Italian Egg Drop Soup, Stracciatella Recipe (2024)

  • Fall Soups
  • Italian

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.

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Updated October 29, 2021

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

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.

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 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 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 does the Italian word stracciatella mean? ›

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 ...

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.

Where did stracciatella soup come from? ›

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 a substitute for stracciatella? ›

For melting, such as on a pizza, fresh mozzarella or burrata can be used in place of stracciatella.

Is stracciatella similar to mozzarella? ›

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.

How do you eat stracciatella? ›

It's impossible to go wrong with stracciatella cheese, but one particularly delicious way to serve it is topped with crushed pistachios, a drizzle of olive oil and perhaps some ribbons of honey if you're feeling something a little sweet.

What is the difference between stracciatella and burrata? ›

Burrata is essentially stracciatella — mozzarella that has been stretched, torn into thin strands and soaked in cream — that is then encased by a layer of fresh mozzarella, and sealed or tied up to make a ball.

What is stracciatella savory? ›

Stracciatella has a flavor profile that is both rich and savory. The creamy, milky taste of the fresh shredded mozzarella combines perfectly with the buttery and slightly tangy flavor of the added cream.

What is Italian cold meat called? ›

September 19, 2023. No trip to Italy is complete without trying some salumi – the catch-all term for Italian cured meats. You'll see this word (along with the actual product) everywhere in Italy, but the sheer abundance of different types and styles can be overwhelming.

What does stracciatella mean in Latin? ›

From stracciato (“ripped, torn up”, past participle of stracciare) +‎ -ella, ultimately from Latin extrahō (“to extract, remove”).

What is a good substitute for stracciatella? ›

Burrata or creamy mozzarella are good alternatives.” Recipe by chef Matt McConnell.

Is stracciatella ice cream or cheese? ›

Stracciatella is a term used for three different types of Italian food: Stracciatella (ice cream), a gelato variety with chocolate flakes, inspired by the soup. Stracciatella di bufala, a soft cheese from the Apulia region. Stracciatella (soup), an egg drop soup popular in central Italy.

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