Southeast Asian Soups

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup, Vietnam's national dish, street food, comfort food, and a way of life. It is also one of the most beloved Vietnamese dishes in the western hemisphere due to its complex, unique flavors, and elegant simplicity. Alth... READ MORE

Characterized by its rich and spicy broth, this comforting noodle soup is one of the classic dishes found in many Southeast Asian countries. It was developed under the influence of different culinary traditions, which has led to the creation of nu... READ MORE

Tom Yum is one of the best known Thai dishes, a spicy, sour, and aromatic soup that is traditionally served with rice. It consists of shallots, lemongrass, fish sauce, minced fresh ginger or galangal, shrimps, mushrooms, kaffir lime leaves, lime j... READ MORE

Throughout Indonesia, soto is known under various names such as the Makassar coto or the Pekalongan tauto. However, this traditional Indonesian soup is usually associated with the island of Java, where it is believed to have appe... READ MORE

Bakso is a popular Indonesian meatball soup. Like many other dishes in Indonesia, it grew out of Asian and European influences in the country. Throughout Indonesia, there are many variations of bakso, but all of them include three main ingredients... READ MORE

Tom kha gai is Thailand's delicious national dish coming from the central part of the country and bearing the influence of neighbouring Laos. It is a soup whose name translates to boiled galangal chicken soup, consisting of coconut milk, ... READ MORE

Gulai is a spicy Indonesian dish resembling a stew or a thick soup. Because of its appearance and taste, it is often dubbed as the Indonesian curry. Any meat variety can be the main ingredient in gulai, as well as offal, seafood, or veget... READ MORE

Sinigang is a sour Filipino soup consisting of sampalok (fruits of the tamarind tree), water spinach, hot peppers, cabbage, broccoli, eggplant, diced tomatoes, sliced onions, ginger, garlic, green beans, fish sauce, and salt. The basic br... READ MORE

This beef-based version of pho is prepared with assorted cuts and parts of beef – the stock is made from beef bones, shank, ox tail, and neck, while the toppings include thinly sliced fatty brisket (... READ MORE

Bún bò Huế is a staple Vietnamese soup that is traditionally consumed for breakfast, consisting of pork and beef bones broth, bun noodles, lemongrass, shrimp paste, lime juice, and a variety of herbs. The soup is much spicie... READ MORE

Canh chua is a popular Vietnamese soup originating from the Mekong Delta region. It's characterized by its contrasting flavors - sour, sweet, and savory. The soup incorporates ingredients such as seafood (eel, shrimp, snakehead, catfish), tomatoes... READ MORE

Rawon is a unique Indonesian dish with origins in East Java. This flavorful soup is usually made with slow-braised beef and other traditional Indonesian ingredients such as lime leaves, lemongrass, ginger, and chili. However, the key element is READ MORE

Curry mee is a spicy noodle soup commonly eaten in Malaysia and Singapore (where it's often called curry laksa). It is a true fusion dish, influenced by Indian, Chinese, and Southeast Asian culinary traditions. It is one of the numerous v... READ MORE

Phở gà is a traditional pho variety made with chicken. It can usually be ordered as bình thường (normal) with white breast meat, dark meat, fat, and skin, or gà nạc (lean chicken) with sliced breast meat. The... READ MORE

Bulalô is a traditional Filipino soup that is prepared by cooking beef shanks and marrow bones until the fat and collagen dissolve into the broth, resulting in a robust flavor of the dish. The soup is a specialty of the Luzon region, where i... READ MORE

Soto ayam is possibly the most popular variation of the traditional Indonesian soto soup. This chicken-based version usually includes compressed rice cakes such as lontong, nasi himpit or ketupat, vermicelli or ... READ MORE

The term tinola refers to a vast group of hearty Filipino soups prepared with a flavorful broth infused with garlic, ginger, and fish sauce. Most commonly, the soups are made with chicken, but pork and seafood varieties are also popular. ... READ MORE

Assam laksa is a traditional fish-based sour noodle soup. It is the one of the numerous varieties of laksa, popular noodle soups widespread throughout Southeast Asia. The dish consists of rice noodles, shredded fish, and sliced vegetables... READ MORE

Tinolang manok or chicken tinola is a nourishing Filipino chicken soup. It can consist of various chicken cuts and internal organs cooked in a flavorful broth alongside green papaya and chili pepper or malunggay leaves. The broth is usual... READ MORE

Soto Betawi is a hearty beef soup consisting of chunks of meat and offal that are slowly simmered in a coconut milk broth, which is usually enriched with various spices such as lemongrass, turmeric, galangal, kefir lime leaves, and coriander. When... READ MORE

Bún riêu is a crab-based Vietnamese noodle soup. The dish is made in several versions, but the most popular one is made with a tomato base and goes under the name bún riêu cua. The soups are prepared with differe... READ MORE

