Stracciatella Soup

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Stracciatella is an Italian egg drop soup that is common to San Marino and Le Marche, as well as Rome and Emilia-Romagna. The name is derived from the Italian word that means “torn apart” or “rags” and that’s an apt description for the dish. The eggs look like tiny torn rags in the broth. A tasty soup, this easy-to-prepare dish makes a perfect lunch or first course.

The foundation of any good bowl of soup is the broth. Sunday mornings, from late Fall through early Spring, it was fairly common to find a large stock pot, simmering atop Mom’s stove, filled with vegetables, chicken, and a piece of beef.  The resultant broth, brodo, formed the basis of that week’s soup and the occasional batch of risotto. Stracciatella, being so relatively plain, needs that kind of rich, full-bodied broth. I highly recommend making your own stock — be it vegetable or meat-based — for this soup but I, also, realize that not everyone has the time to do so. As a result, if you do use store-bought stock, be sure it’s low-sodium. Once you’ve added the egg and cheese mixture to the broth, you can taste the soup and add salt, if need be.

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Stracciatella Soup Recipe

total time: approx.  15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 cups (2 quarts) chicken stock (vegetable stock may be substituted for a vegetarian diet)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • grated parmesan cheese for serving

Directions

  1. Combine eggs, cheese, parsley, and nutmeg in a bowl or container with a pouring spout and mix well.
  2. Place stock into a sauce pan and heat over a med-high heat.
  3. When it begins to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, use one hand to gently stir the stock in a circular motion and, with the other hand, slowly pour the egg mixture into the pan.
  4. When all the egg mixture has been added, stop stirring and continue simmering for another minute or so.
  5. Taste the soup and season with salt & pepper, if needed.
  6. Serve immediately with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Variations

I’ve seen stracciatella prepared with spinach several times by television cooks and, in fact, I’ve prepared it this way, too. Strictly speaking, it is not a “true” stracciatella but it is a tasty alternative and just about as easy to make as the original. Take either frozen chopped spinach or fresh spinach that’s been chopped and add it to the simmering stock. Let the stock cook the spinach for a few minutes before stirring and adding the egg mixture. Whether or not you include spinach, with so few ingredients, a delicious bowl of stracciatella is only minutes away.

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Stracciatella (soup)

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45 thoughts on “Stracciatella Soup”

  1. Pingback: Traditional Le Marche Dish: Stracciatella Soup | Le Marche and Food | Scoop.it

  2. Pingback: Traditional Le Marche Dish: Stracciatella Soup | Internet Billboards

  3. Pingback: Traditional Le Marche Dish: Stracciatella Soup | La Cucina Italiana - De Italiaanse Keuken - The Italian Kitchen | Scoop.it

  4. Pingback: Traditional Le Marche Dish: Stracciatella Soup « goodthingsfromitaly

    • I’m glad this reminded you of your Grandmother, Judy. That’s always a good thing. 🙂
      I don’t make stracciatella nearly as often as I’d like. It is such a typical Italian recipe, using a few ingredients to make a satisfying dish. With Winter coming on fast, this is a good reason to keep a quart or two of home-made chicken stock in the freezer. A hot bowl of stracciatella is then only a few minutes away.

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  6. Pingback: Mom’s Broth — Il Brodo della Mamma | from the Bartolini kitchens

  8. Pingback: Spaghetti with White Anchovies & Capers | from the Bartolini kitchens

    • That it is, Norma, though the Chinese recipes I’ve seen have a few more ingredients and, as a result, have a more complex flavor. Just last night, I read a recipe for one and bookmarked it. Have you posted a recipe? I’d much prefer following a recipe from someone I know and trust, like you, than anyone else.

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  11. This is such a great soup! And your method of making it is classic – simple, direct, and flavorful. I haven’t made this in several years – I should get around to it again, don’t you think? 😉 Really good stuff – thanks so much.

