A hearty bean and vegetable soup from Almeirim, thick with kidney beans, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and chunks of beef, inspired by the famous folktale of a monk who made soup from a stone.
Ingredients
300g dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
200g beef shank, cubed
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 small cabbage, shredded
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
Fresh coriander
Salt and pepper
1 clean stone (for tradition)
Instructions
1Drain soaked beans and place in a large pot with beef shank and bay leaves. Cover with 2 liters of water.
2Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until beans and beef are tender.
3Add potatoes, carrots, and onion. Cook 15 minutes.
4Add shredded cabbage and garlic. Cook 10 more minutes until all vegetables are tender.
5Remove beef, shred into pieces, and return to the soup. Season with salt and pepper.
6Drizzle with olive oil and scatter coriander. Traditionally, a clean stone is placed in the pot as a nod to the folktale.
Did You Know?
The restaurant O Forno in Almeirim serves sopa da pedra with an actual stone in the pot, honoring the monk from the folktale who tricked villagers into sharing ingredients.