I grew up in the South of France, so French onion soup is in my veins. And in my opinion, French onion soup is really all about what goes on top: a thick slice of toasted baguette under a blanket of melted gruyère, broiled until it's golden and bubbling. My French onion-style butter bean soup gets the same cheesy bread lid, and my French onion soup chicken casserole turns it into a cozy bake. It's these soups that really proved to me that the soup toppings are essential to a great bowl of soup.
Now that fall is here and soup is back on my stove, I've pulled together my 25 best soup toppings: the crunchy, creamy, and spicy classics I keep coming back to, cozy fall soup toppings like sage brown butter and toasted pepitas, and a handful of creative ideas from home cooks on online forums that prove there are no rules when it comes to soup (yes, popcorn made the list).
Scroll down for the full list, my soup toppings cheat sheet, the best toppings for every kind of soup, and how to set up a soup toppings bar for a crowd!
Jump to:
- What are the best soup toppings?
- How to Top a Bowl of Soup (My 3-Topping Rule)
- My Soup Toppings Cheat Sheet
- Crunchy Soup Toppings (The Ones Most Bowls Are Missing)
- Creamy & Cheesy Soup Toppings
- Fresh, Herby & Tangy Soup Toppings
- Spicy Soup Toppings
- Hearty Soup Toppings (To Turn Soup Into Dinner)
- Fall Soup Toppings (My Cozy-Season Favorites)
- Creative & Global Soup Toppings (The Ones That Surprised Me)
- Best Toppings for Every Kind of Soup
- How to Set Up a Soup Toppings Bar
- What to Serve With Soup (For Dunking)
- Soup Toppings FAQs
- Looking For More Topping Inspiration?
What are the best soup toppings?
The best soup toppings add something the soup doesn't already have: crunch (croutons, crispy shallots, toasted seeds), creaminess (sour cream, yogurt, grated cheese), or brightness (fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, chili oil). Smooth soups need crunch the most, while brothy soups love fresh herbs and heat.
How to Top a Bowl of Soup (My 3-Topping Rule)
Before we get into the list, here's how I think about topping a bowl of soup so it tastes balanced rather than chaotic.
Most of the best bowls I've eaten or made have three things going on top:
- Something crunchy: croutons, crispy shallots, toasted seeds, or tortilla strips. This is the one people skip most often, and it makes the biggest difference, especially on smooth, blended soups.
- Something creamy or rich: a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, a swirl of cream, a pile of grated cheese, or a jammy egg. This rounds out the flavor and makes a light soup feel more like a meal.
- Something bright: fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon, pickled onions, or a drizzle of chili oil. This is the layer that wakes the whole bowl up.
One of each is plenty!!
Match the Topping to Your Soup
Different soups need different things, so here's how I like to think about matching the topping to the soup:
| Type of Soup | Examples | What It Needs | My Go-To Toppings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth and blended | Tomato, butternut squash, carrot ginger | Crunch, a drizzle, and freshness | Croutons, toasted seeds, chili oil, a swirl of cream, fresh basil |
| Brothy and noodle | Ramen, pho, miso, chicken noodle | Freshness and heat | Fresh herbs, lime, chili oil, crispy shallots, a jammy egg |
| Chunky and hearty | Minestrone, white bean, sausage | Richness and crunch | Parmesan, pesto, pangrattato, crusty bread |
| Lentil and bean | Lentil soup, dal, black bean | Tang and texture | Tadka, yogurt, lemon, pickled onions, tortilla strips |
| Cheesy and creamy | Broccoli cheddar, potato, beer cheese | Acid and crunch | Pickled jalapeños, bacon, chives, popcorn |
My Soup Toppings Cheat Sheet
If you've got a pot of soup on the stove right now and just need an idea, here's my cheat sheet. I've rated each combo for effort, from 1 (open a jar) to 5 (worth planning ahead).
