This soup is my version of the old fable Stone Soup. In the fable a hungry and road-weary stranger stops for the night with his trusty cooking pot. All he has to put in it is water and a large rock. The villagers see the stranger boiling a rock and become curious and ask what he is doing. The hungry stranger tells them he is making an amazing-tasting soup with his magical rock. He goes on to say he would be willing to share his soup if the villagers had a few extra bits they would be willing to part with to help “season” the soup. Everyone adds a little bit: a carrot, an onion, a few potatoes, a ham bone. Before long there is no room for the stone and the soup is ready. Magically it is just as tasty as the traveling stranger promised.
I don’t start with a stone for this soup, however, I do have a trusty soup pot… and I have been weary many a nights!
I guess a better description for this would be “Pantry Soup”, and just like the traveling stranger, I can tell you that it always ends up being an amazing-tasting soup! I check out the freezer, the vegetable crisper and the cupboards, adding all the little bits of tasty magic that I find. This is a “go to” dinner for a busy weeknight. It’s fast, it’s tasty and it’s filling (especially when it is paired with a bread of some type).
This is the kind of recipe that is a “non-recipe.” It can be tweaked, changed, and generally re-worked to fit with what you have hanging out in your cupboard or vegetable crisper.
Yummy!

Stone Soup
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 inch chunk fresh ginger smashed to allow for full flavor infusion
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 2 large carrots sliced in half rounds
- 2 fresh jalapeno sliced
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 pkg frozen Udon noodles I always have udon noodles in the freezer. Any dried pasta noodle would work though.
- 1 pound frozen pre-cooked clams I usually have frozen clams or mussels in the freezer. Chicken, pork, or even no meat works in this soup.
Instructions
- Prep all of your veggies.
- In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, add a splash of olive oil. Sauté the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes.
- Add the broth, fish sauce, soy sauce and the rest of the vegetables. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the frozen udon noodles. Simmer for 8 -10 minutes.
- Add the sesame oil and clams. Heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Mmmmm, I love soup of most any kind. It is my go to meal for a stormy day, a cold day or and blue day. This is an awesome lesson in diversity – every day could be a different treat.
I’m obsessed with your blog! It’s so pretty and I’m loving all your recipes!
Thank you!!! I’m so glad you checked it out!