The 10 best Middle Eastern and Caucasian soups

The soups of Iran, the Levant, the Caucasus and Central Asia share a love of lamb, legumes, herbs and a sour note from lemon, plums or yogurt. These rank highest with the SoupWiki editors. Turkish soups have their own list.

1. 1

   1. Ash Reshteh

   Iran9.4

   Hearty, chunky soup with reshteh noodles, beans and chickpeas and dried mint; a standout bowl. Read about Ash Reshteh →

2. 2

   2. Dushbara

   Azerbaijan9.4

   Clear broth with tiny lamb dumplings, onion and dried mint; deeply savoury and satisfying. Read about Dushbara →

3. 3

   3. Aush

   Afghanistan9.1

   Hearty, chunky soup with noodles, beef mince and dried mint; full of character. Read about Aush →

4. 4

   4. Kubba Hamuth

   Iraq8.9

   Hearty, chunky soup with semolina or rice dumplings, minced beef and a sour edge; generous and full of flavour. Read about Kubba Hamuth →

5. 5

   5. Lagman

   Uzbekistan8.5

   Hearty, chunky soup with hand-pulled noodles and lamb or beef; generous and full of flavour. Read about Lagman →

6. 6

   6. Dizi (Abgoosht)

   Iran8.4

   Hearty, chunky soup with lamb, chickpeas and a sour edge; generous and full of flavour. Read about Dizi (Abgoosht) →

7. 7

   7. Kharcho

   Georgia8.4

   Hearty, chunky soup with beef, rice and a sour edge; warming and richly flavoured. Read about Kharcho →

8. 8

   8. Shurpa

   Uzbekistan8.4

   Clear broth with lamb and potatoes; a satisfying, well-rounded bowl. Read about Shurpa →

9. 9

   9. Piti

   Azerbaijan8.0

   Hearty, chunky soup with lamb, chickpeas and a sour edge; warming and richly flavoured. Read about Piti →

10. 10

    10. Chikhirtma

    Georgia7.6

    Clear broth with chicken, egg yolks and a sour edge; well balanced and comforting. Read about Chikhirtma →

Editor’s scores reflect the personal taste of the SoupWiki editors. They are not a measure of a soup’s quality or authenticity, and they don’t mean a soup is good or bad.