| Topping Combo | Effort (1-5) | Best With |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Ciabatta croutons + a swirl of cream + basil | 2 | Creamy blended soups, like my roasted red pepper and gouda soup |
| 2. Crispy tofu + chili oil + sesame seeds | 3 | Tomato soup, like my tofu tomato soup |
| 3. Curry croutons + cilantro | 2 | Carrot or squash soups, like my carrot ginger soup |
| 4. Tadka + yogurt + cilantro | 3 | Lentil soup and dal, like my spinach dal |
| 5. Cheesy baguette toast + chives | 3 | Onion and bean soups, like my butter bean soup |
| 6. Parmesan + toasted bread | 1 | Hearty soups, like my kale and white bean sausage soup |
| 7. Cilantro + mint + scallions + lime | 1 | Thai-style noodle soups, like my pork meatball noodle soup |
| 8. Crispy garlic ginger oil + scallions | 3 | Miso soup, like my miso soup with mushroom |
| 9. Jammy egg + crispy beef + cilantro | 3 | Noodle soups, like my spicy beef noodle soup |
| 10. Chili oil + scallions | 1 | Brothy Asian-style soups, like my tomato egg drop noodle soup |
| 11. Grated parmesan + fresh basil | 1 | Italian-style tomato soups, like my deconstructed ravioli soup |
| 12. Chili oil + cilantro | 1 | Dumpling soups, like my jhol momo |
| 13. Sour cream + bacon + cheddar + chives | 2 | Potato soup |
| 14. Sage brown butter + toasted pepitas | 3 | Butternut squash or pumpkin soup |
| 15. Crème fraîche + pomegranate seeds | 1 | Squash or sweet potato soup |
| 16. Lemon tahini + crispy chickpeas | 2 | Lentil or cauliflower soup |
| 17. Pesto + pangrattato | 2 | Minestrone and white bean soups |
| 18. Tortilla strips + avocado + lime + cotija | 2 | Black bean or tortilla soup |
| 19. Popcorn + chives | 1 | Corn chowder or beer cheese soup |
| 20. Rouille + croutons + grated cheese | 4 | Fish soup |
| 21. Kimchi + sesame seeds + scallions | 1 | Brothy noodle soups |
Crunchy Soup Toppings (The Ones Most Bowls Are Missing)
Let's start with crunch, because it's what most bowls of soup are missing in my opinion. A smooth, blended soup is so comforting, but after a few spoonfuls every bite starts to taste the same. For me, it's something crunchy on top that fixes that right away.
1. Homemade Croutons (and Pangrattato)
It had to be number one. I make mine from ciabatta, because the open, airy crumb crisps up fast and the thick crust stays crunchy in hot soup for longer than softer breads. My ciabatta croutons are tossed in olive oil, parmesan, dried oregano, and smoked paprika, and they're ready in about 5 minutes in the air fryer (or 8 to 12 minutes in the oven). Slightly stale bread actually works better here, so this is the best thing you can do with the end of a loaf.
Top-tip: match your croutons to your soup. I keep them plain (just oil, salt, and pepper) on a soup that already has lots of flavor, like my roasted red pepper and gouda soup, and toss them with curry powder and chili flakes for my carrot ginger soup.
If you'd rather have crunch in every spoonful, make pangrattato instead. It means "grated bread" in Italian and you essentially toast coarse breadcrumbs in olive oil with a little garlic until golden, then stir in lemon zest, chili flakes, and chopped parsley. I love it on minestrone and white bean soups, and it's the best way to use up stale bread (you can blitz your old sourdough into chunky crumbs for exactly this). Croutons that are past their best can be pulsed into crumbs in a food processor too.
2. Grilled Cheese Croutons
Tomato soup and grilled cheese are best friends, so why not put the sandwich in the bowl? Make a grilled cheese (a cheese toastie, for my fellow Brits), let it sit for a minute, then cut it into bite-size squares and pile them on top. Or, if you're like me, skip the cutting altogether and float the whole sandwich on the tomato soup. I serve gouda toasties with my roasted red pepper and gouda soup and a scallion cheese toastie with my tofu tomato soup, and both are made for dunking.
3. Crispy Fried Shallots or Onions
Crispy fried shallots are sweet, savory, and crisp. In Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian cooking they're scattered over all sorts of dishes, noodle soups included. You can buy tubs of them at most Asian grocery stores, or fry thinly sliced shallots low and slow in neutral oil until golden and drain them on paper towels (you're left with shallot oil to drizzle over the top too). On potato and bean soups, the store-bought crispy fried onions I use on my green bean casserole work really well too.
