MAIN INGREDIENTS
Milky, lip-smacking broth and extra thin wheat noodles are the main charachteristics of this ramen, originally from Fukuoka. Although at its basic, ramen prepared this way consists of nothing more than pork bones broth, noodles, chashu pork, and green onions — additional toppings are often included as well, though — each said component takes time and care to prepare, most notably the broth which can cook for as little as 8 to 12 hours to up to 36 to 60 hours, depending on the recipe and the desired outcome.
The preparation begins by simmering the bones, pork skin, and pig's trotters in water first, which is a step that helps remove the dirt and scum. The bones are then washed and scrubbed of scum under running water, and placed in a fresh pot of water so they are completely covered and then simmered for a minimum of 8 to 12 hours.
TIME
- Preparation time: 2 h
- Cooking time: 12 h
- Total time: 14 h
Tom kha gai is a comforting Thai soup that combines subtle flavors and simple ingredients. It starts with chicken, usually boneless thighs, simmered in coconut milk and chicken stock or water for a rich base. The key ingredient, galangal, similar to ginger, adds a sharp, citrusy, almost piney flavor.
Lemongrass and makrut lime leaves are also essential, giving the soup a light, citrusy note. Thai chilies are included to add a bit of heat but are balanced by the savory taste of fish sauce. Mushrooms, like straw or oyster, are thrown in for texture.
TIME
- Preparation time: 15 min
- Cooking time: 25 min
- Total time: 40 min
Rawon is a traditional Indonesian black beef soup known for its deep, earthy flavors and distinctive dark color, which comes from keluak (Indonesian black nuts). Originating from East Java, it is a beloved dish often served with rice and condiments.
The dish is made by simmering beef, typically brisket, shank, or ribs, in a spiced broth. The seasoning includes a paste of (typically) keluak, shallots, garlic, candlenuts, red chilies, turmeric, cumin, pepper, ginger, cutcherry, galangal, coriander, and shrimp paste, which is sautéed until fragrant before being added to the broth.
TIME
- Preparation time: 45 min
- Cooking time: 1 h 30 min
- Total time: 2 h 25 min
Ciorba Radauteana is a traditional Romanian soup known for its rich, tangy flavor, originating from the Radauti area. It is primarily made with chicken, although originally, turkey was used, and parts like the thighs, wings, backs, and necks are preferred to maximize flavor.
The soup starts with boiling chicken to create a hearty broth, which is then clarified to remove impurities. Vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, and peppers are commonly added to the broth to cook, while the distinct sour taste is achieved by incorporating vinegar or lemon juice.
TIME
- Preparation time: 30 min
- Cooking time: 2 h
- Total time: 2 h 30 min
The ramen restaurant G Men 7’s chuka soba has been the inspiration for this old-school shoyu ramen recipe, which, unlike other shoyu ramens, does not have dashi components — there is only one kind of broth made with pork and chicken.
The soup and the tare should be made a day in advance so the flavors have time to develop. The recipe is adapted from the YT channel Way of Ramen, a popular and respectable channel that is the go-to place for any and every ramen lover.
TIME
- Preparation time: 2 h
- Cooking time: 10 h 5 min
- Total time: 26 h 5 min
Typical for the Japanese city of Nagasaki, champon is a rich, filling noodle dish with pork, seafood, and vegetables simmered in a savory broth. Generally, it belongs in the ramen dish family, and the main element which differentiates it from ramen is the fact that all the ingredients are cooked in the same pot or wok.
The first step is frying the ingredients in lard — generally, the meat, cabbage, carrots, and onions are fried first, followed by more delicate ingredients such as seafood, sprouts, and mushrooms. Then, a stock seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, and sake is poured in, and the ingredients are simmered shortly before the finishing touch — the addition of champon noodles.
TIME
- Preparation time: 10 min
- Cooking time: 20 min
- Total time: 30 min
Golden in color and with a pleasant aroma and a few spicy notes, the Mexican chicken soup caldo de pollo is surprisingly simple to make. A fresh chicken is cut into pieces without removing the skin and bones and simmered in water with plenty of vegetables and fresh herbs.
Carrots, zucchinis, corn on the cob, chili peppers, garlic, onion, celery, cilantro, and parsley are among the most common ingredients, while rice and potatoes are often added to make the dish more filling. Garnishes play an important role in this dish, since they are added according to personal taste, and can include hot tortillas, hot sauce or guacamole, sliced onion, fresh avocado, chili peppers, and a squirt of lemon or lime.
TIME
- Preparation time: 5 min
- Cooking time: 3 h 10 min
- Total time: 3 h 15 min
Belonging to the shoyu ramen group and originating from Kitakata, Kitakata ramen is consists of a soy sauce base, pork bone broth, and hirauchi jukusei takasuimen noodles, which are thicker than most ramen noodles and wavy. Still, although the broth is typically made with pork bones, different restaurants make the broth differently, but in any case, it will include naiboshi (sardines).
Also, unlike most ramen noodles, noodles for this type of ramen have a higher ratio of water to flour and need to mature before they are ready for use. The finished bowl of Kitakata ramen is usually topped with chashu pork, bamboo shoots, naruto fish cakes, and spring onions.
TIME
- Preparation time: 2 h
- Cooking time: 5 h
- Total time: 127 h
Derived from Tamil words miḷaku-taṇṇīr, which stands for pepper-water, this hot and spicy soup is a beautiful evidence how two different cultures — in this case, Indian and British — can intertwine to create an exceptional dish.
Originated in India and perfected by the British, mulligatawny started as a modest, vegetable-based and abundantly spiced broth intended to be served with rice. Nowadays, the base for mulligatawny is chicken, veal, or even mutton stock with curry as a predominant spice, garnished by pieces of meat, onion, celery, apples, almonds, lentils, chickpeas, and cream — the latter can be substituted with coconut milk or yogurt for a fresher taste.
TIME
- Preparation time: 30 min
- Cooking time: 45 min
- Total time: 1 h 15 min
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