I’m sharing ten layered soup mixes below, plus how to assemble them so the layers stay crisp and pretty, what to write on the gift tag, and how long they last.

Why Soup Mix Jars Make the Best Frugal Gift

I’m a big believer in gifts that get used up. A candle gets shelved. A soup jar gets eaten, and then you get your jar back (usually — I’ve learned to let that go).

Cost-wise, these are hard to beat. A quart jar of dried beans, lentils, barley, rice, and seasonings runs somewhere between $2 and $4 depending on what’s in it. If you’re already buying pantry staples in bulk — and if you’ve read my post on how I save money by eating with the seasons, you know I am — you probably have half of these ingredients in your pantry right now.

They’re also one of my favorite frugal homesteading DIY projects to batch on a snowy afternoon. Line up a dozen jars, set out your bowls of beans and grains assembly-line style, and you can knock out a whole season of gifts in an hour. It’s become one of my go-to winter homesteading projects when the lake-effect snow keeps us all indoors.

How to Layer a Soup Mix Jar (So It Actually Looks Good)

A few rules I’ve learned the hard way:

Use a wide-mouth quart jar. Regular mouth works, but a wide mouth jar is easier to fill and easier for your recipient to empty. Most of these recipes fill a quart jar; a few smaller ones fit a pint.

Put seasonings at the bottom or in a bag on top. Loose spices dusted over beans will sift down and muddy your pretty layers. I tuck them in a small zip bag or square of parchment tied with twine, sitting right at the top of the jar.

Layer the heaviest and smallest first. Split peas and lentils on the bottom, then rice and barley, then beans, with pasta on top. Small stuff sinks through big stuff during transport, so this order keeps the layers defined.

Pack each layer down. Use a funnel to pour, then press gently with the back of a spoon before adding the next layer. Snug layers don’t shift.

Tap, don’t shake. A gentle tap on the counter settles things; a shake ruins an afternoon of work. Ask me how I know.

If you love the look of a pantry lined with jars, this pairs beautifully with a shelf of home-canned goods — I shared all my favorite methods in different ways to make jellies and jams, and a jam jar plus a soup jar makes a gorgeous little gift basket.

10 Layered Soup Mixes in a Jar

Each recipe below fills roughly one quart jar and makes a big pot of soup — about 6 to 8 servings. Layer in the order listed, bottom to top, and attach the cooking instructions on a gift tag.

1. Classic Friendship Soup Mix in a Jar

The one that started it all. If you’ve ever searched for friendship soup mix in a jar, this is the recipe everyone means — and it’s still my favorite.

Layer: 1/2 cup dried split peas, 1/3 cup beef bouillon granules (bagged), 1/4 cup pearl barley, 1/2 cup dried lentils, 1/4 cup dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (bagged with bouillon), 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, 1/2 cup alphabet or small shell pasta on top.

Tag instructions: Remove pasta and seasoning packet. Brown 1 lb ground beef in a large pot; add 3 quarts water, jar contents, seasoning packet, and one 28-oz can diced tomatoes. Simmer for 45 minutes; add pasta; simmer for 15 more.

2. Five Bean Soup Mix in a Jar

The prettiest jar of the bunch — five distinct stripes of color.

Layer (1/2 cup each): black beans, red kidney beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, split peas. Bag the seasoning: 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, cumin, and oregano, 1 bay leaf, 2 chicken bouillon cubes.

Tag instructions: Rinse beans and soak overnight. Drain, add 8 cups of water, the seasoning packet, and one can of diced tomatoes. Simmer for 2 hours until beans are tender. A ham bone or diced ham makes it even better.

3. Chicken and Rice Soup Mix in a Jar

The gentle one — this is the jar I hand to anyone getting over a cold.

Layer: 1 cup long-grain white rice, 1/4 cup dried minced onion, 1/4 cup dried celery flakes, 1/4 cup dried carrots (or veggie soup blend), 2 tablespoons dried parsley, bagged packet of 3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Tag instructions: Combine jar contents with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken and warm through.

4. Texas Two-Step Soup Mix in a Jar

Bold, smoky, and the one the men in my life request by name.

Layer: 1/2 cup dried black beans, 1/2 cup dried pinto beans, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, a bagged packet of 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 beef bouillon cubes.

