Since soups and stews look similar and many contain the same foundational ingredients, it can be hard to tell which is which. So, what exactly is the difference? Here’s everything you need to know about soups and stews, plus some of our best soup and stew recipes.
What Is Soup?
Soup is a brothy dish made by cooking meat, seafood, vegetables or legumes in liquid such as stock, water or milk. Common types include broth-based soups, like chicken noodle or beef barley; cream soups, such as cream of broccoli or mushroom; and purees like carrot or butternut squash. Other kinds of soup include bisques and cold soups such as gazpacho.
What Is a Stew?
A stew is a dish containing meat, seafood or vegetables cooked in liquid, such as stock, broth or water, until the liquid has reduced to a thick consistency. Sometimes, stew liquid is thickened using cornstarch or a flour-based roux.
Stew vs Chowder
Chowders almost always contain potatoes and milk, and often but not always feature fish or shellfish as their animal protein. Like stew, chowders have a hearty consistency and contain larger-cut chunks of ingredients, but they are actually considered a thick soup.
Is Chilli a Soup?
Whether chilli is considered a soup or a stew depends on how it is prepared. If chilli is prepared by braising meat, such as brisket or beef chuck, with beans and vegetables added toward the end of cooking time, it’s considered a stew. If chilli is made by browning ground meat, and then adding liquid, beans and vegetables, then it is a soup.
Soup vs Stew
Soups and stews are dishes that contain protein, seafood or vegetables cooked in liquid, but soups typically have more liquid and are cooked differently and for longer than stews.
Amount of Liquid
Soup typically contains more liquid than stew, as it has a higher ratio of liquid to other ingredients, such as meat, vegetables or legumes. Stew usually has just enough liquid to cover the ingredients and has less liquid than soup.
Technique
Soup is made by simmering ingredients in liquid uncovered. Stew ingredients are barely covered with liquid, then simmer in a covered pot until the ingredients are tender and the liquid has reduced and thickened, a technique also known as braising.
Cooking Time
Generally, soups simmer for a short time, but their cook time varies widely, from 20 minutes to a couple of hours. Stews cook low and slow over a long period of time.
