20 Best Soups in the World According to American News: Vietnamese Beef Pho Is Called the Amazing Rice Noodle Soup

1. Banga, Nigeria

The fruit from the oil palm tree provides both fat and flavor to this soup originating from the Niger Delta, which also includes fresh catfish, beef, and dried seafood. It is so popular that pre-mixed banga spice packets are sold in stores. Most blends include African nutmeg, castor seeds, orima leaves, jansa, and beletete.

These spices create a rich red sauce, the main attraction of the soup. The sauce is best enjoyed with eba or a ball of dough, two staple Nigerian foods made from cassava but processed differently.

2. Beef Pho, Vietnam

The broth is simmered for hours with cinnamon, star anise, and other warm spices to create the rich, delicious flavor of this rice noodle soup. Pho is one of Vietnam’s most recognized culinary exports, but the soup itself is a relatively recent creation, according to Andrea Nguyen, author of “The Pho Cookbook.”

And while pho restaurants today offer various flavors, beef is the original. Nguyen explains that by 1930, the soup was served with thin slices of raw beef that would cook lightly in the broth.

Today, beef pho remains the most beloved version in Vietnam, with options including raw beef, a mix of raw and cooked beef, brisket, and tendon.

3. Borscht, Ukraine

Tender beetroot pieces float in a vibrant red broth, making this soup a favorite in Ukraine and throughout Eastern Europe. Often topped with a dollop of rich sour cream, borscht is not just a simple beet soup. It has a tart flavor from kvass, a fermented beetroot juice using lactic acid fermentation, another regional specialty.

Although the soup is sometimes claimed as a Russian specialty, this claim is contested. In 2022, UNESCO declared that Ukrainian borscht “unites people of all ages, genders, and backgrounds at the dining table” and added it to the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding. Ukrainian chefs are working to establish the soup as a national symbol.

4. Bouillabaisse, France

A fisherman's stew that became a culinary icon, bouillabaisse distills classic Mediterranean flavors into a dish synonymous with the coastal city of Marseille. Saffron, olive oil, fennel, garlic, and tomatoes blend with fresh fish from the sea.

In the past, the fish used would reflect the daily catch, but things have become a bit more regulated. According to those who signed the Bouillabaisse Charter in 1980 - a joint effort by local chefs to ensure the quality of this French soup - the most authentic recipes must include at least four types of seafood chosen from a set list, including ray and crab.

5. Caldo verde, Portugal

Thinly sliced greens blend with potatoes and onions in this homely soup from Portugal's wine-producing Minho region. Today, this soup is a culinary star, from upscale cafes to rural kitchens, defining simple comfort food.

In many versions, Portugal's soft chourico sausage adds a smoky, salty flavor that makes the soup even richer. This dish should be enjoyed with a glass of Minho’s famous vinho verde wine.

6. Chorba frik of Algeria, Libya, and Tunisia

Durum wheat harvested while still green, known as freekeh, adds weight and nutrition to this North African soup, which is especially loved during the sacred month of Ramadan. The tender grains absorb the tomato-based broth and aromatic spices, their flavors mingling with chickpeas and slow-cooked chicken, beef, lamb, or mutton, served with lemon and a piece of kesra bread.

7. Chupe de camarones, Peru

This creamy shrimp soup is a specialty of Arequipa, a historic city surrounded by towering volcanoes. Chilly mountain nights are the perfect time for this hearty dish, featuring: Tender shrimp swimming alongside chunks of potatoes and Andean corn.

It also has a spicy kick. The addition of aji amarillo, a chili with a melodious fruity flavor, provides a satisfying heat that balances the rich and creamy ingredients. Perhaps that explains its reputation as an aphrodisiac.

8. Gazpacho, Spain

Summers in Andalusia bring sweltering heat, making it the ideal time to cool down with a bowl of this chilled vegetable soup. The most classic version today includes tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic, and olive oil, with some stale bread crumbs added for extra thickness.

The Arabs brought this dish to the Iberian Peninsula centuries before the Spanish encountered tomatoes, a New World ingredient. The original dish was a mixture of bread, garlic, and olive oil, pounded in a mortar and seasoned with vinegar.

9. Peanut Soup, West Africa

Like many great dishes, peanut soup transcends international borders, featuring: Meat, fish, or chicken simmered in a thick peanut broth. It is pure comfort food across West African nations. Variations range from Gambia's domoda—its national dish—to Nigeria’s version cooked with bitter leafy greens.

No matter the country, these soups and stews are rich, hearty, and savory—a satisfying combination that often becomes fiery with the addition of Scotch bonnet peppers.

10. Gumbo, United States

Cultures and flavors meld in a hearty soup that is the star of Louisiana cuisine, influenced by West African, Native Choctaw, and French culinary traditions. Variants featuring seafood, chicken, and sausage are among the most popular today, but there are countless ways to prepare this Southern specialty.

Dried, ground sassafras leaves—called filé and long harvested by the Choctaw—give many gumbo recipes a distinctive seasoning. Some cooks thicken their soup with a cooked flour paste called roux, while others prefer sautéed slices of okra.

