What's the difference between "soup", "stew" and "broth?

Answer 1

Broth is just flavored water.
Soup is broth with a few pieces of vegetables or meat or both in it.
Stew is broth with a LOT of vegetabls/meat/both in it.

Answer 2

Broth is a component of soups and stews. It can also be consumed by itself as a hot drink, similar to consomme. Generally speaking, a soup consists of broth with meat or vegetables or both added to it. The additions to the broth float in the soup and are not a part of the broth. You can remove the meat and veggies and still have broth left.

Stew, as a verb, means to cook something in water or a broth until it partially disintegrates into the broth and thickens it. You can stew meat, fruit or vegetables, or any combination thereof. Stewed prunes, for instance, are stewed in water until they're soft and the water takes on the color and flavor of the prunes. Same for stewed tomatoes.

The differences between stew and soup are so subtle that you will never be able to say absolutely that anything you call a soup will not be called a stew in another area or country. And don't even get me started on bisques, chowders and compotes.

Answer 3

A broth is clear, the water in which meat, chicken etc was boiled, then strained. It is often used as a base for other dishes, e.g. risotto. If served on its own it is called consommé, if set with gelatine (often it contains enough from the bones of the meat) and flavoured it is called aspic.
A soup is a broth which contains solid ingredients, e.g. vegetables, pasta, bits of meat. Sometimes these are clearly visible separately floating in the broth, sometimes the whole lot is pureed to a homogenous cream.
A stew is much more solid, usually meat and vegetables simmered together slowly until very soft, and most of the liquid has boiled away to leave just some sauce. It is eaten with a fork, unlike the previous two, which are eaten with a soup (or drunk in some cultures).

Answer 4

Soup tends to have more liquid and less 'solids' than stew, broth is a clear flavored liquid without anything in it. Soup can be eaten cold or heated (depending on the soup); stew and broth are typically eaten heated.

Answer 5

Actually you left out one.

Broth is flavored with meat. It has been strained, so you have nothing but the liquid. It may have been flavored also with vegetables that have been strained out and are discarded.

Stock is flavored with bones. It has been strained so you have nothing but liquid. Additionally, bones release gelatin, so stock usually gels when it is chilled. It may have been flavored also with vegetables that have been strained out and are discarded.

Soup is broth (meat or vegetable broth) plus something IN the soup, such as meat, vegetables or pasta. Stew is basically the same thing, only it has more solids. Soup has more liquid. The ratio of liquid to solids will vary according to taste. I know people who call chicken and dumplings a soup; I know people who call the same chicken and dumplings a stew.

Generally speaking, stew has less liquid. Stew tends to be heartier, more stick to your ribs.

(But again, your mileage may vary. Some people will argue to death over this.)

Answer 6

Soup is a little bit more watery than stew. Stew has a thickness to it. Broth its nothing but water and seasoning.

Answer 7

BROTH--just liquid, the "flavored water" that meat or vegetables have been cooked in, just a little thicker than plain water.
SOUP--thicker, has meat, veggies, noodles--I think of it as "half and half"--half liquid, had solids.....of course, this would not apply to cream soups, as cream of potato or cream of tomato, in which all has been liquified, but the soup is much thicker ("sturdier") than broth.
STEW--very packed with meats, veggies, even noodles occasionally....other end of the spectrum from broth...there is liquid in stew, but the big makeup is the solid ingredients.

Answer 8

Considering the great answers above, you can also look at the three through their consistency. Broth is thin/watery; soup is a bit more substantial; and stew is usually thick with substance.

Answer 9

Soup is a dish with the water as the main ingredient and the other ingredients to add flavour to the water.

Stew is a way to cook meat with the meat as the main ingredient.

Broth is rice rich in water.

Answer 10

Soup can have noodles and vegetables.
Stew can have meat and vegetables.
Broth is just broth with nothing else in it.


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