4. Toasted Nuts, Seeds, and Crispy Chickpeas
A handful of toasted nuts or seeds is the easiest crunch there is, and it's especially good on smooth soups. Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sliced almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, and peanuts are all fair game. Toast them in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking the pan frequently, until they smell nutty (and don't walk away, they go from golden to burnt in seconds). Peanuts suit Thai-style and coconut soups, and walnuts go really well with lentil and squash soups.
In the fall, pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) are the classic crunch on squash soups. Toast them until they start to puff up and pop, then season with salt and a pinch of smoked paprika. Even better, don't throw away the seeds from the squash you just roasted. Rinse off the stringy bits, dry them really well, toss with oil and salt, and roast until golden and crunchy.
Crispy chickpeas give you crunch and protein, and they're really good on lentil, tomato, and blended vegetable soups. Pat canned chickpeas really dry (this is the most important bit), toss with oil, salt, and a spice like smoked paprika or cumin, then roast or air fry until crunchy. They soften as they sit, so make them on the day. There are more ideas like this in my crunchy salad toppings roundup, and most of them work just as well on soup.
5. Tortilla Strips
Tortilla strips are the classic topping for black bean, chicken tortilla, and other Mexican-inspired soups. Slice corn tortillas into thin strips, toss them with a little oil and salt, then bake, air fry, or shallow-fry until crisp. A handful of crushed tortilla chips works in a pinch. For the full treatment, add avocado, lime, and crumbled cotija, and have a look at my taco toppings guide, because most of those work on a bowl of soup too.
6. Crackers (Oyster Crackers, Saltines, and Cheez-Its)
Don't underestimate the cracker aisle. Oyster crackers are the classic diner topping for clam chowder and tomato soup, saltines crumble nicely into chicken noodle, and a handful of different home cooks I've seen online recommended Cheez-Its for just about any soup. The only rule here is to add a few at a time so they don't go soggy before you get to them.
Creamy & Cheesy Soup Toppings
A cool dollop or a handful of cheese does two jobs: it adds richness, and it gives you contrast, especially on spicy or very savory soups. These are the toppings that make a light soup feel like a real meal.
7. Sour Cream, Crème Fraîche, or Greek Yogurt
I love a cold dollop of something tangy on a steaming bowl of soup. Sour cream is the classic on potato and black bean soups, crème fraîche is richer and less likely to curdle as it melts into hot soup, and Greek yogurt or labneh (strained yogurt that's even thicker and tangier) goes beautifully with lentil and spiced soups. If you want it to swirl rather than sit in a blob, loosen it with a splash of milk or a squeeze of lemon first. Out of Greek yogurt? Here are my favorite Greek yogurt substitutes.
For something even simpler, a drizzle of heavy cream swirled into a smooth soup looks beautiful and adds a little extra richness. It's how I finish my roasted red pepper and gouda soup, along with shredded gouda and fresh basil. For vegan or Southeast Asian-inspired soups, use coconut milk instead. It's gorgeous on carrot, squash, and curry-spiced soups (my carrot ginger soup already has coconut milk blended in, so a little extra on top just makes sense).
Top-tip: drizzle it from a spoon held close to the surface, then drag a toothpick through it for that restaurant-style swirl.
8. Lemon Tahini Drizzle
This one came up in an online thread where the original poster said the lemon tahini topping ended up more memorable than the soup underneath it, and I can see why. Whisk tahini with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and enough cold water to make it pourable (it'll seize up and thicken at first, just keep whisking). It's nutty, tangy, and creamy without any dairy, and it's especially good on lentil, cauliflower, carrot, and chickpea soups. Finish with a pinch of sumac or za'atar if you have some.
9. Grated Cheese and Parmesan Crisps
A covering of freshly grated parmesan is non-negotiable on anything Italian-inspired in my humble opinion. I finish my kale and white bean sausage soup and my deconstructed ravioli soup with a generous handful. Sharp cheddar is the one for potato and broccoli cheddar soups, and nutty gruyère is perfect on anything onion-based. Grate it yourself if you can because pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking agents, so it doesn't melt as smoothly. Salty feta and tangy goat cheese are the ones for soups that lean sweet, like roasted tomato, butternut squash, and red lentil.
