Looking for the most popular soups in the world?
Our guide to the most popular soups feature broths, soups and stews from Europe, Asia, Latin American, Africa the Middle East and beyond!
Review our list of the most popular soups in the world and you’ll find hearty seafood stews, spicy meat soups, smooth pureed vegetarian and vegan recipes and cheesy and creamy bowls worth spooning through.
Whether you’re looking to discover one of the most popular soups in Asia that you enjoyed on holiday, want to recreate a classic soup from your favourite restaurant, or pay homage to your grandma’s famous Christmas holiday soup, our recipe guide offers a fun adventure for home cooks who are keen to enjoy fresh flavours all year round!
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Recipes For The Most Popular Soups in the World
My family has a tradition of eating soup and salad for lunch on Sunday’s after getting home from church. Soup is such an simple and brainless meal to serve a busy family with kids. It’s also quick to make and typically includes ingredients that are healthy as well as cheap and affordable to buy.
My dad would often cook cream of tomato soup and serve a steaming bowl with grilled cheese sandwiches and pickles. Our family also loved slurping through Butternut Squash Soup, French Onion Soup and Chicken Noodle Soup.
I love exploring the world by cooking healthy, quick & easy soups and stews at home.
This guide to the most popular soups in the world features traditional recipes from North America & Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
The most popular soups in an destination can be found from fancy fine dining restaurants to humble street food stalls. You’ll know you’ve enjoyed one of the most popular soups in the world when everyone eating around you has licked their bowl clean! A good indicator of excellence is when you see a long line of locals patiently waiting to be seated at a bustling restaurant.
There truly is nothing more comforting on a cold day then cozying up to a bowl of soup with a fresh salad, gourmet crackers, artisanal cheeses, sourdough bread or savoury muffins.
While most people consider soup season to be in the colder months, from Thanksgiving to early Spring, the most popular soups in the world can be enjoyed 365 days a year. There are many delicious summer soups that can be served cold on a hot day (like gazpacho) or that feature seasonal ingredients like corn and peas.
Simple soups can be enjoyed as a light lunch with a fresh salad. More substantial soups have all the meat, vegetables, and starch you need for a hearty dinner in a bowl.
We often like to double our soup recipes so we can enjoy leftovers for lunch or freeze to enjoy later at an impromptu dinner party or potluck.
Equipment To Make the Most Popular Soups in the World
Whether you’re a seasoned cook or a newbie in the kitchen, soups are some of the easiest recipes to prepare at home. There’s no better way to enjoy a memorable sensory trip then by slurping the most popular soups in the world.
Before hosting a swanky soup soiree you’ll want to outfit your kitchen with these essential pieces of cooking equipment:
- Cast Iron Dutch Oven: we love using a sturdy cast iron dutch oven to cook homemade soups. You want to ensure your large pot is sold with a firm lid so you can create a seal when simmering stock for several hours.
- Immersion Blender: this handy kitchen gadget is perfect for blending pureed soups.
- Vitamix: the King of blenders is a must-have for soup lovers. The high speed settings allows you to liquify smooth soups that are still hot and steaming without the lid bursting off.
- Rubber Spatula: use a heavy duty rubber spatula or spatula spoon so you can scrape down the sides of the pot and sip to ensure the liquid is seasoned to your liking.
- French Knife: a high quality French Knife is a must-have when chopping vegetables and slicing meat for homemade soup.
- Soup Ladle: we use a rubber ladle to serve soup as the metal options get very hot and can easily burn your hands.
- Soup Bowls: we love using large soup bowls typically used for Japanese ramen or Vietnamese pho.
- Pyrex Containers: heavy duty pyrex containers are perfect for storing your leftover soup in the fridge or freezer and are dishwasher safe when it’s time to clean up.
Creamy Vegetarian Parsnip and Pear Soup
This Autumn soup is a favourite at Canadian and American Thanksgiving when parsnips and pears are in season at the local Farmers Market. The creamy Parsnip and Pear Soup is vegetarian and features an eye-popping dried pear cracker garnish.
Serve this soup with a slice of fresh sourdough, pickles, crackers or cheese & onion muffins.
Pkaila Vegan Tunisian Jewish Butter Bean Stew
Pkaila is a Tunisian stew traditionally served during holidays in the Jewish community. The North African dish features butter beans, spinach, fresh herbs and spices.
