Turtle soup is soup or stews made from the flesh of a turtle. The dish exists in some cultures and is viewed as a luxury or delicacy. The soft-shelled turtle was commonly used for turtle soup in Singapore while the snapping turtle, found mainly in the United States, was typically used for different dishes; and is still found in certain regional cuisines, particularly in the Philadelphia cuisine and some Southern United States cuisines. Chinese and other East Asian cuisines use primarily soft-shelled turtles for their turtle soup.
In some jurisdictions in the US, the consumption of turtles is illegal due to its status as an endangered species. Generally speaking, turtle populations cannot quickly recover from the loss of a breeding adult; thus, killing these turtles to make soup can depress populations below sustainable levels. Some people can't be convinced to eat turtle soup maybe due to the fact that they feel some sympathy for them if as children they watched teenage mutant ninja turtles.