Want your cheese to crunch? Make parmesan crisps. Spoon small mounds of finely grated parmesan onto a lined baking sheet, flatten them slightly, and bake until melted, lacy, and golden. Let them cool on the tray, because that's when they crisp up, then crumble them over tomato, minestrone, or white bean soup. They're a good crunchy option if you're avoiding bread, too.
10. Cheesy Baguette Toast (French Onion Style)
This is the French onion soup trick, and you don't have to be making French onion soup to use it. Top any brothy onion, bean, or vegetable soup with slices or cubes of baguette and a handful of grated gruyère or cheddar, then slide the bowl under the broiler (make sure it's oven-safe!) until the cheese is golden and bubbling. It's exactly how I finish my French onion-style butter bean soup, which is hands down the best butter bean soup I've ever made.
Fresh, Herby & Tangy Soup Toppings
If a soup tastes flat, it usually needs acid, not more salt. A squeeze of citrus, a handful of herbs, or something pickled wakes up the whole bowl.
11. Fresh Herbs and a Squeeze of Citrus
My restaurant background is in Vietnamese food, and there's no better lesson in soup toppings than the plate that comes with a bowl of pho: Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and sliced chilies, so everyone can finish their bowl exactly how they like it. I do something similar with my Thai-style pork meatball noodle soup, which is topped with cilantro, fresh mint, scallions, and lime wedges. For European-style soups, reach for chives, dill, parsley, or basil, and add them right at the end so they stay bright green. Delicate herbs like basil and mint are best torn rather than chopped.
The squeeze of lemon or lime is the smallest topping in this whole post and possibly the most important. It brightens every flavor in the bowl, and it's the first thing I reach for when a soup tastes a little flat. Lime suits Southeast Asian and Mexican-inspired soups, and lemon goes with almost everything else. My vegetable thukpa gets a squeeze of lemon and a scatter of cilantro right at the end, and it makes all the difference.
12. Pesto, Pistou, and Other Green Sauces
Pistou is pesto's French cousin, made with basil, garlic, and olive oil, usually without the pine nuts. Soupe au pistou is a Provençal vegetable and bean soup, and the spoonful of pistou stirred through at the end is what makes it. A spoonful of pesto does the same job on minestrone, tomato, and white bean soups. If you want to make your own, my pistachio pesto is a really fun twist on the classic, and my avocado pesto is a creamier option for swirling.
Other punchy green sauces work just as well. Gremolata is just finely chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest, and it's excellent on bean soups and anything slow-cooked. Salsa verde and chimichurri bring extra tang from capers or vinegar. Some online recommendations I found include making a walnut gremolata with toasted walnuts, cilantro, and lemon for lentil soup, or blending a chimichurri-style sauce to spoon over creamy soups. I love both ideas.
13. Pickled Red Onions
A few quick-pickled red onions add tang, a little crunch, and the prettiest pop of pink. They're really easy to make at home too! They cut through rich soups really well, especially black bean, potato, and lentil. Other pickles are fair game too: diced dill pickles on lentil soup works well and pickled jalapeños cut through anything cheesy.
Spicy Soup Toppings
I'm a chili oil person through and through, so this section is close to my heart. A little heat on top also means everyone at the table can choose their own spice level.
14. Chili Oil or Chili Crisp
If you've looked at my soup recipes, you'll know I finish a lot of them with chili oil. It goes on my easy 10-minute noodle soup, my tomato egg drop noodle soup (inspired by the bowls my partner and I ate over and over while traveling in China), and my tofu tomato soup. Chili crisp is the crunchier version, packed with crispy bits of fried chili, garlic, and shallot. My Vietnamese-inspired chili oil with lemongrass is delicious on noodle soups, and if you don't have any on hand, my guide to the best chili oil substitutes has you covered.
Top-tip: stir the jar before you spoon it out. The flavor (and the crunchy bits) sinks to the bottom.
