19+ Best Asian Soup Recipes

There’s something about a steaming bowl of soup that feels like a warm hug from the inside out. Asian kitchens have perfected this comfort for centuries, turning simple broths, noodles, and fresh herbs into dishes that wake up your senses and fill your belly at the same time.

The best Asian soup for home cooks craving deep, slow-built flavor is Vietnamese Pho Bo, with its fragrant beef broth simmered for hours and loaded with fresh herbs and rice noodles. But that’s just the start. Whether you want something fiery like Tom Yum Goong, something light like Japanese Miso Soup, or something hearty like Korean Samgyetang, this roundup has a bowl for every craving and every night of the week.

Grab your biggest stockpot and a ladle, because you’re about to build a soup rotation that beats takeout every single time.

Quick picks:

Best overall: Vietnamese Pho Bo, for its rich broth and classic flavor balance
Best for spice lovers: Thai Tom Yum Goong, sour, hot, and packed with shrimp
Best for busy weeknights: Chinese Egg Drop Soup, ready in under 20 minutes
Best for a cold: Korean Samgyetang, a restorative whole-chicken soup with ginseng

1. Vietnamese Pho Bo

Pho Bo is a slow-simmered beef bone broth seasoned with charred onion, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. Rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, and fresh herbs like Thai basil and cilantro finish the bowl.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 4 hours

Ingredients:

3 lbs beef bones
1 lb beef brisket
1 onion, charred
3-inch ginger piece, charred
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp fish sauce
8 oz rice noodles
1 cup bean sprouts, fresh basil, lime wedges

Method:

Simmer bones and brisket in 4 quarts water for 3 hours, skimming foam.
Add charred onion, ginger, spices, and fish sauce; simmer 1 hour.
Cook noodles, divide into bowls, top with sliced beef and broth.
Serve with herbs and lime.

2. Japanese Shoyu Ramen

Shoyu ramen gets its deep amber color and savory punch from a soy sauce-based tare mixed into chicken broth. Springy noodles, a jammy soft-boiled egg, and sheets of nori make this bowl feel like a Tokyo noodle shop in your own kitchen.

Yield: 2 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 clove garlic, minced
2 portions fresh ramen noodles
2 soft-boiled eggs
Sliced green onion, nori, chashu pork (optional)

Method:

Simmer broth with soy sauce, mirin, and garlic for 10 minutes.
Cook noodles according to package directions.
Divide noodles into bowls, pour broth over top.
Add egg, green onion, and nori before serving.

For more noodle soup inspiration, browse through our best ramen noodles recipes.

3. Chinese Wonton Soup

Chinese Wonton Soup pairs delicate pork and shrimp dumplings with a clear, savory broth seasoned simply with ginger and scallion. It’s light but satisfying, the kind of soup that feels gentle on a sore throat or a tired evening.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 40 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1/2 lb ground pork
1/4 lb shrimp, chopped
24 wonton wrappers
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
6 cups chicken broth
2-inch ginger, sliced
2 scallions, sliced

Method:

Mix pork, shrimp, soy sauce, and sesame oil; fill wrappers and seal.
Simmer broth with ginger for 15 minutes; remove ginger.
Drop wontons into broth, cook 5 minutes until floating.
Garnish with scallions and serve hot.

4. Thai Tom Yum Goong

Tom Yum Goong delivers a punch of sour, spicy, and savory flavor in one fragrant bowl. Lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and fresh shrimp make this Thai classic instantly recognizable by smell alone.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups shrimp or chicken stock
1 lb shrimp, peeled
2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
3 kaffir lime leaves
1-inch galangal, sliced
3 Thai chilies, smashed
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1 cup mushrooms, halved

Method:

Simmer stock with lemongrass, lime leaves, galangal, and chilies for 10 minutes.
Add mushrooms and shrimp, cook until shrimp turns pink.
Stir in fish sauce and lime juice off heat.
Taste and adjust sour-spicy balance before serving.

