Noodle soup refers to a variety of soups with noodles and other ingredients served in a light broth. Noodle soup is a common dish across East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Himalayan states of South Asia. Various types of noodles can be used.
The oldest known record of noodles dates back to the Han dynasty of China and describes a noodle soup dish called tang bing. Archaeological evidence for noodles in China goes back thousands of years earlier, but it is unknown whether these early noodles were consumed in soup.
Varieties East Asia
China
There are myriad noodle soup dishes originating in China, and many of these are eaten in, or adapted in various Asian countries. Ban mian (板麵) – Hakka-style, flat-shaped egg noodles in soup. Chongqing noodles Cold noodle (冷面/冷麵) – Shanghai-style, flat noodle stirred with peanut butter sauce, soy sauce and vinegar, served cold. Crossing-the-bridge noodles () – ingredients are placed separately on the table, then added into a bowl of hot chicken stock to be cooked and served. The ingredients are uncooked rice noodles, meat, raw eggs, vegetables and edible flowers. The stock stays warm because of a layer of oil on top of the bowl. Typical cuisine of Kunming, Yunnan Province (昆明, 雲南省). Lanzhou (hand-pulled) beef noodle – (蘭州拉麵, lanzhou lāmiàn), also called Lanzhou lāmiàn. It is made of stewed or red braised beef soup, beef broth, vegetables and Chinese noodles. Spring noodle soup (陽春麵 yángchūn mian) – white noodles in soup with vegetables. It is one of the most popular and simple Chinese snacks. Wonton noodles (雲吞麵) – a Cantonese dish. Luosifen Su-style noodles Shacha noodles Laghman Jiangshui noodles Hui mian Hot and sour noodles
Hong Kong Cart noodle (車仔麵) – noodle soup sold with an assortment of toppings and styles by street vendors using carts.
Japan
Traditional Japanese noodles in soup are served in a hot soy-dashi broth and garnished with chopped scallions. Popular toppings include tempura, tempura batter, kakiage (deep fried vegetables) or aburaage (deep-fried tofu). Hot soba () – thin brown buckwheat noodles, similar to pizzoccherri pasta but thinner and longer. Also known as Nihon-soba ("Japanese buckwheat noodles"). In Okinawa, however, soba likely refers to Okinawa soba, not buckwheat. Udon () – thick wheat noodles served with various toppings, usually in a hot soy-dashi broth, or sometimes in a Japanese curry soup. Chinese-influenced wheat noodles, served in a meat or chicken broth, have become very popular in the early 20th century. Ramen () – thin light yellow noodle served in hot chicken or pork broth, flavoured with soy or miso, with various toppings such as slices of pork, menma (pickled bamboo shoots), seaweed, or boiled egg. Also known as Shina-soba or Chuka-soba (both mean "Chinese soba"). Champon – yellow noodles of medium thickness served with a great variety of seafood and vegetable toppings in a hot chicken broth which originated in Nagasaki as a cheap food for students. Okinawa soba () – a thick wheat-flour noodle served in Okinawa, often served in a hot broth with sōki (steamed pork), kamaboko (fish cake slice), beni shōga (pickled ginger) and kōrēgusu (chilli-infused awamori). Akin to a cross between udon and ramen. Hōtō – a popular regional dish originating from Yamanashi, Japan made by stewing flat udon noodles and vegetables in miso soup.
Korea
Janchi guksu (잔치국수) – noodles in a light seaweed broth, served with fresh condiments (usually kimchi, thinly sliced egg, green onions, and cucumbers). Jjamppong (짬뽕) – spicy noodle soup of Korean-Chinese origin. Kalguksu (칼국수) – Hand-cut wheat noodles served in a seafood broth. Makguksu (막국수) – buckwheat noodles with chilled broth. Naengmyeon (냉면) – Korean stretchy buckwheat noodles in cold beef broth, with onions, julienned cucumber, boiled egg sliced in half, and slices of pears. This dish is popular in the humid summers of Korea. Ramyeon (라면) – South Korean noodles in soup, served in food stalls, made of instant noodles with toppings added by stalls. In the 1960s, instant noodles were introduced to South Korea from Japan. Its quick and easy preparation, as well as its cheap price, ensured it quickly caught on. It is typically spicy with chili and kimchi added, amongst other ingredients.