Most local chefs in Tunis prepare the dish with slowly braised beef cuts like oxtail or short rib. This recipe pays homage to the dishes roots while making it accessible to those who are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free or nut free.
Spicy Gukbap Korean Rice & Beef Soup
Gukbap is one of the most popular soups in Korea, enjoyed as regional variations from Seoul to Suwon, Busan and Samcheok.
The simple stew is traditionally prepared with short grain rice, slow-cooked beef, bean sprouts and homemade kimchi.
We suggest serving Spicy Gukbap with Pork Bibimbap, Baked Korean Gochujang Chicken Wings and Korean Ssamjang Chicken.
Burmese Khow Suey Pork Coconut Noodle Soup
Burmese Khow Suey is our favourite creamy coconut noodle soup from Myanmar to cook at home.
The popular comfort food originates in Myanmar but is popular in India and Pakistan thanks to expatriate cooks who began serving the recipe to locals as a street food.
Traditional Khow Suey recipes feature egg noodles swimming in a coconut milk broth, tender strips of pork, crunchy fried noodles and a fresh lime.
Lebanese Lamb Dumplings Shish Barak Soup
Shish Barak are traditional Lebanese lamb dumplings, traditionally served in a thick or thin yogurt sauce. We like to enjoy the dish in a thinned out sauce reminiscent of a soup.
Plump dumplings swim in a tangy yogurt broth and are topped with toasted pine nuts and fresh mint.
Chupe de Quinoa Gluten-Free Peruvian Soup
Chupe de Quinoa is a popular soup indigenous to Peru. Regional variations of the popular recipe are served in family kitchens and restaurants from Lima to Puno and Cuzco.
This creamy, gluten-free chowder features flavourful Aji Amarillo Paste, oregano, mint and lime. Spoon through a bowl and you’ll find hearty corn, red onion, sweet potato and quinoa.
Turkish Mint Yogurt Corbasi Soup
This creamy soup is a perfect recipe for yogurt lovers. It’s a popular comfort food in the northern region of Turkey in the mountains where dairy cows graze. Corbasi’s simple ingredients include rice, mint and butter.
Thai Pork Rib Soup with Vermicelli Noodles
This easy to prepare Thai Pork Rib Soup features a flavourful tomato-based broth, “fall off the bone,” rib meat, tender rice noodles, crispy fried shallots and fresh herbs.
Egg Tofu Soup with Pork Meatballs
This comforting Asian soup features a flavourful broth, tender vegetables, plump pork meatballs, soft and silky slices of Chinese-style egg tofu and crispy fried shallots.
Serve Egg Tofu Soup with Vegan Chinese Cucumber Salad, Green Onion Cake Cong You Bing, Grabong Northern Thai Pumpkin Fritter or Nam Tok Authentic Thai “Waterfall Beef” Salad.
Flädlesuppe German Pancake Soup
Flädlesuppe is one of the most popular soups from Germany. The popular South German soup features a simple beef broth, freshly chopped vegetables and sliced pancakes flavoured with fresh herbs.
Serve Fladlesuppe with Pork Rouladen, German Potato Dumplings, Vegetarian Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad with Beetroot & Pine Nuts, Beetroot Salad with Grapefruit, Pistachio and Herbed Cream, Creamy Cucumber Salad, Cherry Pecan Kale Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette or Fennel, Apple, Celery and Roasted Hazelnut Salad.
Pepper Milagu Rasam Vegan South Indian Soup
Rasam is one of the world’s most popular soups from India. The spicy vegan soup is native to southern Indian states and can be enjoyed in Kerala’s bustling capital, Cochin.
Serve Pepper Milagu Rasam with Indian Onion Salad, Chicken Shahi Korma, Shahi Paneer or Indian Crepes.
Portuguese Bean Soup Recipe with Kale and Sausage
Portuguese Bean Soup is a hearty and creamy soup featuring spicy sausage, tender potato and chopped kale.
Serve alongside a fresh salad and Portuguese roll.
Aguadito de Pollo Peruvian Chicken Soup
Aguadito de Pollo is one of our favourite soups from Peru.
The traditional Peruvian chicken soup features flavourful Aji Amarillo, cilantro, rice, potato, carrots, red bell pepper, peas and lime juice.