This variety of sinigang - Filipino savory and sour soup - consists of various pork cuts that are simmered along tamarind fruit. Tomatoes, onions, garlic, okra, white radish, water spinach and green long peppers are also commonly used for this sou... READ MORE

Sayur asem is a sweet and sour vegetable soup. Often referred to as tamarind soup, it is one of the favorite vegetable dishes in Indonesia. The entire dish is based on tamarind, an unusual plant commonly grown in Southeast Asia, which giv... READ MORE

Even though it is traditionally associated with Malaysia and Singapore, this hearty dish stems from the Chinese culinary tradition. In its simplest form, it consists of various pork cuts that are cooked in a flavorful broth which is seasoned with ... READ MORE

Sayur lodeh is a traditional dish made with vegetables stewed in coconut milk. Eggplant, jackfruit, melinjo, long beans, and carrots are the most common vegetables used in the dish. However, sayur lodeh is so versatile that any vegetable can be ut... READ MORE

Closely related to other laksa varieties, Sarawak laksa is characterized by a subtle, mild flavor. Consisting of a flavorful chicken or shrimp-based broth that is seasoned with thick laksa paste, which sometimes includes more than twenty different... READ MORE

Bánh canh is a traditional noodle soup. The thick noodles are made from tapioca or rice flour, while the soup is prepared with different kinds of ingredients such as ham (bánh canh gio heo), snakehead fish (bánh canh ca loc), ... READ MORE

Bún mắm is a traditional dish originating from the province of Soc Trang. The dish consists of bún rice vermicelli noodles, the murky, salty, and fermented fish-flavored mắm broth, squid, shrimp, catfish, eggplant (which soaks up the... READ MORE

The hearty batchoy is a popular Filipino soup consisting of pork offal, chicken or beef stock, and fresh round egg noodles. Generously seasoned with shrimp paste and (occasionally) soy sauce, the soup is usually topped with pork cracklings, fried ... READ MORE

As the name suggests, this traditional soto variety originated in Lamongan. It is mainly prepared with chicken cuts that are slowly simmered in broth, along with a spice paste that usually consists of lemongrass, coriander, caraways seeds... READ MORE

Pancit lomi is a hearty Filipino soup consisting of fresh egg noodles served in a rich, flavorful broth. Many regional varieties are thickened with flour or eggs and incorporate pork or chicken, sliced pork liver, and a variety of vegetables. The ... READ MORE

Suki is the Thai version of a communal hot pot dish. It grew out of Chinese and Japanese traditions of preparing and cooking ingredients tableside in a shared bowl. The assembling of the dish starts with a bowl placed in the middle of the table, u... READ MORE

The pink-colored yen ta fo is a Thai soup consisting of various types of noodles served in a hearty chicken or pork broth seasoned with the pungent, fermented red bean curd. Each bowl of this flavor-packed soup is topped with various condiments su... READ MORE

Although it is hard to trace its exact origin, this hearty noodle dish is believed to be a classic fusion of Chinese and Malaysian culinary traditions. The dish usually consists of hand-pulled noodles that are served in broth, usually accompanied ... READ MORE

Roughly translated as boat noodle soup, this Thai dish was initially sold from boats that navigated through Bangkok canals. The base is made with different types of noodles that are doused in a flavorsome beef broth, while the toppings us... READ MORE

The perfect blend of spicy, sweet, savory, and umami flavors, penang laksa is a popular Malaysian street food, originating from the north-western state of Penang. This hearty noodle soup is made with poached mackerel (or sardines), tamarind, lemon... READ MORE

Khao tom is a variety of rice soup from Thailand that combines rice with a flavor-packed broth of herbs and vegetables. The rice is usually cooked, then added to the broth containing shallots, lemongrass, galangal or ginger, and garlic. The combin... READ MORE

Traditionally associated with the regions of Kelantan and Terengganu, this flavorful Malaysian soup consists of rolled rice noodles served in a creamy fish broth. The noodles are prepared with a thin rice flour batter that is poured on a flat surf... READ MORE

Tekwan is a traditional fish ball soup. The essential component of the dish are tekwan fish balls, from which the dish derives its name. Usually made with fish paste, tapioca, and flour, they are boiled or fried before being added to the soup. The... READ MORE

Makassar is one of Indonesia's most famous culinary destinations. This port city situated at the south of Sulawesi Island is represented in the most traditional dish of the area - coto Makassar. This thick and tasty soup is usually made with beef ... READ MORE

The term canh chua cá encompasses various fish-based Vietnamese soups that are characterized by their combination of sweet, spicy, and sour flavors. The soups are usually made with a tamarind-based broth, and they typically include chunks o... READ MORE

Hailing from Bandung, mie kocok is an aromatic soup that combines sliced beef, beef offal, or meatballs with flat yellow noodles and other accompaniments such as crackers, bean sprouts, sliced scallions, and fried shallots. All ingredients are ser... READ MORE