11 Soup Recipes From Around the World

Soups—dishes with liquid bases of broth or cream—are a staple of many cuisines, whether as staple entrées or as go-to comfort foods for illness. Homemade soup recipes can call for any number of ingredients, from proteins (like black bean soup, Italian sausage soup, or turkey soup) to starches or carbohydrates (like wild rice soup, barley soup, or tortellini soup) to vegetables (like cauliflower soup).

Some soups have special names depending on their preparation—for instance, gazpachos are a type of cold soup, chowders (like clam chowder or corn chowder) have thick bases of dairy or crackers, and bisques usually feature a strained seafood base.

Soups can be simple weeknight dishes or complex weekend affairs. While soup recipes vary widely, there are a few common elements that most soups agree on:

1. 1. Get creative with the ingredients: The best soup recipes work by combining several disparate ingredients into one cohesive whole, whether by puréeing or simmering them in broth for a holistic flavor. As a result, most soups don’t have a single star ingredient, which means you can create delicious soups at home even with a few leftover veggies and a little imagination. The key variable is that substituted ingredients have a similar texture as this will affect how they simmer in the sauce—for instance, substitute butternut squash for pumpkin, chickpeas for red beans, lentils for split peas, paprika for cumin, or radishes for carrots.
2. 2. Let it simmer: While soup recipes vary depending on the ingredients, there’s one principle that almost always applies: take your time when simmering the ingredients together. Keeping your soup base on a low, steady heat coaxes vegetables, herbs, and aromatics to release their flavors into the dish and create a cohesive, complex flavor.
3. 3. Experiment with different kitchen tools: You can make soup using almost any kitchen tool—whether that’s a heavy pot, a slow cooker or crockpot, a pressure cooker, or even a powerful blender. Experiment with different tools and see which ones work best for your favorite soup recipes.
4. 4. Incorporate various toppings: While soup can be satisfying on its own, many soup recipes call for toppings or sides—from cornbread to dumplings—to add additional flavors or create a more filling meal. For instance, French onion soup calls for broiled bread and Parmesan cheese on top, and Mexican tortilla soup or taco soup often comes with crisp tortilla strips, jalapeños, or sprigs of cilantro.

Here are some soup recipes to get your creative juices flowing:

1. 1. Artichoke soup: Artichoke soup is a creamy vegetable soup featuring puréed artichoke hearts. Most artichoke soups include other vegetables like onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and potatoes and herbs like thyme and bay leaves, cooked in chicken stock or vegetable stock. The result is a rich broth with a taste similar to asparagus soup that goes well with bread and pasta.
2. 2. Broccoli cheese soup: Cheesy broccoli soup is a hearty soup that calls for broccoli and at least one type of cheese (usually cheddar cheese). Easy recipes may recommend simply blending up the ingredients, while more complex recipes recommend you thicken the mixture with a roux (a mixture of flour and butter). Learn how to make broccoli cheese soup with this simple recipe.
3. 3. Cabbage soup: This family of (mostly) vegetable soups features different varieties of cabbage or sauerkraut as their main ingredient. The cabbage adds a textural highlight to the soup because it can retain its distinctive crunch even when cooked for longer periods. Green cabbage, white cabbage, and red cabbage will garner slightly different flavors—red is on the sweeter side, while green and white are milder. Using sauerkraut instead of raw cabbage brings a bright, tangy flavor to otherwise rich and creamy soups. Learn how to make cabbage soup.
4. 4. Caldo de pollo (chicken soup): If you’re looking for a flavorful variation on traditional American chicken noodle soup, caldo de pollo is a great choice. This Mexican chicken soup recipe starts with a flavorful chicken broth (the word “caldo” means “broth”) that you top with diced pieces of chicken and veggies, such as zucchini, chayote, radishes, and avocado. Garnish caldo de pollo with fresh cilantro, salt, and black pepper, and include a few lime wedges on the side.
5. 5. Lentil soup: Lentils are a small, oval-shaped member of the legume family, sometimes referred to as “pulses.” Incredibly rich in protein—the third-highest of all legumes after soybeans and hemp—lentils are fantastic on their own or as a nutritious, gluten-free addition to easy soups, offering a consistency similar to split-pea soup.
6. 6. Mexican sopa de albóndigas: Albóndigas are small meatballs, which chefs serve as an appetizer with tomato sauce in Spanish cuisine. (They’re also a comfort food staple in Mexican cooking.) Sopa de albóndigas, a traditional Mexican soup, features albóndigas floating in a flavorful broth filled with vegetables and garnished with fresh herbs.
7. 7. Chef Niki Nakayama’s owan: Owan is a warm Japanese soup recipe made with dashi broth that can serve as a light cleanser between other courses. Chef Niki Nakayama's owan recipe calls for rockfish, shiitake mushrooms, and scallions.
8. 8. Potato leek soup: Potato leek soup is made of puréed potatoes and leeks. Simple French potato soup recipes—like potage bonne femme and potage Parmentier—inspired this comfort food. Enjoy potato leek soup hot or cold, smooth or chunky. Vichyssoise is a chilled version of classic potato leek soup made with heavy cream. Some recipes feature sweet potatoes, others are dairy-free, and many call for a topping combination of sour cream, crispy bacon bits, and chives.
9. 9. Pumpkin soup: A relative of butternut squash soup, pumpkin soup is a savory, comforting fall soup made of puréed roasted pumpkin, chicken stock, and heavy cream. Pair it with pasta, homemade croutons, grilled cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, or a fresh green salad. For a Thai variation, add a little red pepper garnish or curry powder.
10. 10. Vegan mushroom soup: Mushroom soup, also known as cream of mushroom soup, typically features a roux, heavy cream, mushrooms, and chicken broth. To make vegan mushroom soup, swap the dairy with non-dairy milk, like cashew milk, coconut milk, or coconut cream, and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Serve this American classic on its own or as the base ingredient in casseroles. Vegan mushroom soup pairs great with a slice of crusty bread to sop up the leftover broth.
11. 11. Vegan tomato basil soup: Traditional tomato soup calls for several non-vegan ingredients—for instance, chicken stock for flavor and milk or cream to thicken the base—but there are plenty of vegan alternatives to avoid using animal products. If you love the richness of tomato soup swirled with heavy cream, half-and-half, or chicken stock, try adding coconut milk, almond milk, or dairy-free cashew cream to your homemade tomato soup. Learn how to make vegan tomato basil soup.

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