Soup - Classic Recipes, Types & Cooking Techniques
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Soup

Soup is a liquid-based dish prepared by cooking vegetables, meat, fish, legumes, grains, or other ingredients in water, stock, or broth. It is one of the oldest and most universal foods, found in every cuisine from French consommé to Vietnamese pho, Italian minestrone to Japanese miso. Soups can be served hot or cold, smooth or chunky, as a light starter or a hearty main course.

The main categories include clear soups (broths, consommés, noodle soups), thick soups (cream soups, purées, chowders), stews that bridge the line between soup and main dish, and cold soups like gazpacho and vichyssoise. The foundation of a great soup is usually a well-made stock — whether from bones, vegetables, or mushrooms. Seasoning with herbs, spices, and acid (lemon, vinegar) at the end of cooking brings the flavors into balance.

Discover more about soup — from classic recipes and stock-making techniques to creative variations and serving ideas — in the articles below.