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    • Thanks, John. For me, one of the befits of recording my family’s recipes is that I get to prepare them again. Some like stracciatella, haven’t graced my table in over a decade. Not so since writing this post. It has a permanent spon on the “rotation” and I don’t see it getting bumped off any time soon.

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  13. Pingback: Agnolotti Redux | from the Bartolini kitchens

    • What a coincidence! I do hope you both enjoyed the soup. It’s a favorite of mine, whether or not I’ve a cold. No matter how bad I may be feeling, so long as I’ve some broth in the freezer, a bowl of stracciatella is only minutes away.

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    • Thanks, Linda. I’m glad that you enjoyed the post and that it brought to mind some warm memories. You aren’t the first to mention that a recipe reminded them of something or someone in the past. I always enj
      oy hearing that. 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Welcome! It’s one reason I try to keep a quart of chicken stock in the freezer during winter. A bowl of stracciatella couldn’t be easier to prepare and it will chase the chill away.
      Thanks for the visit and for taking the time to comment.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Sorry, Josette. I was away for much of the day. I think 2 eggs would work fine. It really is a matter of taste. I would suggest beating the 2 eggs and add them slowly to the hot broth. Stop midway through and see it there’s enough egg. Keep adding and stopping until you reach the point you prefer. For myself, there cannot be too much egg but others may feel differently. I hope this helps and is in time for your dinner plans. 🙂

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  20. Oh John, one of my favourite ‘pick-me-up’ soups – which I have been making what seems ‘decades’ now – learnt to make it after the chef of one of Milan’s top hotels especially made this for me when I got quite ill with a very bad attack of the flu and could not eat anything for many days. Despite the heat outside I could do with this soup right now – will have to teach JS how to make it, sans curry spices 🙂 ). Thanks John

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    • You’re so welcome and I need to thank you. I’d forgotten all about this dish and you’ve reminded me, just in time for soup season. Isn’t it a great soup? So easy to prepare and so satisfying. I need to get a pot of chicken stock on the stove. There’s a couple bowls of stracciatella in my not-so-distant future. 🙂

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  22. Hello John,
    Just wanted to let you know, I made this soup two days ago. It was great and so refreshing after the Christmas meal. It was loved by everyone! Thank you for that recipe, I will definitely make it again 🙂
    Regards,
    Yana

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    Reply ↓

  23. I am making this one, John. Hope your mouth is healing.
    Want to wish you a very happy new year. I’m behind on responding to comments and appreciate your steadfast support on the blog. xxoo

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    • Happy New Year, Ruth. I hope you made and enjoyed our stracciatella. It’s such a great soup and so easy to prepare.
      My mouth is pretty much healed and we’re waiting to begin Round 2 later in the month. My diet will remain restricted, however, until then. That’s OK. Soup like this stracciatella have been a blessing.

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    • Marche? Really? Mom’s parents were from Marche, too, as were other family members. Let me se … Corinaldo, Fabriano, and Ancona come to mind, I do’t recall any serving stracciatella with cream of wheat but that sure does sound like a great breakfast in mid-winter. Buon Natale! 🙂

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  25. Hi John, I know that you haven’t blogged for awhile, but wanted you to know that I shared this beautiful soup with a link back to your blog for my readers to find you. I have shared it in a post on “Cold Outside? Comfort Soups to Warm Your Soul”. I hope you stop by to see it and the other soups that I shared.
    Be well,
    Roz

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  26. Well…. it’s summer .. and I needed something to keep within my freestyle weight watcher points tonight. I remembered this! My mother and Grandma always made it.. I looked on pintrest and here you were! Thank you! Haven’t had it in so long! It’s so low in points ! Just have to count the cheese! Delicious! 😍

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    • Sorry for the delayed reply …

      Yes, I really do live this dish and am glad that you’ve found it. It’s so easy to prepare and still very tasty. It’s my go-to lunch once the temperatures cool. I never tire of it.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment.

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