The staple ration for Union soldiers was hardtack, a rock-hard biscuit. But other simple Civil War recipes, like soups, stews and hash, could be made with whatever ingredients the soldiers had on hand.
15 Civil War Recipes Made for Soldiers
Updated on Feb. 08, 2024
1/15
Yankee Red Flannel Hash
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Hash is a classic diner dish. With potatoes and pastrami, this one's easy to make at home. The beets give it fabulous color and flavor. —Nancy Mock, Colchester, Vermont
Nutrition Facts:
1 serving: 307 calories, 16g fat (6g saturated fat), 247mg cholesterol, 1010mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 2g fiber), 19g protein.
2/15
Boston Baked Beans
Total Time
4 hours
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For a potluck or picnic, you can’t beat this classic side that starts with a pound of dried beans. Molasses and maple syrup give it a slight sweetness. —Pat Medeiros, Tiverton, Rhode Island
Nutrition Facts:
2/3 cup: 385 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 7mg cholesterol, 810mg sodium, 77g carbohydrate (50g sugars, 8g fiber), 11g protein.
3/15
Cajun Catfish
Total Time
25 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This well-seasoned fish nets me compliments from family and friends whenever I serves it. The fish is moist and flakey, the coating crisp, crunchy and flecked with paprika. —Jim Gales, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Nutrition Facts:
1 fillet: 242 calories, 10g fat (2g saturated fat), 94mg cholesterol, 748mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (0 sugars, 1g fiber), 27g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1/2 starch.
4/15
Green Tomato Pie
Total Time
1 hour 15 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
When frost nips our garden, I quickly gather all the green tomatoes still on the vine and make this old family favorite. It's been handed down from my grandmother, and now my granddaughters are asking for the recipe.—Violet Thompson, Port Ludlow, Washington
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 433 calories, 16g fat (7g saturated fat), 14mg cholesterol, 242mg sodium, 71g carbohydrate (40g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
5/15
Beef Barley Soup
Total Time
2 hours 10 min
Servings
9 servings (2-1/4 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
This hearty beef barley soup is a favorite menu item in our house throughout the year. Everyone savors the flavor. —Elizabeth Kendall, Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 133 calories, 4g fat (1g saturated fat), 28mg cholesterol, 859mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 2g fiber), 14g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.
6/15
Buttermilk Cornbread
Total Time
30 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The tattered recipe card for this buttermilk cornbread proves it's been a family favorite for years. It's my daughter's top request. —Judy Sellgren, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 390 calories, 19g fat (3g saturated fat), 25mg cholesterol, 314mg sodium, 50g carbohydrate (25g sugars, 2g fiber), 5g protein.
7/15
Navy Bean Soup
Total Time
2 hours 15 min
Servings
10 servings (2-1/2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
My family loves navy bean soup! Beans were a commodity you did not survive without in the '30s. This excellent navy beans and ham soup is a real family favorite of ours and I make it often. —Mildred Lewis, Temple, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 244 calories, 2g fat (0 saturated fat), 8mg cholesterol, 410mg sodium, 42g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 10g fiber), 18g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 starch, 2 lean meat, 1 vegetable.
8/15
Molasses Cookies
Total Time
45 min
Servings
2 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
My family always requests these soft molasses cookies. These chewy cookies are also perfect for shipping as holiday gifts or to troops overseas. —Kristine Chayes, Smithtown, New York
Nutrition Facts:
1 cookie: 310 calories, 13g fat (7g saturated fat), 48mg cholesterol, 219mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (27g sugars, 1g fiber), 3g protein.
9/15
Sausage Cornbread
Total Time
1 hour
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Cornbread is a staple here in the South. I added sausage and cheese to a cornbread recipe and came up with this satisfying dish. It goes especially well with soup.
Nutrition Facts:
1 piece: 369 calories, 22g fat (9g saturated fat), 85mg cholesterol, 731mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (4g sugars, 2g fiber), 13g protein.
10/15
Classic Beef Stew
Total Time
2 hours 25 min
Servings
8 servings (2 quarts)
From the Recipe Creator:
This easy beef stew recipe is my favorite. The rich beef gravy helps the hearty flavor of the potatoes and carrots to come through. It's the perfect homemade dish for a blustery winter day. —Alberta McKay, Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 245 calories, 10g fat (3g saturated fat), 71mg cholesterol, 751mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (6g sugars, 3g fiber), 24g protein.
11/15
Buttermilk Biscuits
Total Time
30 min
Servings
8 biscuits
From the Recipe Creator:
The recipe for these four-ingredient homemade buttermilk biscuits has been handed down for many generations. —Fran Thompson, Tarboro, North Carolina
Nutrition Facts:
1 biscuit: 222 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 31mg cholesterol, 508mg sodium, 24g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.
12/15
Corn Chowder with Bacon
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I was raised on a farm, so a warm soup with homey ingredients, like this corn chowder with bacon, was always a treat after a chilly day outside. My hearty chowder nourishes the family. —Katie Lillo, Big Lake, Minnesota
Nutrition Facts:
1 cup: 335 calories, 13g fat (6g saturated fat), 37mg cholesterol, 592mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 3g fiber), 12g protein.
13/15
Cheese Biscuits
Total Time
30 min
Servings
1 dozen
From the Recipe Creator:
I'm a big fan of homemade biscuits but not the rolling and cutting that goes into making them. The drop-biscuit method solves everything! —Christina Addison, Blanchester, Ohio
Nutrition Facts:
1 biscuit: 237 calories, 12g fat (7g saturated fat), 32mg cholesterol, 429mg sodium, 26g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.
14/15
Pickled Eggs and Beets
Total Time
10 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Ever since I can remember, my mother served this pickled egg recipe at Easter. It was a tradition that my family expected. I made them for my granddaughter the last time she visited and they were all gone before she left. —Mary Banker, Fort Worth, Texas
Nutrition Facts:
1 egg: 168 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 212mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (21g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.
15/15
Beef Vegetable Soup
Total Time
9 hours 20 min
Servings
7 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This nicely seasoned soup tastes so good. It's convenient, too, since it simmers all day in the slow cooker. —Jean Hutzell, Dubuque, Iowa
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 217 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 40mg cholesterol, 536mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 3g fiber), 15g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1 starch.
