CLASSIFICATIONS
OF SOUP
Soups can be divided into three basic
categories: clear or unthicken soups, thick
soups, and special soups that do not fit
the first two categories. Most of these
soups, no matter what their final
ingredients may be, are based on stock.
1. Clear soups
These soups are all based on a clear,
unthicken broth or stock. They may be
served plain or garnished with a variety of
vegetables and meats.
TYPES OF CLEAR SOUPS
a) Broth and bouillon
These are two terms used in
many different ways, but in
general they both refer to
simple, clear soups without
solid ingredients. Broth is a
flavorful liquid obtained from
the simmering of meats and
vegetables.
b) Vegetable soup
It is a clear, seasoned stock or broth
with the addition of one or more
vegetables, and sometimes meat or
poultry products and starches.
c) Consommé
It is a richly flavored broth made
from fish, meat, poultry, or
vegetable stock that has been
clarified. It is served by itself, as
an appetizer or used in other
d) Julienne soup
This is a delicately flavored soup
containing shredded vegetables
and
is aptly named after the French
word, “ Julienne,” meaning a
particular way of cutting the
vegetables. The soup uses either
a consommé or a vegetable
stock.
2. Thick Soups
Unlike clear soups, thick soups are opaque
rather
than transparent. They are thickened either
by adding a thickening to provide a heavier
consistency. Thick soups include cream
soups
and purée soups.
a) Cream soups - These are soups
that are thickened with roux, beurre
manie, liaison, or other added
thickening agents and have the
addition of milk and cream. They are
similar to veloute and béchamel
sauces in fact, they may be made by
diluting and flavoring either of these
two leasing sauces. These are
usually named after their major
ingredient, such as cream of chicken
b) Purées - These are soups that
are naturally thickened by puréeing
one or more of their ingredients.
They are not as smooth and creamy
as cream soups. Purées are normally
based on starchy ingredients. They
may be made from dried legumes
(such as split pea soup) or from fresh
vegetables with a starchy ingredient
such as potatoes or rice added.
Purées may or may not contain milk
c) Bisques -These are
thickened
soup made from shellfish.
They are usually prepared like
cream soups and are almost
always finished with cream.
d) Chowder – These are hearty
American soups made from fish,
shellfish, and/or vegetables.
Although they are made in many
different ways, they usually contain
milk and potatoes.
e) Potage - This is a term
sometimes associated with
certain thick, hearty soups,
but it is actually a general for
soup.
3. Specialty And National
Soups
This is a catch-all-category that includes soups that
do not fit well into the main categories and soups
that are native to particular countries or regions.
Specialty soups are distinguised by unsual
ingredients such as turtle soup, Gumbo, peanut
soup, and cold fruit soup. Cold soups are sometimes
considered specialty soups. But many other popular
cold soups, such as jellied consommé, cold cream of
cucumber soup, and Vichyssoise are simple cold
versions of basic clear and thick soups.
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