5. Japanese Miso Soup

Miso Soup is a quick, savory bowl built on dashi stock and miso paste, studded with soft tofu cubes and wakame seaweed. It’s the soup most Japanese households make almost daily, and it comes together in under 15 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups dashi stock
3 tbsp white miso paste
1/2 cup soft tofu, cubed
2 tbsp dried wakame, soaked
1 green onion, sliced

Method:

Heat dashi stock until just simmering, do not boil.
Whisk miso paste with a ladle of hot stock, then stir into pot.
Add tofu and wakame, warm through for 2 minutes.
Garnish with green onion and serve immediately.

6. Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup balances black vinegar tang with white pepper heat in a silky, cornstarch-thickened broth. Wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and tofu give it texture in every spoonful.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup firm tofu, julienned
3 tbsp black vinegar
1 tsp white pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water
1 egg, beaten

Method:

Simmer broth with bamboo shoots and mushrooms for 10 minutes.
Add tofu, vinegar, and white pepper.
Stir in cornstarch slurry until thickened.
Drizzle in beaten egg while stirring, then serve.

Explore more bold-flavored bowls among our best chinese soup recipes.

7. Thai Tom Kha Gai

Tom Kha Gai swaps the fiery punch of Tom Yum for a creamy, coconut-based broth that’s still bright with lemongrass and lime. Tender chicken and mushrooms float in a soup that’s rich but never heavy.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 lb chicken thighs, sliced
2 stalks lemongrass, smashed
1-inch galangal, sliced
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice

Method:

Simmer stock, coconut milk, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves for 10 minutes.
Add chicken and mushrooms, cook until chicken is done.
Stir in fish sauce and lime juice off heat.
Serve warm with fresh cilantro.

8. Korean Kimchi Jjigae

Kimchi Jjigae is a bubbling, spicy stew built around fermented kimchi, pork, and silky tofu. The longer the kimchi has aged, the deeper and funkier this stew tastes.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups aged kimchi, chopped
1/2 lb pork belly, sliced
1 tbsp gochugaru
1 tbsp gochujang
4 cups anchovy or pork broth
1 block soft tofu, cubed
1 green onion, sliced

Method:

Sauté pork belly until browned, add kimchi and cook 5 minutes.
Stir in gochugaru and gochujang.
Pour in broth, simmer 15 minutes.
Add tofu, simmer 5 more minutes, top with green onion.

9. Chinese Egg Drop Soup

Egg Drop Soup is the fastest comfort soup on this list, ready in about 15 minutes with pantry staples. Silky ribbons of egg swirl through a light chicken broth thickened just slightly with cornstarch.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp sesame oil
1 green onion, sliced
White pepper to taste

Method:

Bring broth to a gentle simmer.
Stir in cornstarch slurry until slightly thickened.
Drizzle beaten egg in slowly while stirring broth in a circle.
Finish with sesame oil, green onion, and white pepper.

10. Malaysian Laksa Lemak

Laksa Lemak is a coconut curry noodle soup loaded with shrimp, fish cake, and bean sprouts. The broth gets its signature richness from a spice paste of chilies, shallots, and shrimp paste fried until fragrant.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 tbsp laksa spice paste
2 cups coconut milk
3 cups chicken or shrimp stock
1/2 lb shrimp
1/2 lb rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup bean sprouts
Fish cake slices, hard-boiled egg (optional)

Method:

Fry laksa paste in oil until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add stock and coconut milk, simmer 15 minutes.
Add shrimp and fish cake, cook until shrimp is pink.
Serve over noodles with bean sprouts and egg.

11. Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup

Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup features fall-apart beef shank braised in a soy and star anise broth with a touch of chili bean paste for depth. Thick wheat noodles soak up every bit of that dark, savory liquid.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef shank, cubed
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chili bean paste
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 slices ginger
2 scallions
1 lb thick wheat noodles
Baby bok choy

Method:

Brown beef shank, then add soy sauce, chili paste, spices, ginger, and scallions.
Cover with water, simmer 2 hours until tender.
Cook noodles and bok choy separately.
Assemble bowls with noodles, beef, broth, and bok choy.

12. Vietnamese Bun Bo Hue

Bun Bo Hue is a spicier, bolder cousin of Pho, built on a lemongrass and chili-infused beef and pork broth. Thick round rice noodles and slices of pork hock give it a heartier bite.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 3 hours

Ingredients:

2 lbs beef bones
1 lb pork hock
3 stalks lemongrass, smashed
3 tbsp chili oil
2 tbsp shrimp paste
1 lb thick rice noodles (bun)
Banana blossom, herbs for garnish

Method:

Simmer bones and pork hock 2.5 hours, skimming foam.
Add lemongrass, chili oil, and shrimp paste, simmer 30 minutes.
Cook noodles, divide into bowls.
Top with sliced pork, broth, and fresh herbs.