15. Tadka (Sizzling Spiced Oil)
A tadka (also called tarka or chhonk) is whole spices and aromatics sizzled in hot oil or ghee, then poured over a dish right before serving. It's traditionally used on dal, but it's an incredible way to finish lentil, split pea, and tomato soups too. My spinach dal is built on ginger, garlic, and turmeric. To finish it, I fry cumin seeds, mustard seeds, sliced garlic, and sliced red chili in oil or ghee, then drizzle the sizzling oil over the top with a spoonful of yogurt and some fresh cilantro.
Top-tip: take the pan off the heat as soon as the garlic slices start turning light brown. The hot oil keeps cooking them, and burnt garlic makes the whole thing bitter.
16. Hot Sauce, Harissa, and Fresh Chilies
Sometimes you just want a few dashes of hot sauce. Sriracha is great on noodle soups, classic bottled sauces like Tabasco or Cholula suit chowders and bean soups, and a little gochujang loosened with sesame oil is delicious swirled into Korean-inspired soups. Harissa, the North African chili paste, brings punchy, garlicky heat to carrot, tomato, chickpea, and lentil soups, and if you want something creamier and a little milder, my harissa aioli makes a delicious dollop.
For fresh heat, thinly slice a red chili, jalapeño, or bird's eye chili and scatter it over the top, which is how I finish my 15-minute spicy beef noodle soup.
Hearty Soup Toppings (To Turn Soup Into Dinner)
These are the toppings I reach for when a bowl of soup needs to become a proper dinner. I've certainly found that a little protein on top turns it into something that actually keeps Henry and me full through the evening. Leftover roast chicken is the easiest of all (and if you've got more than you need, here are my favorite leftover chicken recipes).
17. A Jammy or Marinated Egg
An egg is one of the easiest ways to make a bowl of soup more filling. A jammy soft-boiled egg is my go-to on noodle soups, and it's how I top my spicy beef noodle soup, along with crispy beef and cilantro. If you like to prep ahead, my miso marinated eggs are gorgeous halved on top of ramen, or try my peanut gochujang chili eggs for something spicier. A fried egg with crispy edges works on brothy bean, lentil, or tomato soups, and a poached egg is lovely on anything with greens.
18. Bacon, Chorizo, and Crispy Pork Belly
Salty, crispy cured pork is the classic topping for potato, split pea, and bean soups. I air fry my bacon so it gets perfectly crisp without splattering the whole kitchen, then crumble it over the top. Pancetta cubes work beautifully on minestrone, thin slices of prosciutto crisped in a dry pan shatter like chips over butternut squash soup, and fried chorizo (with a drizzle of its paprika-red oil) is incredible on lentil and chickpea soups. Kielbasa and chorizo came up again and again in a thread about lentil soup, too.
If you want to go all out, a few pieces of crispy pork belly on a bowl of ramen or brothy noodle soup is ridiculously good. My air fryer pork belly gets properly crispy skin, and a few slices on top make a homemade noodle soup feel like a restaurant bowl. Chicharrones (pork rinds) are the shortcut and lots of people crumble them over bean and lentil soups right before eating.
19. Crispy Tofu
Crispy tofu is one of my favorite plant-based toppings, and it's the star of my tofu tomato soup, where air-fried tofu bites sit on a silky roasted tomato base with chili oil and sesame seeds. The contrast between the crunchy tofu and the smooth soup is honestly everything. The trick to really crispy tofu is pressing it well and tossing the cubes in a little cornstarch before air frying or baking. It works on miso and coconut-based soups too.
20. Dumplings, Wontons, and Meatballs
Dumplings are my whole world (they're literally the subject of my cookbook, The World Is Your Dumpling), so of course they made the list. Dropping a few wontons or dumplings into a bowl of broth turns it into a meal in minutes, and it's a great use for a bag of frozen dumplings. My homemade wontons are served in chili oil, but wontons are just as happy floating in a simple broth, and any dumpling works, from homemade momo to store-bought gyoza. If you want the full experience, my jhol momo are Nepalese dumplings served in a bold, spicy tomato broth. And here in the UK, we love a proper stew and dumplings when it gets cold, like my beef stew and dumplings.
Small meatballs do the same job. My Thai-style pork meatball noodle soup is built around juicy meatballs made with ground pork, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, lime zest, and fish sauce, and my deconstructed ravioli soup wraps little Italian meatballs in lasagna sheets. If you like making meatball dishes, here are my 10 easy meatball recipes.
