Bone Marrow Soup
Bone marrow soup is a vintage recipe that is so delicious, you’ll wonder why it ever lost popularity. The health benefits from the marrow bone are an added bonus.
As a little girl in Scotland, I remember eating this bone marrow soup quite often.
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It’s a shame that beef marrow soup bones are just not as readily available here in the US as they were in butcher shops in the UK back then. I would suspect it’s still easier to find marrow bones in the UK, too. For those of you who don’t know…
What is a Marrow Bone, or Bone Marrow?
A marrow bone, when referring to one in cooking, is a beef bone, often called one of the “soup bones” which contains the soft marrow inside the bone. Bone marrow is full of nutrients and is known for decreasing inflammation and promoting joint health. – Healthline
Bone broth has been all the rage recently, which makes me laugh as it is something everyone used to have many years ago. This is why I call this marrow bone soup a vintage recipe, much like Scotch broth.
Is Bone Marrow Good for Soup?
Bone marrow is excellent for soup! It not only gives the health benefits I highlighted above, but it gives a delicious flavor to the broth, as well.
This bone marrow broth soup is chock full of barley and vegetables which add to the deliciousness of the dish. Please note, the measurements of ingredients is not critical in this bone marrow soup recipe.
Love red lentils? Then you also need to try this Scottish red lentil soup recipe!
You can reduce the water or increase the amount of vegetables for a thicker, heartier soup. Conversely, you can add more water or reduce the amount of vegetables for a lighter broth. I do the same when I make tortilla soup in summer vs. winter.
Just one spoonful will have you coming back for more! It’s perfect cold weather, comfort food; just add some crusty bread for the perfect winter-time meal. Truth be told, there’s nothing wrong with making this beef bone marrow soup anytime of year! I make brothier soups for warmer weather, and heartier versions for colder months.
Bone Marrow Soup
Recipe by Christina Conte (as my mother used to make it) Serves 8
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- red lentils
- marrow bone (beef)
- sea salt
- barley
- olive oil
- onion
- celery
- carrots
- rutabaga
- black pepper
- Italian parsley (optional)
Special equipment: Dutch oven or large pot
Directions
Sort and rinse the red lentils and place in bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
Put the water on the stove in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the marrow bone. Add the salt and bring to a boil.
Once the water starts to boil, remove the scum and reduce the heat so that the bone broth is simmering. Rinse the barley, and add to the pot.
Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots and rutabaga into similar sized pieces. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and and then the chopped vegetables.
Sauté, stirring often, adding a sprinkle of salt. Do not brown the vegetables. After about 8-10 minutes, ladle some of the broth to cover the veg, without any barley, and continue to cook. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through.
While the vegetables are cooking, drain the red lentils and add to the pot of broth. Stir well and continue to simmer.
When the vegetables are ready, place in a blender or container and blend until smooth. Add the puréed vegetables to the pot of marrow bone soup. Stir and continue to simmer. The soup should simmer for about one and a half hours in total.
Taste for salt, adding as needed, along with freshly grated black pepper, fresh parsley. Remove from heat when ready.
Serve hot, adding extra parsley into individual bowls, if desired.
The recipe states that it serves 8, but depending on the size of the bowl, it can serve up to 12.
You may also enjoy this Scotch broth recipe, which is similar in style.
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Bone Marrow Soup
Special Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven 5 quart
Ingredients
- 1 c red lentils
- 10 c water
- 1 marrow bone beef (cut in half or whole) preferably grass fed, organic
- 2 tsp sea salt more as needed, to taste
- ⅓ c barley
- 2 Tbsp olive oil good quality
- 1 onion large, organic
- 2 stalks celery organic
- 2 carrots medium to large, organic
- 1 rutabaga small to medium
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp Italian parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the red lentils and place in bowl and cover with water. Set aside.
- Put the water on the stove in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the marrow bone. Add the salt and bring to a boil.
- Once the water starts to boil, remove the scum and reduce the heat so that the bone broth is simmering. Rinse the barley, and add to the pot.
- Meanwhile, chop the onion, celery, carrots and rutabaga into similar sized pieces. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and and then the chopped vegetables.
- Sauté, stirring often, adding a sprinkle of salt. Do not brown the vegetables. After about 8-10 minutes, ladle some of the broth to cover the veg, without any barley, and continue to cook. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked through.
- While the vegetables are cooking, drain the red lentils and add to the pot of broth. Stir well and continue to simmer.
- When the vegetables are ready, place in a blender or container and blend until smooth. Add the puréed vegetables to the pot of marrow bone soup. Stir and continue to simmer. The soup should simmer for about one and a half hours in total.
- Taste for salt, adding as needed, along with freshly grated black pepper, fresh parsley. Remove from heat when ready. See notes for the bone marrow.
- Serve hot, adding extra parsley into individual bowls, if desired.
Notes
- Whether the bone is split or whole, you should remove the marrow and do one of the following: eat on its own, mix into the soup, or blend with a little of the soup if you don’t want to eat it as is.
- Measurements are not critical in this recipe. Use smaller or larger or more or less vegetables to your liking.
- Please do not make this without the marrow bone as it will simply be a red lentil/vegetable soup. I have another recipe for red lentil soup.
Nutrition
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Hello,
Can I use brown or green lentils?
Hi Krista, unfortunately, I would say no because they are much different than red lentils. It would end up being super thick and I’m not sure how it would taste, tbh. If you have brown or green lentils to use, I’d suggest this lentil soup, or rice and lentils.
I was so excited to see this recipe in my inbox! I love bone marrow, but haven’t had it since I was a kid. I had to request the bones at my butcher, but it was worth it!
Lovely to hear, Sara! Thank you!
I try to use marrow bones in all my soups. You’re right, though, it’s much harder to find them now than it used to be. The butcher I used to buy from closed 2 years ago when he retired and none of his family were interested. I have searched but can’t find a decent butcher. Canada, like the US, is almost all big box stores which don’t offer the personal service I want. I still keep trying!
It’s such a shame :(
I absolutely LOVE bone marrow — I have only used it to eat as is on bread, or added to my risotto alla Milanese… but I definitely need to try this soup. I bet it is the silkiest, most velvety texture! This is so exciting!
Looks so delish. Would this be ok without the lentils? Lentils are something I just can’t eat.
Hmmm, it’s a big part of the soup’s flavor and consistency, so yes, it can be done, but just won’t be the same, Elizabeth. If you try it, let me know how it is.
This looks fabulous and love everything about this recipe, Christina. Love also how you’re bringing back the old recipes that are full of flavour and healthy too. I never tried this in Scotland – been missing out!
Really? We had it a lot, you should have come over when we were having it!! Haha!
Wow!!! I’ve never heard of this! And I’m surprised my mother didn’t make it. I’m excited. Although my husband won’t even try it…..
http://www.chefmimiblog.com
Awww, that’s sad!