Find more regional favorites among our best vietnamese recipes.

13. Filipino Sinigang na Baboy

Sinigang na Baboy is a sour tamarind soup loaded with pork, vegetables, and a tang that wakes up every taste bud. It’s the kind of soup Filipino families turn to on rainy days and after long weeks.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork belly, cubed
1 packet tamarind soup base (or fresh tamarind)
1 onion, quartered
2 tomatoes, quartered
1 radish, sliced
2 cups kangkong (water spinach)
2 long green chilies
Fish sauce to taste

Method:

Boil pork in water until tender, about 30 minutes.
Add onion, tomatoes, and tamarind base, simmer 10 minutes.
Add radish and chilies, cook 5 minutes.
Stir in kangkong just before serving, season with fish sauce.

14. Indonesian Soto Ayam

Soto Ayam is a turmeric-spiced chicken soup brightened with lime, fried shallots, and a tangle of vermicelli noodles. The yellow broth looks simple but carries layers of lemongrass, garlic, and ginger underneath.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, cut up
2 tbsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic, 1-inch ginger
2 stalks lemongrass
4 oz vermicelli noodles
Fried shallots, boiled eggs, lime wedges

Method:

Boil chicken with turmeric, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass for 35 minutes.
Remove chicken, shred meat, strain broth.
Return broth to pot, keep warm.
Serve over noodles with chicken, shallots, egg, and lime.

15. Japanese Kitsune Udon

Kitsune Udon features thick, chewy udon noodles in a dashi-soy broth topped with sweet, soy-simmered fried tofu pockets. The name “kitsune” means fox, a nod to the tofu’s golden color.

Yield: 2 servings | Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 cups dashi stock
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 aburaage (fried tofu pockets)
2 tbsp sugar
2 portions udon noodles
Sliced scallion

Method:

Simmer aburaage in water with sugar, soy sauce, and mirin until sweet and tender.
Heat dashi with remaining soy sauce and mirin.
Cook udon noodles, drain, divide into bowls.
Pour broth over noodles, top with tofu pocket and scallion.

16. Korean Samgyetang

Samgyetang is a whole young chicken stuffed with sticky rice, ginseng, and jujube, simmered until the meat falls off the bone. Koreans eat this soup on the hottest days of summer to fight fatigue with heat.

Yield: 2 servings | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

1 small whole chicken (poussin size)
1/3 cup glutinous rice, soaked
1 dried ginseng root
4 dried jujubes
4 cloves garlic
6 cups water
Salt and pepper

Method:

Stuff chicken cavity with rice, ginseng, jujubes, and garlic.
Secure opening with a toothpick, place in a pot with water.
Simmer gently 1.5 hours until chicken is tender.
Season with salt and pepper at the table.

17. Filipino Chicken Tinola

Chicken Tinola is a ginger-forward chicken soup brightened with green papaya and chili leaves. It’s gentle, clear, and often the first dish Filipino cooks learn to make.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken pieces
2-inch ginger, sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cups green papaya, sliced
2 cups chili leaves or spinach
Fish sauce to taste

Method:

Sauté ginger, garlic, and onion, add chicken and brown lightly.
Add water to cover, simmer 25 minutes.
Add papaya, cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in chili leaves, season with fish sauce, serve hot.

18. Bak Kut Teh

Bak Kut Teh is a peppery pork rib soup from Malaysia and Singapore, built on a broth steeped in garlic, star anise, and whole white peppercorns. The broth tastes simple at first sip, then builds a slow peppery warmth.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

2 lbs pork ribs
2 whole heads garlic, unpeeled
2 tbsp whole white peppercorns
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
3 tbsp soy sauce
Fried tofu puffs

Method:

Blanch ribs in boiling water 2 minutes, drain.
Combine ribs, garlic, peppercorns, and spices in a pot with 8 cups water.
Simmer 1.5 hours until meat is tender.
Stir in soy sauce and tofu puffs, simmer 10 more minutes.