Tag instructions: Soak beans overnight; drain. Brown 1 lb of ground beef or sausage, then add beans, 8 cups of water, and seasoning. Simmer 90 minutes, add rice and one can of fire-roasted tomatoes, simmer 25 more. Top with cheese.

5. Loaded Potato Soup Mix in a Jar

Layer: 2 cups instant mashed potato flakes, 1/4 cup dried minced onion, a 2-tablespoon packet of 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Tag instructions: Whisk jar contents into 6 cups of simmering water or milk until smooth and thickened, about 10 minutes. Top with shredded cheddar, crumbled bacon, and green onions like a baked potato in a bowl.

6. Curried Red Lentil Soup Mix in a Jar

The fastest cook time on this list — red lentils need no soaking and fall apart into a creamy soup in half an hour.

Layer: 1 1/2 cups red lentils, 1/2 cup white rice, 1/4 cup dried minced onion, a 1-tablespoon packet of curry powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 2 vegetable bouillon cubes.

Tag instructions: Combine everything with 8 cups of water, simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Finish with a splash of coconut milk if you have it.

7. Split Pea Soup Mix in a Jar

Layer: 2 cups green split peas (alternate with 1/2 cup yellow split peas in the middle for a striped look), 1/4 cup pearl barley, 1/4 cup dried minced onion, bagged packet of 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 chicken bouillon cubes.

Tag instructions: Rinse contents, add 8 cups water and a ham bone or 2 cups diced ham. Simmer 90 minutes until peas break down and the soup is thick.

8. Pasta e Fagioli Soup Mix in a Jar

Layer: 1 cup dried great northern or cannellini beans, 1/2 cup red lentils, bagged packet of 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 beef bouillon cubes, then 1 cup ditalini pasta on top.

Tag instructions: Remove pasta. Soak beans overnight; drain. Simmer beans, lentils, seasoning, one can crushed tomatoes, and 8 cups water for 90 minutes. Add pasta and cook 12 more minutes. Parmesan on top is not optional in my house.

9. Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup Mix in a Jar

The fancy one — this is the jar I save for hostess gifts.

Layer: 1 cup wild rice blend, 1/2 cup dried mushrooms (broken into pieces), 1/4 cup dried minced onion, 2 tablespoons dried celery flakes, bagged packet of 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Tag instructions: Combine jar contents with 8 cups of water, simmer covered for 50 minutes until rice is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup cream or milk at the end for a creamy version.

10. Cowboy Taco Soup Mix in a Jar

Layer: 1/2 cup dried black beans, 1/2 cup dried kidney beans, 1/2 cup dried pinto beans, bagged packet of 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1 tablespoon dried minced onion, 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning, 2 beef bouillon cubes.

Tag instructions: Soak beans overnight; drain. Brown 1 lb ground beef, add beans, seasoning, 8 cups water, one can diced tomatoes with green chilies, and one can corn. Simmer 2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Gift Tags, Fabric Toppers, and the Finishing Touches

The tag is what turns a jar of beans into a gift. Write or print the cooking instructions, punch a hole in the corner, and tie it to the jar with twine or ribbon. A square of fabric between the flat lid and the ring — buffalo check in winter, a floral in spring — takes it from nice to farmhouse-adorable in about ten seconds.

Always include the soup’s name and the date on the tag. Nobody wants to guess whether the mystery jar in the back of the pantry is taco soup or curry.

If you love a homemade-with-love gift theme, these jars pair sweetly with the DIY fall wreaths I make for under $10 — wreath on the door, soup in the hand, and you’ve got a whole cozy delivery for under fifteen bucks.

How Long Do Soup Mixes in a Jar Last?

Stored sealed in a cool, dark pantry, these dry soup mixes keep beautifully for up to a year. Technically, dried beans last longer, but they get harder to cook as they age, so I tell gift recipients to enjoy their jar within 12 months. Skip anything with nuts or dried dairy if you want maximum shelf life, and always keep the seasonings bagged separately from the dry goods.

A Jar Full of Love

Ten recipes, one afternoon, and a pantry shelf lined with gifts that actually get used. Whether you go classic friendship soup or the fancy wild rice jar, you’re handing someone a warm dinner on a cold night — and around here, that’s about the nicest thing you can give.

If you make a batch, I’d love to hear which recipe you picked. And save this post to your Pinterest gift board now, because come December, you’ll be glad you did.