Beef pho (phở bò) | Vietnam

Chunks of tender beets swim in brilliant red broth often topped with sour cream. Has a tangy kick from kvass, a lacto-fermented beet juice

Bouillabaisse | France

Chorba frik | Algeria, Libya and Tunisia

Durum wheat harvested while green (freekeh) has tender grains that absorb a tomato broth and aromatic spices, chickpeas, stewed chicken, beef, mutton or lamb. Serve with lemon wedges and a hunk of kesra bread.

Chupe de camarones | Peru

Groundnut soup | West Africa

Meat, fish or chicken simmered into a thick peanut soup with sweet potatoes and okra. for a creamy, rich and salty combination

Gumbo | United States
Louisiana-based and influenced by West African, Native Choctaw and French cuisines. Versions have seafood, chicken and sausage. Ground, dried sassafras leaves — called filé give a distinctive spice. Some cooks thicken their soup with a cooked flour paste called roux, while others swear by sautéed slices of okra.

Harira | Morocco

Kharcho | Georgia

Tart plum sauce called tkemali adds bright, zesty flavour to unripe plums, whose sour note balances the richness of fatty beef and ground walnuts cooked into the soup. The aromatic kick comes from the spice mix khmeli suneli, a blend of coriander, savoury, fenugreek, black pepper, marigold and more.

Lanzhou beef noodle soup | China

An aromatic broth simmered with herbs and thickened with toasted rice powder, catfish hint rice noodles, chicken, eggs and lime.

Tripe simmered for hours in a piquant, garlicky broth, kernels of hominy and a garnish of raw onions, chiles and cilantro. Menudo rojo turns a deep red from chiles in the broth, while Sonoran-style Menudo blanco is a milder alternative.

Moqueca de camarão | Brazil

Palm oil and tomatoes tint coconut broth a warm, orangey red, sweet, tender shrimp floating in the broth.

Soto ayam | Indonesia

Chicken noodle soup with fresh turmeric, star anise, cinnamon, lemongrass and lime leaves combine the jammy yolks of soft-boiled eggs to add extra richness. Eat topped with fried shallots, fresh limes and a fiery scattering of sliced red chiles.

Tom yum goong | Thailand

Long-simmered pork bones impart intense flavour to this classic ramen, whose broth is cloudy with marrow and fat, slices of pork belly and a tangle of noodles.

Yayla çorbasi | Turkey

Boiled rice or barley adds grainy sweetness to this creamy yogurt soup. A crumble of dried mint helps balance the yogurt’s slight tang. Serve with a pillowy round of fresh pita bread.