19. Chinese Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup

Winter Melon and Pork Rib Soup is a mild, clean-tasting soup that Chinese families lean on for its simplicity and gentle warmth. Soft winter melon practically melts into the broth after a long simmer with pork ribs.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs pork ribs
1.5 lbs winter melon, peeled and cubed
3 slices ginger
2 dried scallops (optional)
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro

Method:

Blanch pork ribs, then simmer in 8 cups water with ginger for 40 minutes.
Add winter melon and dried scallops, simmer 20 minutes until melon is soft.
Season with salt to taste.
Garnish with cilantro before serving.

For even more broth-based favorites, check out 18 chinese soup recipes.

How to Choose a Soup for Your Meal

Pick your soup based on how much time you have and what kind of warmth you’re craving. A weeknight calls for something fast like Egg Drop Soup, while a weekend project like Pho Bo rewards you with deeper flavor.

Think about spice tolerance too. Tom Yum Goong and Kimchi Jjigae bring real heat, while Miso Soup and Chicken Tinola stay gentle and soothing.

Soup	Prep Time	Spice Level	Protein	Best For
Vietnamese Pho Bo	30 min	Mild	Beef	Weekend cooking
Japanese Shoyu Ramen	15 min	Mild	Chicken/Pork	Quick dinners
Chinese Wonton Soup	40 min	Mild	Pork/Shrimp	Light meals
Thai Tom Yum Goong	15 min	Hot	Shrimp	Spice lovers
Japanese Miso Soup	5 min	Mild	Tofu	Everyday meals
Chinese Hot and Sour Soup	20 min	Medium	Tofu	Cold weather
Thai Tom Kha Gai	15 min	Mild-Medium	Chicken	Creamy cravings
Korean Kimchi Jjigae	10 min	Hot	Pork/Tofu	Bold flavor fans
Chinese Egg Drop Soup	5 min	Mild	Egg	Busy weeknights
Malaysian Laksa Lemak	25 min	Medium	Shrimp	Noodle lovers
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup	20 min	Medium	Beef	Hearty meals
Vietnamese Bun Bo Hue	30 min	Hot	Beef/Pork	Bold broth fans
Filipino Sinigang na Baboy	15 min	Sour/Mild	Pork	Tangy cravings
Indonesian Soto Ayam	20 min	Mild	Chicken	Family dinners
Japanese Kitsune Udon	10 min	Mild	Tofu	Comfort cravings
Korean Samgyetang	20 min	Mild	Chicken	Restorative meals
Filipino Chicken Tinola	15 min	Mild	Chicken	Simple suppers
Bak Kut Teh	15 min	Peppery	Pork	Cold days
Chinese Winter Melon Soup	15 min	Mild	Pork	Gentle, clean meals

Hosting a crowd? Lean toward noodle soups like Laksa or Beef Noodle Soup since they double as a full meal in one bowl. For more comforting bowls beyond Asian cuisine, browse our best soup recipes.

Practical Ingredient Swaps for Home Cooks

Swap fish sauce for soy sauce plus a pinch of salt when you need a vegetarian version of most Southeast Asian soups. This keeps the salty depth without the fishy note.

Galangal can be hard to find outside Asian grocery stores. Fresh ginger works as a substitute in Tom Yum Goong or Tom Kha Gai, though the flavor turns slightly sweeter instead of sharp and citrusy.

No rice noodles on hand? Dried vermicelli or even angel hair pasta can stand in for Pho or Laksa in a pinch, though the texture won’t be quite as silky.

For gochugaru in Kimchi Jjigae, a mix of smoked paprika and a dash of cayenne gets you close, though it misses the fruity sweetness real gochugaru brings.

If you’re out of dashi for Miso Soup or Kitsune Udon, dissolve a teaspoon of instant dashi powder in hot water, or use a light vegetable broth with a splash of soy sauce.

Coconut milk substitutes work well too. Evaporated milk thinned with a little water mimics the richness in Tom Kha Gai or Laksa Lemak, minus the coconut aroma.

Keep a jar of good chili oil and a bottle of fish sauce stocked, since those two ingredients carry the flavor of more than half the soups on this list.