Taiwan Beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) – noodles in beef soup, sometimes with a chunk of stewed beef, beef bouillon granules and dried parsley. Popular in Taiwan. Oyster vermicelli (蚵仔麵線) – vermicelli noodles with oysters.
Tibet Bhakthuk () – flattened short noodles in beef soup, with chunks of stewed beef, dried beef strips, seaweed, daikon, potatoes and topped with green onions. Popular in Tibet as well as Bhutan and Nepal which have large populations of Tibetans. The soup is thicker and richer than thukpa due to use of dried beef strips. Thukpa () or Thenthuk – flat strip noodles in beef soup, with chunks of stewed beef, spinach and topped with green onions. Popular in Tibet as well as Nepal and some areas of India with large Nepalese and Tibetan population.
Southeast Asia Cambodia
Kuyteav (គុយទាវ, ) – a pork broth based rice noodle soup served with ground pork, shrimp, meat balls, pork liver and garnished with fried garlic, green onions, cilantro, lime and hoisin sauce. Kuyteav khor ko () – A rice noodle dish created from the stewed/braised beef combined with flat rice noodles. It features French influences including potatoes and carrots topped off with chives and coriander. It is eaten with bread as well.
Num banhchok () – A popular Cambodian breakfast soup, consisting of lightly fermented rice noodles with a fish gravy made from prahok and yellow kroeung topped off with fresh mint leaves, bean sprouts, green beans, banana flowers, cucumbers and other greens. There is also a red curry version usually reserved for ceremonial occasions and wedding festivities. Nom banhchok samlar khmer (, lit. ‘num banhchok with Khmer soup) often abbreviated as Nom banhchok – a rice noodle soup with a broth based on minced fish, lemongrass as well as specific Cambodian spices that make up the kroeung. In Siem Reap, the broth is prepared with coconut milk and is accompanied by a sweet and spicy tamarind sauce (ទឹកអម្ពិល, tœ̆k âmpĭl), which is not the case in Phnom Penh. Num banhchok samlar kari (, lit. ‘num banhchok with curry soup) – A rice noodle dish eaten with a Khmer curry soup. The curry may be yellow (turmeric soup base) or red (chilli curry soup base) depending on the type of soup created and generally include chicken (including legs) or beef, potatoes, onions, and carrots. Num banhchok Kampot () – A speciality of Kampot featuring a cold rice noodle salad rather than a soup base. It features cuts of spring rolls, a variety of herbs, ground nuts, pork, and fish sauce. Num banhchok teuk mrech () – A speciality soup of Kampot that features a clear fish broth (that does not feature the use of prahok) cooked with chives and vegetables. It is a regional speciality not found in Phnom Penh and other parts of Cambodia where Khmer and Vietnamese varieties of num banhchok are eaten. Mee kiew (, ) – A Cambodian rendition of the Chinese wonton noodles. The broth is clear topped with garlic chives and the dumplings are filled with seasoned minced pork and shrimp. Variations are often served with wheat vermicelli, a mixture of rice-wheat noodles or flat rice noodles (, ).
