
I almost experienced the most embarrassing moment of my culinary life last weekend. I’d gotten together with my dear friend Sonya, a connoisseur of crazy scarves and — lucky for me — cheeseburgers, to plan a cookout extravaganza. The weather has been so nice in Charlotte lately, and we wanted to celebrate.
We piled hamburgers, hot dogs, and cheddarwursts on the grill as our friends started to arrive. That’s when we realized the problem.

One of the gals we invited is a passionate vegetarian, a fact that had somehow completely slipped my mind. As soon as I saw her walking into the backyard with a pitcher of iced tea to share, I remembered her dietary restrictions like being hit with a freight train.
You’re probably thinking this was not a big deal. She can just eat side dishes, right? She can have dessert, right? WRONG. We didn’t have a single vegetarian option. The potato salad had sausage in it. The macaroni and cheese was made with chicken broth. The cupcakes were flippin’ maple bacon cupcakes! DRAT.
I panicked. At first I piled some lettuce, tomatoes, and onions on a plate to make a salad of sorts. That seemed insulting, though, and I knew I had to whip her up a more impressive vegetarian entrée. I scurried into the kitchen as Sonya sipped some lemonade and chatted to keep everyone occupied.

That’s when this masterpiece occurred to me. It’s the perfect vegetarian option at a cookout, because it tastes like a burger-free burger. It’s Cream of Ketchup and Mustard Soup! The ketchup is bright but undercut by the tang of the sultry mustard. Just a smidge of pepper for bite, and this soup was a carnival of creamy condiment deliciousness.
Our vegetarian friend raved with every sip, and asked for the recipe before she left. What a sweet success! I hope you’ll try it for yourself and enjoy.
Cream of Ketchup and Mustard Soup*
Recipe by: Willow Bird Baking
Yields: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup ketchup
1 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream for serving (optional)
Directions:Mix ingredients together over medium-high heat. Simmer for 10 minutes before separating soup into two soup bowls, topping with sour cream, and serving.
*April Fool’s! I did not hold a cookout, the weather has been cold and rainy in Charlotte, I do not own a grill, I did not make this soup, I definitely did not ingest this soup, and I don’t even know anyone named Sonya (unfortunately — what a fun name).
This soup is probably gross, so for Heaven’s sake, please don’t serve it to your vegetarian friends as a meat alternative at a cookout. Unless you don’t want to have any more vegetarian friends, that is.
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{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
um i was just horrified. brava, baby.
Oh, you got me!!!
you got me too! I’m pathetic, I’ve been reading april fool’s things all day and I still believe them!
Not pathetic, just TRUSTING!
Got me, too, and I was thinking, “YUCK!!”
haha!
wow! I was really trying to figure out how that could taste good until i saw the april fools.
I allllmost wanted to take a bite of the concoction just to see what it was like. ALMOST.
Even weird pregnancy cravings were not enough to entice me to think this sounded good. So glad to read it’s and April Fool’s joke…
haha! Let’s hope tomorrow you don’t wake up thinking, “Hmmm, ketchup and mustard . . .”
OMG! You got me! This actually sounds really interesting… I’m intrigued!
LOL if you try it, Kaitlin, you have to come back and let us know you lived through it . . .
ROTFL, nicely done.}:P
Thank ya kindly!
OMG that story is TOO hysterical. I can totally see your panic! A ton of my friends are vegetarian so I always try to be the one to remember to bring a veg option to social gathering…since I know my carnivorous friends will never remember! This soup really is genius though! I can’t believe you came up with such a masterpiece under pressure.
LOL!
Tee Hee
So funny! I thought, “Can this be real?”
Thank goodness it wasn’t!
Yes, thank goodness!
You got me! I had to come here and see the ingredient list ’cause I just couldn’t believe the name of the soup!
LOL! The ingredient list wasn’t much comfort, was it?
First time commenter here
Love finding other Charlotte bloggers!! You totally had me going. Then I saw the recipe and was like really?? How can that be good? Touché.
Hey Vanessa! I’m so glad to meet other Charlotte bloggers as well!
Through a series of links, I’ve just found your lovely blog. Can’t wait to take your inspiration into my own kitchen..
Love this “recipe”! The whole time reading the post I kept thinking about the “soup” in the pic “How did she get it so red??” because, having mixed ketchup and mustard together quite often for the purpose of corn dog dunking, I know it never looks *that* pretty.
Welcome, Sweet T! LOL, I’m a little sad that THIS was your first post — do look around a bit so you know I can, ya know, cook things that aren’t repugnant
LOL!!!! You got me too!!! Hysterical! Best April Fools joke yet!
Hilarious!
Thanks, Maggie!
I was cringing the whole time… ha ha. Well played!
Thanks, Megan!
What if you made this and used it as a “dip” for hamburgers and hotdogs?? Garnish it with relish, maybe? I almost want to try it!
HA, I do love ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce mixed for fry dipping!
I’m sure glad it was a joke – I was really cringing! I was a little suspicious because I thought you lived in Winston Salem.
I’m in Charlotte, but definitely would not eat this soup! haha!
Julie, this was “laugh out loud” funny! As I finished reading the recipe and directions with a wrinkled nose, I read your disclaimer and truly laughed out loud. Got my chuckle for the day! Thanks for the giggle!
LOL so glad you enjoyed it, Connie!
Hahahaha!!! I was thinking “Julie, I love you. But…ummm…no.” LOL!
HAHA, love can only go so far . . .
So glad to read this was a joke. You had me worried!
HAHA Barbara! You never know, with me . . .
This was great fun and your set-up was perfect. I’ll smile for the rest of the evening. This is my first real visit to your site and I decided to browse through your earlier entries. I’m so glad I did. I really like the food and recipes you feature here and I’ll definitely be back. I hope you have a great evening. Blessings…Mary
Aw, thank you Mary! SO glad you saw other recipes besides just this one, or you may not have come back. HA!
Definitely fooled me! The photos are great!
Thanks, Sayre!
Oh man, can’t believe I fell for it!! Good one, Julie
Thank ya
So, I definitely thought this was real until just now. Haha wow. But this is awesome!!
Thanks, Sophia
I’m reading this a few days too late…and you totally had me there for a second