Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (2024)

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Stracciatella (sometimes called Italian egg drop soup) is a light and nourishing soup made with chicken stock, egg, Parmesan cheese, and ribbons of freshly cut spinach. It’s a terrific soup recipe for a chilly day!

By

Elise Bauer

Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

Learn about Simply Recipes'Editorial Process

Updated October 29, 2021

5 Ratings

Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (2)

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Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (3)

For the last week or so I've been somewhat under the weather. Do you know that feeling where you don't yet have a cold, but it feels like one is about to happen? That's me. Tired, a little achy, a little grumpy, all I want to do is curl up on my couch under a warm blanket, sip honey and lemon tea, and take a nap.

What is Stracciatella alla Romana?

Stracciatella alla Romana is made for days like these. "Stracciatella" means "little shred" in Italian, which well describes the "shreds" of egg in this light, nourishing soup.

Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (4)

Ingredients in Stracciatella alla Romana

At its essence, the soup is hot chicken broth into which a paste of beaten egg and Parmesan cheese has been stirred and cooked. You can also add greens or mix some breadcrumbs or semolina flour in with the egg mixture for a little more body.

What I love about this soup is that it is so easy to make, with ingredients that I almost always have on hand — eggs, stock, Parmesan. Yet the simplicity of the soup belies its flavor. It's delicious! Perfect for a chilly day or chilly body.

By the way, the word "stracciatella" is used to describe other foods in Italian as well. There's a gelato with shaved chocolate "shreds", and a cheese used to make burrata.

The Difference Between Stracciatella and Egg Drop Soup

Italian stracciatella and Chinese egg drop soup have similarities. They both have ribbons of egg added to a chicken broth base at the end of the recipe. But stracciatella has a chicken noodle soup vibe to it — without the chicken or the noodles, but with Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Egg drop soup has flavors common in Chinese cuisine: soy sauce, ginger, green onions, mushrooms. Both soups are quick to make and are satisfyingly warming, but they each represent the flavors of their cuisines of origin.

What to Serve With Stracciatella

To make a bowl of Stracciatella into a full meal, serve it with garlic bread and a salad, which are both quick to make, just like the soup. You can also serve it as a side to Italian Grilled Cheese Sandwiches. Or, make it the first course of an Italian meal featuring Baked Ziti and a green veggie.

How to Store and Reheat This Recipe

This soup is best served right after the egg mixture is added, so we don't advise making the entire recipe ahead of time to serve later. However, if you do have leftovers, store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop, bringing it to a rolling boil.

More Soup Recipes to Make on a Chilly Day!

  • Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)
  • Pasta e fa*gioli
  • Easy Tuscan Bean Soup
  • Lentil Soup
  • Vegan Chickpea Minestrone

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Stracciatella alla Romana

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Servings2to 3 servings

Ingredients

  • 4 cups low-sodiumchicken stock

  • 1 large egg

  • 4 teaspoons finely grated, lightly packed Parmesan cheese (if you have coarsely grated Parm, grind it up to a finer consistency in a food processor)

  • 1 tablespoon panko breadcrumbs (toasted for added flavor) or semolina flour (optional, you can skip if you want, you can also use ground puffed rice if cooking gluten-free)

  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper

  • A handful spinach leaves, sliced into 1/2-inch ribbons (can also use chard, arugula, sorrel, or any tender green)

Method

  1. Simmer the stock:

    Place stock in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer.

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (5)

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (6)

  2. Whisk together the egg, Parmesan, and breadcrumbs:

    In a medium bowl whisk together the egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs (if using), and black pepper.

  3. Stir in the spinach:

    Once the stock is simmering, stir in the sliced spinach.

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (7)

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (8)

  4. Pour the egg mixture into the soup:

    Pour/scrape the cheese and egg mixture into the simmering stock, do not stir. After a few seconds, stir the mixture gently into the soup. Cook at a gentle simmer for another minute.

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (9)

    Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (10)

    Taste the soup and add more salt and pepper if you wish.

    Serve immediately.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
163Calories
6g Fat
14g Carbs
13g Protein

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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2to 3
Amount per serving
Calories163
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g8%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 568mg25%
Total Carbohydrate 14g5%
Dietary Fiber 1g5%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 7mg33%
Calcium 122mg9%
Iron 3mg17%
Potassium 644mg14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the meaning of stracciatella soup? ›

Stracciatella (Italian: [strattʃaˈtɛlla]; in Italian, a diminutive derived from the verb stracciare ('to shred')), also known as stracciatella alla romana, is an Italian soup consisting of meat broth and small shreds of an egg-based mixture, prepared by drizzling the mixture into boiling broth and stirring.