Fall Soup Toppings (My Cozy-Season Favorites)
Fall is peak soup season, and these toppings are made for butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, and carrot soups. Pair them with the toasted pepitas from #4 and you've got the coziest bowl going.
21. Sage Brown Butter and Crispy Sage
If I had to pick one topping that tastes like fall, it's this one. Melt butter in a small pan and keep cooking it until it foams, smells nutty, and turns golden brown, then add a handful of sage leaves and let them crisp up, which only takes a moment. Spoon the butter over butternut squash, pumpkin, or celeriac soup and scatter the crispy leaves on top.
22. Pomegranate Seeds or Diced Apple
A scattering of pomegranate seeds looks like jewels on an orange soup, and the juicy, tart little bursts cut right through the sweetness of squash or sweet potato. Crisp diced apple does a similar job, and apple with sharp cheddar is a classic fall pairing on squash or cauliflower soup. A home cook on a thread I was researching used to top a sweet potato bisque with an apple and mint raita, which sounds wonderful to me.
Creative & Global Soup Toppings (The Ones That Surprised Me)
This is where things get fun. One of these comes from the South of France, one from Korea, and one from home cooks who clearly have no rules when it comes to soup (I love that).
23. Popcorn
Yes, popcorn. It sounds strange until you remember how good salty, buttery popcorn is with anything cheesy or corn-based. Home cooks online put it on corn chowder and beer cheese soup, and one person grew up with a big bowl of popcorn in the middle of the table so everyone could add a handful at a time. Keep it simple with salted or butter popcorn, and add it right before eating because it softens fast.
24. Rouille (A South of France Classic)
In the South of France, soupe de poisson comes with its own toppings kit: toasted croutons, a clove of garlic to rub over them, a pot of rouille, and grated cheese. Rouille is a thick, garlicky sauce made with olive oil, chili, and saffron (usually thickened with bread or potato), and you spread it onto the croutons and float them on the soup. If you don't want to make rouille from scratch, my harissa aioli is a pretty great stand-in on fish or tomato-based soups.
25. Kimchi
A spoonful of kimchi brings heat, tang, and crunch all at once. It's fantastic on brothy noodle soups and ramen, and it cuts through a rich, creamy soup too. Use a well-fermented kimchi for the most flavor, and a splash of the juice stirred into the broth is delicious. Finish with sesame seeds and scallions. If you love Korean flavors, you'll find more in my roundup of Korean dishes.
Best Toppings for Every Kind of Soup
Here's my quick guide to the best toppings for the most popular soups, plus which of my own recipes to try them on.
Tomato Soup Toppings
Tomato soup loves crunch and cheese. My favorites are grilled cheese croutons, ciabatta croutons, parmesan crisps, a swirl of pesto or cream, fresh basil, and a drizzle of chili oil. For something a little different, try crispy tofu and sesame seeds like on my tofu tomato soup, or serve gouda toasties with my roasted red pepper and gouda soup.
Butternut Squash and Pumpkin Soup Toppings
Sweet, silky squash soups need salt, crunch, and a little tang. Try sage brown butter, toasted pepitas (or the squash's own seeds), crème fraîche with pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta or goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, or a drizzle of hot honey. The same toppings work on my carrot ginger soup too.
Potato Soup Toppings
Think loaded baked potato: crispy bacon, sharp cheddar, sour cream, and chives or scallions. Crispy fried onions add extra crunch, and a few pickled jalapeños cut through all that richness. My baked potato bar toppings guide has even more ideas that work on a bowl of potato soup.
Lentil Soup and Dal Toppings
Lentil soups are soft and earthy, so they need texture and tang. My favorites are a tadka, a dollop of yogurt, a squeeze of lemon, crispy chickpeas or crispy onions, crumbled feta, and fried chorizo or sausage. When someone on a thread I was reading asked what to add to lentil soup so there's something to chew on, the most upvoted answers were croutons, garlic bread, naan, and ham or sausage. For dal, try my spinach dal with its spiced oil tadka, plus my 3-ingredient cheesy naan for scooping.