Every possible variation is showcased annually at the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia, Louisiana, where chefs compete for the ultimate bragging rights in supreme soup-making.

11. Harira, Morocco

When the sun sets during Ramadan, many Moroccans break their fast with a warm bowl of this chickpea soup. Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and pepper add warmth to the savory tomato broth, infusing into the tender chickpeas. It is also widely popular in Algeria.

While vegetarian recipes are common, the most classic version is simmered with tender pieces of lamb or other meats. This is not just a Muslim vegetarian dish; some North African Jews also prepare harira to break the Yom Kippur fast.

12. Kharcho, Georgia

Tart plum sauce known as tkemali adds a bright and tantalizing flavor to this traditional soup, one of Georgia’s most beloved dishes. Made from green plums, its sour taste balances the richness of beef and ground walnuts cooked into the soup. However, the deep aroma comes from the khmeli suneli spice blend, a mix of coriander, marjoram, fenugreek, black pepper, marigold, and more.

13. Lanzhou Beef Noodle Soup, China

Hand-pulled or hand-kneaded la mian noodles for this traditional soup are an art form. Skilled artisans use finely milled, high-gluten wheat flour and alkaline powder to knead a pliable dough, then stretch and fold a single lump into enough noodles for one bowl of soup.

They are served in a bowl of beef broth, creating a world-class soup with tender beef, slices of pale radish, chili oil, and fresh herbs (at some restaurants, diners can even request their preferred thickness and shape of noodles).

14. Mohinga, Myanmar

Soup is a breakfast staple in many parts of Myanmar, where street vendors and tea shops serve steaming bowls of mohinga from large vats. The soul of this noodle soup is its fragrant broth, simmered with herbs and thickened with roasted rice flour.

Fish adds richness, while thin rice noodles make it perfect for slurping. Mohinga is so beloved that it has transitioned from a morning dish to an anytime snack, with each region offering its own twist on this classic soup.

15. Menudo, Mexico

Pork tripe simmered for hours in a spicy garlic broth is Mexico's ultimate hangover remedy, but menudo is more than just a morning-after cure. It is also a beloved dish at weddings and major occasions, where a massive pot of traditional soup can serve dozens of guests.

This is the ultimate comfort food, with hominy garnished with raw onions, chilies, and cilantro. There are two main varieties to choose from: Menudo rojo turns a deep red color from chilies in the broth, while Menudo blanco, in the Sonoran style, offers a milder alternative.

16. Moqueca de camarao, Brazil

The coconut broth takes on a warm reddish-orange hue from palm oil and tomatoes, a specialty from Brazil's Bahia region, where locals enjoy steaming bowls of soup even on the hottest days.

However, the real draw of this soup is the sweet, tender shrimp floating in the broth. Traditionally, moqueca de camarao is cooked in handmade pots made from black clay and mangrove tree resin, then brought straight to the table in the same authentic pot.

17. Soto ayam, Indonesia

Chicken noodle soup may reach its culinary peak in this spicy Indonesian dish. Spices like fresh turmeric, star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves combine to create deep flavors and aromas, with soft-boiled egg yolk adding extra richness.

Every region of Indonesia has its own variation, and this soup is also beloved in Singapore, Malaysia, and even distant Suriname in South America, where Javanese immigrants spread the recipe. It is served with fried shallots, fresh lime, and a sprinkle of sliced red chilies.

18. Tom yum goong, Thailand

Sweet, sour, spicy, and salty, the amazing broth of this soup is the perfect combination for sweet, tender shrimp. Fragrant ingredients include galangal, lemongrass, and kaffir lime leaves, while bright red bird's eye chili slices add an extra kick of heat.

Tom yum goong is just one of many types of tom yum soups in Thailand—this version features plump shrimp and is a favorite among diners.

19. Noodles Ramen Tonkotsu, Nhat Ban

Slow-simmered pork bones give this classic ramen dish its rich flavor, with a cloudy broth infused with marrow and fat. This dish originates from Fukuoka province on the southern island of Kyushu, but today, this hearty soup is served at ramen shops across the country (and the world).

While the enticing broth is the star of tonkotsu ramen, a bowl wouldn't be complete without slices of pork belly and a tangle of firm noodles in the center. Eat it with a pair of chopsticks and a flat-bottomed spoon—and don’t forget to slurp, as it is believed to enhance the flavor.

20. Yayla corbasi, Tho Nhi Ky

Boiled rice or barley adds a delicate sweetness to this creamy yogurt soup. It is believed to help prevent colds in the winter, and some hospitals in Turkey even serve yogurt soup to recovering patients. A sprinkle of dried mint balances the slight tang of the yogurt. This dish is best enjoyed with a slice of soft, fresh pita bread.

Why Choose NoodleSaigon20 Pho and Vermicelli?

At NoodleSaigon20, we believe that selecting the right rice is crucial to crafting authentic and delicious pho and vermicelli. We use carefully chosen rice varieties to produce high-quality noodles, ensuring an exceptional culinary experience for our customers.