What is stracciatella in Italy? ›

Meaning little rags, stracciatella is the name for three different Italian foods: soup, cheese, and gelato – the only thing they have in common is their name.

What is the meat for stracciatella? ›

To serve an excellent Stracciatella, you have to start with the meat broth to boil, according to the traditional recipe, with vegetables and herbs - a potato, an onion, a stalk of celery, and a clove of garlic - and your favourite cuts of meat - muscle, brisket, beef knee and chicken - which give it that strong and ...

How do you get big ribbons in egg drop soup? ›

Once you've made your egg mixture, just follow these steps.
  1. Turn off the heat.
  2. Slowly drizzle in your egg mixture with a soup spoon in a circular motion.
  3. Let it sit for one minute.
  4. Stir to break up your glorious egg ribbons.
Jun 21, 2023

What is stracciatella made of? ›

Stracciatella is a traditional Italian cheese made from pulled mozzarella curds mixed with fresh cream. This cheese is the inside of the burrata – if you've ever cut into a fresh burrata, the gooey interior that spilled out was stracciatella.

What is the flavor of stracciatella? ›

This elegant Italian version of chocolate-chip ice cream unites creamy vanilla gelato with luscious dark chocolate slivers. Those chocolate slivers are made by hand-spinning melted Ghirardelli chocolate into fresh vanilla gelato.

What is the history of stracciatella soup? ›

Stracciatella, The Soup

Giada refers to this soup as "Italy's version of egg drop soup," and it's the ultimate quick and comforting meal. The recipe originated in Rome hundreds and hundreds of years ago, and is said to have been created when families had loads of leftover broth on Christmas from cooking their meat.

What is stracciatella in a menu? ›

If you love Italian food, you may have seen “stracciatella” on menus and in cookbooks. But what does stracciatella mean? The first thing you need to know is that this isn't one dish but three rather different ones: Stracciatella is an ice cream (gelato) flavor, an egg-drop soup, and a soft cheese.

What is the difference between stracciatella and burrata? ›

In the most basic sense, burrata is a thin layer of mozzarella housing a stracciatella filling. Stracciatella, in turn, is a combination of fresh cream and mozzarella shreds, likely a way for cheesemakers to utilize the scraps of the mozzarella-making process.

Is stracciatella similar to mozzarella? ›

Stracciatella is a version of fresh mozzarella that's been torn into fine shreds as part of the stretching process. The word means "little rag" in Italian, referencing the look of the torn cheese. It was developed in the 1920s in Andria, a commune in Puglia in southern Italy.

What is similar to stracciatella? ›

It is also the forerunner of burrata, as it's made from the same ingredients (mozzarella and cream cheese) but comes in a less elaborate shape. As such, stracciatella is a great burrata substitute, rendering the same taste. The difference comes from texture, as stracciatella lacks the burrata's perfect, round shape.

Why is my egg drop soup so thick? ›

Egg Drop Soup is a chicken broth based Chinese soup often thickened with cornstarch and seasoned with soy sauce, ginger, and green onions. A beaten egg is stirred in the hot soup and makes the soup thick with beautiful egg ribbons.

Why is my egg drop soup cloudy? ›

If you like smaller egg “flowers”, stir the soup and pour the egg at the same time to create those small pedals of flavor! Another key tip - make sure the soup isn't too hot when pouring the egg, otherwise the soup will become cloudy.

Why is my egg drop soup not yellow? ›

The bright yellow color is achieved naturally in this recipe with turmeric. Restaurant-style egg drop soup often uses yellow food dye to achieve that color. You can get a brighter yellow color naturally by adding more turmeric, and using pasture-raised eggs (which have a brighter yellow yolk).

What does stracciatella mean in food? ›

In Italian cuisine, the word "stracciatella" does triple-duty. The origin of the word means "little shreds," which just so happens to describe every version of the food perfectly. Chocolate Hazelnut Stracciatella Semifreddo.

Why is it called stracciatella? ›

Stracciatella (the choc-chip icecream) is named after and inspired by an Italian soup made with egg drops. The Italian word for the soup comes from stracciare (“to rip, to tear up”), derived from Latin extractus, ultimately from Latin traho and PIE *dʰregʰ-.

Why is stracciatella called that? ›

This process creates the shreds of chocolate that give stracciatella its name, the word meaning 'little shred' in Italian. While stracciatella ice cream traditionally involves milk ice cream and milk chocolate, modern variations can also be made with vanilla and dark chocolate.

What does stracciatella mean in Latin? ›

Etymology. Borrowed from Italian stracciatella, from stracciare (“to rip, to tear up”), of ultimate Latin origin.

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