12 Global Soups Worth Slurping

Easily the most popular Vietnamese food in the world, phở lives up to its vaunted reputation when eaten in its homeland. Named after the flat, fettuccine-like phở noodles that fill the bowl, phở in Vietnam is pure magic. The best phở vendors typically serve chicken (phở gà) and beef (phở bò), ladling soup from large vats to queues of hungry phở fans.

Explore More: More Vietnamese Food Favorites

Ramen is great all over the world but it’s best in Japanese cities like Fukuoka, Osaka and Tokyo. This superiority makes sense since the global soup sensation originated in the Land of the Rising Sun albeit with Chinese influences.

Traditional ramen bowls feature savory broth, toothy wheat noodles, chāsū (pork), nori (seaweed), scallions and a softly boiled egg. Broth variations include miso, shoyu (soy sauce), shio (salt) and tonkotsu (pork bone). And this doesn’t contemplate regional variations like hakata ramen in Fukuoka or hokaido ramen in Hokaido. The only way to find your favorite ramen is to et them all.

Explore More: More Japanese Food Favorites

A soup with roots spread throughout Eastern Europe in countries like Poland, Russia and the Ukraine, borscht is a tangy beet-based soup that jumped the pond when masses immigrated to America a century ago. These roots go deep – at least 500 years. Typical borscht ingredients include meat as well as vegetables like carrots and onions in addition to beets. Today, it’s popular in Tallinn and other European cities.

Explore More: Tallinn Food Guide

A staple in Cantonese cuisine, wonton noodle soup is available at Chinese restaurants in nearby Hong Kong and around the world. It’s a dish that proves that ‘more is more’ with its starch duo of noodles and meat-filled wontons.

Explore More: Hong Kong Food Experiences

Originally from northern Portugal but popular throughout the country, caldo verde is a comforting poor man’s soup typically made with potatoes, kale and olive oil. In Portugal, most bowls of caldo verde have a slice or two of Portuguese chouriço which adds a hint of smokey flavor and a bit of protein.

Explore More: More Portuguese Food Favorites

Cullen skink is a Scottish soup with a funny name and familiar flavor. Named after the northeastern coastal town of Cullen in Scotland, the smokey chowder is often made with smoked haddock, potatoes and either leeks or onions. The word skink refers to beef shins or knuckles that were traditionally used before cullen skink became a pescatarian potage.

Explore More: Where to Eat in Fife, Scotland

With Islamic origins in Burma and elements from Yunnan, China, khao soi marries fried and boiled noodles and combines them with a unique curry, coconut milk and meaty broth. Cooked low and slow, this highly slurpable Thai soup is a must-eat during any visit to Chiang Mai.

Explore More: More Thai Food Favorites

Tortellini in brodo consists of small handmade dumplings served with a rich, meaty broth. While other outstanding brodo dishes use pastas like angolotti and passetteli, tortellini is a Bologna classic. Trust us – this dish alone is worth a trip to Bologna. It’s Italy’s version of comforting chicken noodle soup with a sprinkling of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on top.

Explore More: More Italian Food Favorites

Originally a humble dish prepared by gulyás (Hungarian cowherds) out on the range, goulash is a famous Hungarian dishes that features paprika, Hungary’s most famous spice, as well as ingredients like meat, carrots and potatoes. Most Budapest restaurants serve goulash as a comforting soup except when they prepare it as a comforting stew. Comfort is the key word here.

Explore More: Budapest Food Guide

Despite its vivid pink color, šaltibarščiai is as refreshing as it is bright. Similar to Poland’s borscht, Lithuania’s šaltibarščiai gets its pink color from beets. Other ingredients include cucumber, dill, green onions, hard boiled eggs and kefir (a fermented milk product made with kefir grains).

Explore More: Lithuanian Food Favorites

Many countries have a signature version of beef noodle soup. Taiwan’s version is called niu rou mian. To make niu rou mian, Taiwanese cooks combine braised beef, savory broth, herbs and spices before adding hand drawn noodles. The resulting soup has deep flavors and is highly slurpable at restauants in Taipei.

Explore More: Taipei Food Experiences

Norwegian fish soup known as fiskesuppe is a comforting dish to eat in Norway on a cold winter day. It’s also ideal to eat on rainy summer days in the Land of the Midnight Sun.

Explore More: Norway Food Favorites

Salad is the ideal soup companion. Discover great bowls to slurp around the world.

Great Global Salads

It’s a big world with lots of great food. Eat as much of it as you can!