Curated lists

Soups and stews

The 24 best-known soups and stews from around the world, each with a short background and where it comes from.

  1. Borscht
    01

    Borscht

    Ukraine

    Borscht (English: ) is a sour soup, made with meat stock, vegetables and seasonings, common in Eastern Europe, Central Europe and Northern Asia.

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  2. Ramen
    02

    Ramen

    Japan

    Ramen is a Japanese-Chinese fusion noodle dish. It includes Chinese-style alkaline wheat noodles (中華麺, chūkamen) served in several flavors of hot broth.

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  3. Gazpacho
    03

    Gazpacho

    Spain

    Gazpacho or gaspacho, also called Andalusian gazpacho (from Spanish gazpacho andaluz), is a cold soup and drink made of raw, blended vegetables. It originated in the southern regions of the Iberian Peninsula and spread into other areas.

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  4. Tzatziki
    04

    Tzatziki

    Greece

    Tzatziki, also known as cacık or tarator, is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia.

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  5. Stew
    05

    Stew

    France

    A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy.

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  6. Pho
    06

    Pho

    Vietnam

    Pho (Vietnamese: phở [fɤ˧˩˧] ) is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles (bánh phở), herbs, and meat – usually beef (phở bò), and sometimes chicken (phở gà).

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  7. Miso soup
    07

    Miso soup

    Japan

    Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of miso in a dashi stock. It is commonly served as part of an ichijū-sansai (一汁三菜) meal 'one soup, three dishes' consisting of rice, soup, and side dishes.

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  8. Bigos
    08

    Bigos

    Poland

    Bigos, or hunter's stew, is a Polish dish of chopped meat of various kinds stewed with sauerkraut, shredded fresh cabbage and spices. It is served hot and can be enriched with additional vegetables and wine.

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  9. Chili
    09

    Chili

    Mexico

    Chili con carne, often shortened to chili, is a spicy stew of Mexican origin containing chili peppers (sometimes in the form of chili powder), meat (usually beef), tomatoes, and beans. Other seasonings may include garlic, onions, and cumin.

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  10. Tajine
    10

    Tajine

    Morocco

    A tagine or tajine, also tajin or tagin (Arabic: طاجين, romanized: ṭajīn) is a Maghrebi cuisine stew, named for the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. The pot consists of two parts: a shallow, circular clay skillet and a tall cone- or dome-shaped cover.

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  11. Okroshka
    11

    Okroshka

    Russia

    Okróshka is a cold soup of Russian origin, which probably originated in the Volga region.

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  12. Bouillabaisse
    12

    Bouillabaisse

    France

    Bouillabaisse is a traditional Provençal fish soup originating in the port city of Marseille. The word is originally a compound of the two Provençal verbs bouillir ('to boil') and baisser ('to reduce heat', i.e. 'simmer').

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  13. Dashi
    13

    Dashi

    Japan

    Dashi (出汁, だし) is a family of stocks used in Japanese cuisine. Dashi forms the base for miso soup, clear broth soup, noodle broth soup, and many simmering liquids to accentuate the savory flavor known as umami.

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  14. Shchi
    14

    Shchi

    Russia

    Shchi is a Russian-style cabbage soup. When sauerkraut is used instead, the soup is called sour shchi, while soups based on sorrel, spinach, nettle, and similar plants are called green shchi.

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  15. Tom yum
    15

    Tom yum

    Thailand

    Tom yum or tom yam is a family of hot and sour Thai soups. The name tom yam is composed of two words in the Thai language: tom refers to the boiling process, while yam means "mixed".

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  16. Minestrone
    16

    Minestrone

    Italy

    Minestrone or minestrone di verdure is a thick vegetable soup of Italian origin. It typically includes onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, courgettes, often legumes, such as beans, chickpeas or fava beans, and sometimes pasta or rice, and is…

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  17. French onion soup
    17

    French onion soup

    France

    French onion soup is a soup of onions which are sautéed and then cooked in meat stock or water, usually served gratinéed with croutons or a larger piece of bread covered with cheese floating on top.

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  18. Beef bourguignon
    18

    Beef bourguignon

    France

    Beef bourguignon or bœuf bourguignon, is a French stew of beef braised in red wine, often red Burgundy, and beef stock, typically flavored with carrots, onions, garlic, and a bouquet garni, and garnished with pearl onions and mushrooms.

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  19. Solyanka
    19

    Solyanka

    Russia

    Solyanka is a thick and sour soup of Russian origin. It is a common dish in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic states, and other post-Soviet states and other parts of the former Eastern Bloc.

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  20. Laksa
    20

    Laksa

    Iran

    Laksa is a spicy noodle dish popular in Southeast Asia. Laksa consists of various types of noodles, most commonly thick rice noodles, with toppings such as chicken, prawns or fish.

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  21. Ukha
    21

    Ukha

    Russia

    Ukha is a clear Russian soup, made from various types of fish such as bream, wels catfish, northern pike, or even ruffe.

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  22. Feijoada
    22

    Feijoada

    Portugal

    Feijoada is the name for varieties of bean stew with beef or pork prepared in the Portuguese-speaking world.

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  23. Gumbo
    23

    Gumbo

    United States

    Gumbo (Louisiana Creole: Gum-bo) is a stew that is popular among the U.S. Gulf Coast community, the New Orleans stew variation being the official state cuisine of the U.S. state of Louisiana.

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  24. Tarator
    24

    Tarator

    Bulgaria North Macedonia

    Tzatziki, also known as cacık or tarator, is a class of dip, soup, or sauce found in the cuisines of Southeastern Europe and West Asia.

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