Well. It is that time of the year again. Fall has filled the air, and it is the perfect time for a bowl of soup.
Ahhhh. Good old soup.
Soup may be one of the simplest foods ever invented, but it is also one of the most universal. Nearly every culture has some version of it. And soup has been around for thousands of years.
One of my favorite stories as a kid was the epic “Stone Soup.”
( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Soup )
Anyway, long before our good modern kitchens, people cooked soups in everything from turtle shells to bamboo. It made other foods easier to eat. And people threw in everything from vegetables, meats, herbs, spices, and more.
Let’s face it. Soup is good food. Mmmm. Mmmm. Good.
I came across some soups from around the world. Some looked delicious. Others? Not so much. But one thing is for sure. Around the world, the possibilities seem endless.
Here are 20 interesting soups from around the globe:
Banga — Nigeria
A rich palm-fruit soup made with fish, meat, seafood, and aromatic African spices.
Beef Pho — Vietnam
Rice noodles and beef served in a fragrant broth flavored with cinnamon, star anise and other spices.
Borscht — Ukraine
A brilliant red beet soup with a distinctive tang, often served with sour cream.
Bouillabaisse — France
A Mediterranean seafood soup from Marseille flavored with saffron, fennel, garlic, tomatoes and olive oil.
Caldo Verde — Portugal
A comforting potato, onion, and greens soup, often made heartier with Portuguese sausage.
Chorba Frik — Algeria, Libya and Tunisia
A tomato-based soup featuring freekeh, chickpeas, spices, and usually chicken or meat.
Chupe de Camarones — Perú
A rich shrimp chowder with potatoes, corn and spicy ají amarillo peppers.
Gazpacho — Spain
A refreshing cold soup traditionally made with tomatoes, cucumber, garlic, olive oil and bread.
Groundnut Soup — West Africa
A thick, creamy peanut soup often prepared with meat, chicken or fish and plenty of spice.
Gumbo — United States
A Louisiana favorite combining influences from West African, Native American and French cooking.
Harira — Morocco
A hearty tomato and chickpea soup seasoned with warming spices and sometimes lamb or other meat.
Kharcho — Georgia
A beef and walnut soup brightened with tart plum sauce and an aromatic mixture of spices.
Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup — China
Hand-pulled noodles served in beef broth with tender beef, radish, chili oil, and herbs.
Mohinga — Myanmar
A beloved fish and rice-noodle soup traditionally eaten for breakfast but enjoyed throughout the day.
Menudo — Mexico
A slow-cooked soup of tripe and hominy in a garlicky broth, often seasoned with chiles.
Moqueca de Camarão — Brazil
A colorful shrimp soup made with coconut milk, tomatoes, and palm oil.
Soto Ayam — Indonesia
A fragrant chicken noodle soup flavored with turmeric, lemongrass, lime leaves, and other spices.
Tom Yum Goong — Thailand
A hot-and-sour shrimp soup combining spicy, salty, sour, and slightly sweet flavors.
Tonkotsu Ramen — Japan
Noodles served in a rich, cloudy broth made by simmering pork bones for hours.
Yayla Çorbası — Turkey
A creamy yogurt soup made with rice or barley and traditionally finished with dried mint.
Twenty soups. Twenty cultures. Soups come from everywhere and every way.
Perhaps that is part of soup’s appeal. It is so versatile. And so delicious.
When we learn to boil water we’re on our way.
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“Soup is a lot like a family. Each ingredient enhances the others; each batch has its own characteristics; and it needs time to simmer to reach full flavor.” — Marge Kennedy
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“There is nothing like soup. It is by nature eccentric: no two are ever alike, unless of course you get your soup from a can.” — Laurie Colwin
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“Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.” — Ludwig van Beethoven (traditionally attributed)
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