Vegetarian Chipotle Mexican Bean Soup
This healthy Mexican soup features protein-packed beans and is topped with flavourful cilantro, sour cream, avocado, nachos and squeeze of fresh lime.
Serve Chipotle Mexican Bean Soup with Cheesy Vegetarian Antojito, Jalapeno Poppers, Chicken Fajita Tacos or Mexican Sweet Potato Rice.
Romanian Soup Ciorba de Perisoare
Ciorba de Perisoare is a classic Romanian Soup featuring a simple broth featuring tender vegetables, plump rice meatballs and parsley.
Serve this Romanian Soup with sarmale, mamalinga, salată de vinete, mizeria and papanași.
Fakes Soupa Healthy Vegetarian Greek Lentil Soup
Fakes Soupa is a healthy vegetarian Greek Lentil Soup. We’ve taken the ingredients of a classic recipe and blended them together to create a smooth pureed soup. The nutrient-packed soup is topped with Greek yogurt, crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley.
Serve this vegetarian Greek soup with Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs, Melitzanosalata Greek Eggplant Dip or Warm Orzo Lemon Salad.
Ogorkowa Zupa Creamy Polish Dill Pickle Soup
Ogorkowa Zupa is one of the most popular soups from Poland (neck and neck with Sour Rye Zurek Soup.) The creamy and tangy Eastern European soup features crunchy dill pickles.
Serve this Polish soup with Mizeria Creamy Polish Cucumber Salad or Homemade Pierogies.
Creamy Vegetarian Indian Paneer Soup
Find yourself with a block of paneer loitering in the back of your fridge? This creamy vegetarian paneer soup is a great way to use up leftover Indian cheese and vegetables.
Serve Paneer Soup with fresh naan or basmati biryani.
Creamy Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Looking for the most popular soups in the world for vegans? This creamy cauliflower soup replaces cream and butter with coconut milk. Top with chopped chives and roasted cauliflower florets.
Cheesy Vegetarian Cheddar Broccoli Almond Soup
The classic combination of broccoli and almond is one of the most popular soups for vegetarians. This healthy smooth pureed soup features roasted broccoli and aged cheddar cheese.
Spicy Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup
This recipe from Szechuan, China is one of the most popular soups in the world for spicy heat addicts. The classic Hot and Sour Soup features unique Asian ingredients you can find at your local Chinese Market such as dried shiitake mushrooms, wood ear fungus, dried lily flower, bamboo shoots, Toban Djan Chili Bean Sauce and Chinese Black Vinegar.
Chicken Manchow Soup
Chicken Manchow Soup is one of the most popular soups in the Indo-Chinese community. The soup is typically served in Kolkata by Chinese immigrant chefs and features tender chicken, fresh vegetables and crunchy deep fried noodles on top.
Vegetarian Thukpa Tibetan Noodle Soup
Thukpa is one of the most popular soups in the Himalayas and Tibet. This healthy vegetarian noodle soup features fresh herbs, curry spice and spicy chili.
Penang Prawn Noodle Soup Hokkien Mee
Hokkien Mee is one of the most popular soups from Penang, Malaysia. The classic Malaysian seafood soup features tender pork, plump shrimp, fatty pork belly and thin Chinese egg noodles.
Serve Hokkien Mee with Roti Canai or Egg Rolls.
Seafood Laksa: Singaporean Shrimp & Fish Soup
Laksa is one of the most popular soups in the world for seafood lovers. This classic Singaporean soup features tender white fish, plump prawns, creamy coconut curry broth, fresh herbs and sweet fried tofu cubes.
Serve seafood laksa with Vegan Citrus “Rojak” Singapore Salad or Laos Papaya Salad Tum Mak Hoong.
Singaporean Bak Chor Mee Minced Pork Noodle Soup
Bak Chor Mee is one of the most popular soups in Singapore (in our opinion a clear tie with lucious laksa.)
Bak Chor Mee is a noodle soup that features pork balls, minced pork, pork loin, Chinese egg noodles, scallions and spicy chili.
Chinese Wonton Egg Drop Soup
Wonton Egg Drop Soup is one of the most popular soups on Chinese restaurant menus. The mouth-watering comfort food can be found at local restaurants in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Chicken broth is thickened with a cornstarch slurry and egg and features plump and tender wonton dumplings.