Bean Soup and Minestrone Toppings
Hearty bean soups love a drizzle of good olive oil, freshly grated parmesan, a spoonful of pesto or gremolata, and pangrattato for crunch. Crispy pancetta or crumbled chicharrones add a salty hit. Try them on my kale and white bean sausage soup or my French onion-style butter bean soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup Toppings
Keep it fresh and simple: a squeeze of lemon, lots of fresh dill or parsley, cracked black pepper, a little grated parmesan, and oyster crackers or saltines for crunch. If you want to shake things up, a drizzle of chili oil and a handful of scallions is so good.
Ramen, Pho, and Noodle Soup Toppings
Brothy noodle soups are all about fresh herbs, heat, and richness: cilantro, Thai basil, mint, bean sprouts, lime, chili oil, crispy shallots, a jammy egg, nori, and sesame seeds. My miso soup with mushroom gets a homemade crispy garlic and ginger oil, and my shrimp ramen noodle soup is finished with snow peas, lime, cilantro, and chili oil. For even more ideas, my ramen toppings guide has 19 of them.
Broccoli Cheddar and Cheese Soup Toppings
Rich, cheesy soups need acid and crunch to balance them: croutons, crispy bacon, a little extra sharp cheddar, roasted broccoli florets, pickled jalapeños, or popcorn on beer cheese soup.
Black Bean and Tortilla Soup Toppings
Go full Mexican-inspired: tortilla strips, avocado, lime, cotija or queso fresco, sour cream or crema, pickled red onions, sliced radishes, jalapeños, and plenty of cilantro. A tip from an online forum I think is worth borrowing is to toss your diced avocado with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt before it goes on the soup, so it's seasoned and slower to brown. Most of my taco toppings and chili toppings work here too.
French Onion Soup Toppings
With French onion soup, the topping is the point: a thick slice of toasted baguette under a blanket of melted gruyère, broiled until bubbling. I use the same trick on my French onion-style butter bean soup, which is my cozy, one-pan take on the classic.
How to Set Up a Soup Toppings Bar
A soup bar is one of the easiest ways to feed a crowd in the fall, whether it's a Halloween get-together, Friendsgiving, or game day. You make one or two big pots of soup and let everyone build their own bowl, which keeps picky eaters, vegetarians, and spice lovers happy at the same time. Here's how I'd set one up:
- Make two soups with different textures. One smooth (like tomato or butternut squash) and one chunky (like white bean). Keep them warm in a slow cooker or over the lowest heat on the stove.
- Aim for 6 to 10 toppings. Use my 3-topping rule as a guide and put out a few crunchy, creamy, and bright options, plus one or two hearty ones.
- Put the crunchy toppings at the end of the line, so they go on last and stay crisp.
- Label anything spicy (and anything with nuts).
- Don't forget the lemon and lime wedges. Everyone overlooks them, and they make the biggest difference.
- Add a bread basket. Crusty bread, garlic bread, or focaccia for dunking is non-negotiable.
How Much of Each Topping Do You Need?
Here's a rough guide per person. Make extra of the crunchy toppings, because they always go first!
| Item | Per Person | For 8 People |
|---|---|---|
| Soup (as a main) | 1½ cups | 12 cups (3 quarts) |
| Croutons | ½ cup | 4 cups |
| Grated or shredded cheese | 2 tablespoons | 1 cup |
| Sour cream or yogurt | 2 tablespoons | 1 cup |
| Bacon | 1 slice | 8 slices |
| Crispy shallots, seeds, or nuts | 1 tablespoon | ½ cup |
| Fresh herbs | A small handful | 2 large bunches |
| Lemon or lime wedges | 1 to 2 wedges | 2 to 4 lemons or limes (cut into quarters) |
| Chili oil or hot sauce | A drizzle | 1 jar or bottle |
Make-Ahead Timeline
- Up to 3 days before: make the soup (most soups taste even better the next day), pickle your red onions, and make your croutons. Store your pickled onions in the fridge and put the croutons in an airtight container at room temperature, not in the fridge.
- The morning of: toast your seeds and nuts, fry your shallots, and make any pesto or gremolata.
- An hour before: cook the bacon, crisp the prosciutto or chickpeas, and grate the cheese.
- Right before serving: make your tadka or brown butter, dice the avocado (with lime and salt), chop the herbs, cut your citrus, and warm the soup through.
