This article is the third in a series called “Festival of Flavors.” For six weeks, kids around the world shared the family recipes that most evoke their heritage. Visit this issue’s table of contents to read the other installments!

Homemade Italian house soup evokes my heritage.

This soup was born out of my curiosity about the culture of Italy. One day I decided to create something unique and fragrant for dinner. This soup is the delicious result. I often find myself imagining roaming marble halls among the leaders of the ancient world, such as the great emperors of Rome.

But alas… I have to satisfy myself with a delicious recipe guaranteed to warm on a chilly fall day.

When I first made the soup, my family told me it was packed with flavor. They also told me I had a few adjustments to make: I had accidentally put in four tablespoons of garlic powder instead of two. Nevertheless, the whole family was begging for leftovers the next day. An instant hit!

When I make this recipe, I know I’m connecting to the women who made this before. My grandmother, although not fully Italian, was a prominent figure in my mind while making this soup. She loved to bake, cook, and create delicious memories for everyone around her. I think of her strong hands picking every tomato, every fragrant leaf of basil, creating a meal for her family. Mealtime isn’t much different nowadays. If anything is boldly different, it is the priority we place on meals. Families are often in a huge rush and don’t connect with each other over a great meal. I find making a hearty soup by hand can fix this, at least for one night. We’re all busy, but this soup is easy.

My family is mainly Finnish and Polish, with a little Irish on the side. My great-grandmother was fully Polish, while my grandfather was fully Finnish. Though very distant, my extended family is Italian. My mom and dad love looking at our family heritage and sharing it with my siblings and me. When I make this soup, my whole family gets a glimpse of the lineage we share. With its robust flavor, Italian house soup is sure to be an instant hit in your home.

Soup, or any kind of food, can really knit hearts together. I find that making and preparing my own food gives me a sense of pride and enjoyment. For me, being able to sit down with my family to enjoy a little part of our history is a joyful and meaningful experience! Mealtime is incredibly important, and with this recipe, it’s sure to be delicious.