Spanish Soup Garlicky Sopa de Ajo
Sopa de Ajo is one of the most popular soups in Spain. Our traditional recipe features flavourful cured ham, smoked paprika, wine, egg and olive oil. It’s one of our favourite tastes of Spain!
Creamy Parmesan Ditalini Soup
This creamy Italian soup features tiny Ditalini pasta that float in a cheesy parmesan broth. If you’re a fan of Macaroni & Cheese this recipe will be your new favourite craving.
Serve Creamy Parmesan Soup with Amaretto Disaronno Sour Cocktail, Aperol Gin Cocktail, Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu, Breakfast Polenta Bowl, Italian Porridge or Pici Cacio e Pepe.
Vegetarian French Onion Soup
This recipe is definitely one of the top 10 most popular soups in the world. Classic French Onion Soup is typically flavoured with beef broth but we’ve made the dish vegetarian friendly by substituting with mushroom broth.
Serve this cheesy French Onion Soup with a Brandy Manhattan Cognac Cocktail or Creamy Apple and Pear Pork Normandy.
Cajun Louisiana Cream of Shrimp Soup
Cream of Shrimp Soup is one of the most popular soups from Louisiana. Enjoy a bowl at home and you’ll take a culinary trip with your senses to the bustling streets of New Orleans.
Our Cajun Cream of Shrimp Soup features plump prawns, smokey sausage, fresh vegetables and cream.
Serve alongside Cajun Spicy Chorizo Corn Salad, Beignets or Po’boys.
Lebanese Lentil Soup Adas Bil Hamod
Adas Bil Hamod is one of the most popular soups from the Middle East. The classic healthy Lebanese dish features lentils, fresh herbs and lemon juice.
Serve Lebanese Lentil Soup with Chicken Shawarma, Kibbeh, Toum and Grilled Kebab.
Ajiaco Cubano Cuban Soup with Chicken
Ajiaco Cubano is one of the most popular soups from the Caribbean. The classic Cuban stew is served from bustling Havana to breezy beaches of Santiago de Cuba.
This healthy Cuban soup features chicken broth, corn on the cob, plantain, and root vegetables like sweet potato, yuca or cassava.
Polish Sour Rye Zurek Soup
Zurek is one of the most popular soups from Poland. The protein-packed soup features Polish sausage, smoked bacon, boiled eggs and sour cream.
The soup is uniquely prepared with a rye sourdough starter, which gives the broth a tangy flavour.
Chinese Ginger Garlic Soup
Ginger Garlic Soup is one of our favourite Chinese recipes to stave off cold and flu season.
The healthy soup features bok choy, fresh herbs, mushrooms, Chinese egg noodles and loads of freshly chopped garlic and ginger.
Healthy Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup
Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup is one of the most popular soups to cook in Canada during the Fall harvest season. The savoury soup is slightly sweetened with honey and maple syrup. Festive flavours that warm the soul include ground cinnamon, mace and nutmeg.
Serve with Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies, Gevulde Speculaas, Ginger Spiced Banana Pear Muffins, Oven Baked Sweet Potato, Banana Pumpkin Muffins, Sweet Potato Muffins or Kardemummabullar Swedish Cardamom Buns.
Jamaican Chicken Soup with Dumplings
Jamaican Chicken Soup is a classic Caribbean soup from the land of rum lovers. Enjoy a road trip of Jamaica and you’ll find plenty of local restaurants that serve chicken soup with dumplings.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup
This is an ideal soup recipe for those looking to spoon through flavourful pureed vegetables. The sweetness of red peppers and sweet potato create a well balanced soup topped with scallions, chili flakes and pistachio.
Carrot and Leek Soup
Carrot and Leek is a classic combination in American kitchens during the Autumn when both vegetables are in season. The creamy spiced soup is finished off with a drizzle of cream and fresh thyme sprigs.
Spicy Tikka Masala Turkey Barley Soup
This is one of the most popular soups to prepare with leftover turkey the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas. Flavour a classic turkey soup with Indian spice for a more flavourful experience.
Kale, Leek, Bean, Orzo & Pumpkin Soup
This healthy vegetable soup features nutritious kale, leek, beans and pumpkin. Orzo pasta and a dollop of homemade pesto offer a nod to Italian culinary tradition.
Piri Piri Carrot & Sweet Pepper Soup with Bulgar
This healthy carrot and pepper soup with bulgar wheat is spiced with South African piri piri hot sauce.
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