Em's Top Tips for Topping Soup (And Keeping It Crunchy)
- Add crunchy toppings at the very last second. Croutons, crackers, and popcorn start softening the moment they touch the soup, so top each bowl right before eating (or serve them on the side).
- Use sturdy bread for croutons. Breads with a thick crust, like ciabatta, hold their crunch in hot soup much longer than soft sandwich bread.
- Toast everything. Nuts, seeds, and breadcrumbs taste better and stay crisp for longer once they're toasted.
- Echo what's already in the bowl. A nice idea is to top a soup with a crispy version of one of its own ingredients, like roasted squash seeds on squash soup, crispy potato peels on potato soup, crispy leeks on leek soup, or crackly rendered chicken skin on chicken soup.
- Finish with acid. If your soup tastes flat, reach for lemon, lime, or a splash of vinegar before you reach for more salt.
- Play with temperature. A cold dollop of sour cream or yogurt on a steaming bowl is part of what makes it so satisfying.
- Stick to the 3-topping rule. A few well-chosen toppings beat eight fighting for attention.
What to Serve With Soup (For Dunking)
Toppings are only half the fun. Here's what I love serving on the side:
- Garlic bread: my ciabatta garlic bread is made for dunking.
- Focaccia: tear off a piece of my easy focaccia and swipe it through the bottom of the bowl.
- Cheesy naan: my 3-ingredient cheesy naan goes so well with dal and spiced lentil soups.
- Bread bites: my 2-ingredient bread bites are easy to make and great for sharing.
- Savory muffins: my cheese and bacon muffins are a cozy side for potato or broccoli cheddar soup.
- A melt: grilled cheese is the classic, but my tuna melt is just as good for dunking into tomato soup.
- Flatbreads: my 12 best flatbread recipes have plenty of options for scooping up the last drop.
Soup Toppings FAQs
The best soup toppings add something the soup is missing. Smooth soups need crunch, like croutons, toasted seeds, or crispy shallots. Rich soups need brightness, like fresh herbs, lemon, or pickled onions. Spicy soups love something cool and creamy, like sour cream or yogurt. I aim for one crunchy, one creamy, and one bright topping in every bowl.
Croutons are the classic, but crispy fried shallots, toasted pepitas or nuts, tortilla strips, parmesan crisps, pangrattato, crispy chickpeas, crackers, and even popcorn all add great crunch. Add them right before eating so they stay crisp.
Add them at the very last second, or serve them on the side so everyone can add a few at a time. Croutons made from crusty bread like ciabatta, tossed in oil and baked until fully crisp, hold up much longer than soft bread. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature, not the fridge.
Add a protein topping, like a jammy or fried egg, crispy bacon or chorizo, shredded chicken, crispy tofu, meatballs, dumplings, or chickpeas. Serving crusty bread, garlic bread, or a grilled cheese on the side also turns a bowl of soup into a proper dinner.
My favorite toppings for butternut squash soup are sage brown butter, toasted pepitas, crème fraîche or yogurt, pomegranate seeds, crumbled feta or goat cheese, crispy prosciutto, and a drizzle of hot honey. You want something salty, something crunchy, and something tangy to balance the squash's natural sweetness.
Yes! Croutons, toasted seeds and nuts, crispy shallots, pickled onions, and pesto can all be made a day or more ahead. Keep crunchy toppings in airtight containers at room temperature. Leave fresh herbs, avocado, citrus, and anything sizzling (like brown butter or a tadka) until right before serving.
Looking For More Topping Inspiration?
If you loved this guide, you might also enjoy my other toppings guides:
- 19 Ultimate Ramen Toppings: From Classics to Viral Hacks
- 11 Essential Chili Toppings To Transform Your Next Chili Bar
- 32 Best Taco Toppings (Plus How to Build the Ultimate Taco Bar)
- Baked Potato Bar Toppings
- 12 Crunchy Salad Toppings To Elevate Your Greens
- 25+ Best Bagel Toppings (From Classic to Creative)
And if you need a soup to put all of these on, here are my 14 best soup recipes from around the world.
If you try any of these soup toppings, let me know your favorite combo in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear what goes on your soup! Em xx
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