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Soul Food Style Pork Neck Bone Soup

A rich, deeply flavorful soul-food soup made from slow-simmered pork neck bones, hearty vegetables, and smoky seasonings. The broth turns silky and full-bodied as the collagen cooks down, creating a warm, comforting bowl perfect for cold days. Simple ingredients, big flavor — classic soul food at its best.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs pork neck bones cleaned
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 3 celery stalks diced
  • 3 medium carrots chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1 large potato diced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup water as needed
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh parsley/green onions for garnish

Method
 

  1. Rinse pork neck bones well and pat dry. Parboil for 5 minutes if needed to remove impurities.
  2. Heat olive oil in a pot and brown neck bones on all sides. Set aside.
  3. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté 4–5 minutes until softened.
  4. Stir in garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, pepper, and thyme; cook 1 minute.
  5. Add neck bones back in with broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, and Worcestershire.
  6. Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover, and cook 1.5–2 hours.
  7. Add potatoes; simmer 25–30 more minutes.
  8. Adjust salt, remove bay leaf, pull off meat, discard bones.
  9. Serve hot with parsley or green onions.

Notes

  • Add greens like collards or kale at the end for more nutrients.
  • For a richer broth, refrigerate overnight and remove excess fat.
  • Mash a few potatoes to naturally thicken the soup.