Laos Feu – fine white noodles in a meat broth, served with a garnish of green leaves and flavourings, typically including lime juice, vinegar, salt and sugar. Khao piak sen – literally translates to wet rice strands. The broth is usually made from chicken simmered with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and garlic cooked in oil. The fresh noodles are made of rice flour, tapioca starch, and water and cook directly in the broth, releasing starches that give khao piak sen its distinct consistency. Khao poon – also known as Lao laksa and is a popular type of spicy Lao rice vermicelli soup. It is a long-simmered soup most often made with pounded chicken, fish, or pork and seasoned with common Lao ingredients such as fish sauce, lime leaves, galangal, garlic, shallots, Lao chillies, and perilla. Lao khao soi is a soup made with wide rice noodles, coarsely chopped pork, tomatoes, fermented soy beans, chillies, shallots, and garlic, then topped with pork rind, bean sprouts, chopped scallions, and chopped cilantro. Though northern Laotians have a special way of preparing this dish, different versions of it can be found at Lao restaurants.
Indonesia
Mi ayam – chicken noodle soup comprising a bowl of chicken stock, boiled choy sim, celery leaves, diced chicken cooked with sweet soy sauce, and fried shallots. Some variants add mushrooms and fried/boiled pangsit (wonton). Normally it is eaten with chili sauce and pickles. Mi bakso – bakso meatballs served with yellow noodles and rice vermicelli in beef broth. Mie Bangladesh, a dish from Medan Mi celor – a noodle dish served in coconut milk soup and shrimp-based broth, specialty of Palembang city, South Sumatra. Mi koclok – chicken noodle soup from Cirebon. It is served with cabbage, bean sprout, boiled egg, fried onion, and spring onion. Mi kocok – () an Indonesian beef noodle soup from Bandung, consists of noodles served in rich beef consommé soup, kikil (beef tendon), bean sprouts, and bakso (beef meatball), kaffir lime juice, and sprinkled with sliced fresh celery, scallion, and fried shallot. Some recipes might add beef tripe. Mi kopyok – an Indonesian noodle dish, specialty of Semarang. The dish consists of noodles served in garlic soup, slices of fried tofu, lontong, bean sprouts and crushed of kerupuk gendar, sprinkled with sliced fresh celery, and fried shallot. It served with kecap manis on top. Mi rebus – literally "boiled noodles" in English, made of yellow egg noodles with a spicy soup gravy. Soto ayam – spicy chicken soup with rice vermicelli. Served with hard-boiled eggs, slices of fried potatoes, celery leaves, and fried shallots. Sometimes, slices of Lontong (compressed rice roll) or "poya", a powder of mixed fried garlic with shrimp crackers or bitter sambal (orange colored) are added. Soto mi – spicy noodle soup dish it can be made of beef, chicken, or offals such as skin, cartilage, and tendons of cow's trotters, or tripes. A combination of either noodle or rice vermicelli along with slices of tomato, boiled potato, hard-boiled egg, cabbages, peanut, bean sprout, and beef, offal, or chicken meat are added.
Malaysia and Singapore
Assam laksa – rice noodles in a sour fish soup. Various toppings including shredded fish, cucumber, raw onion, pineapple, chilli and mint. There are regional variations throughout Malaysia. Curry laksa – rice noodles in a coconut curry soup. Topped with prawns or chicken, cockles, bean sprouts, tofu puffs and sliced fish cakes. Boiled egg may be added. Served with a dollop of sambal chilli paste and Vietnamese coriander. Popular in Singapore. Hae mee (), or "prawn noodles" – egg noodles served in richly flavored dark soup stock with prawns, pork slices, fish cake slices and bean sprouts topped with fried shallots and spring onion. The stock is made using dried shrimps, plucked heads of prawns, white pepper, garlic and other spices. Traditionally, small cubes of fried pork fat are added to the soup, but this is now less common due to health concerns.
Myanmar (Burma)
Kya zan hinga () – glass noodles in a chicken consommé with mushrooms, bean curd skin, lily stems, shrimp, garlic, pepper and sometimes fish balls. For the addition of texture and flavour, it can be garnished with coriander, sliced shallots, fish sauce, chilli powder and a squeeze of lime. Kyay oh – a popular noodle soup made with pork and egg in Burmese cuisine. Fish and chicken versions are also made as well as a "dry" version without broth.