Name: Italian Stracciatella Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 cups broth (chicken, beef or vegetable); 3 large eggs (room temperature); ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; 1 dash nutmeg* (if desired)

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A simple Italian Soup made with broth, eggs and parmesan cheese. A Roman Soup Recipe perfect for cold winter days. Make it with a homemade broth or store bought, ready in 5 minutes.

Two bowls of soup on a brown board with slices of bread.

This was of course a soup that I first tried prepared by my mother-in-law, it’s a big favourite for children, although adults can never say no to a bowl. I suppose it is the Italian version of Egg Drop Soup. Italians love soup during the colder months, from a traditional Minestrone to a simple Italian vegetable soup to one of my favorites, Chickpea Soup.

There’s nothing like a big bowl with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and freshly chopped parsley if you wish, whether you are feeling under the weather or not! So good.

Table of Contents

Recipe Ingredients

Broth – either homemade or store bought
Eggs – whole large eggs
Parmesan cheese – freshly grated Parmigiano
Nutmeg – just a dash but this is optional

Because you are only using a few ingredients in this soup good quality ingredients are important!

What Is Authentic Parmesan?

Parmigiano Reggiano cheese is authentic or DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta which means Protected Designation of Origin), and Parmesan cheese is just an imitation of Parmigiano Reggiano. Reggiano is always made in Italy, while Parmesan can be made anywhere, there are no restrictions on using the name Parmesan. And don’t forget a less expensive but also a DOP choice is Parmigiano Grana Padano.

Why Grate Your Own Parmesan Cheese?

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A couple of reasons it’s better to grate your own. It’s cheaper and it tastes so much better. Packaged cheese tends to have a coating to keep the cheese from sticking together. Not a good thing.

You can grate your own cheese with either a Cheese Grater or by placing chunks in your Food Processor and just pulsing a few times until coarsely ground.

Freshly ground parmesan cheese can be kept in a plastic bag or airtight container and stored in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also store it in the freezer for up to 18 months.

How to make it

This soup is made with only 4 ingredients, broth, eggs, parmesan cheese and nutmeg.

In a medium to large pot bring the broth to a boil. In a small bowl beat the eggs then add the parmesan cheese, salt and nutmeg (if desired). If you don’t like nutmeg then a sprinkling of lemon zest before serving is also favourite with Romans. Beat until well combined.

the eggs beaten in a bowl and the parmesan added

Add the egg mixture to the boiling broth in a slow steady stream while mixing with a whisk, let cook for about 3-4 minutes. Once the mixture boils again, give it another whisk and then serve.

How to make homemade broth

For this recipe Italians like to use a meat based broth either beef or chicken, if you prefer you can make a vegetable broth. Of course if you prefer you can use store bought.

In a large pot add a few pieces of meat (bone in is also a good idea), a carrot and an onion peeled and cut in half, a celery stalk cut in two, a bay leaf, 2-3 pepper corns, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 12 cups of water. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally and remove any foam that appears on the top of the broth. Pour the broth through a sieve, and let the liquid cool before using.

Any unused broth can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer safe containers and will keep for up to 6 months.

What does Stracciatella mean?

To tell the truth there is no direct translation in English for this word, similar to Italian words such as Pizza or Pasta. Stracciatella can mean 3 different types of Italian food, from this soup to Gelato which is similar to chocolate chip ice cream, to Stracciatella Formaggio which is a type of cheese prepared with Buffalo milk.

Is it Healthy?

This soup is not only healthy but it’s also low in calorie, 159 calories for 1 1/3 cups. This is a typical soup of the Lazio Region in Italy, once considered a poor man’s dish it is now extremely popular and is a must soup at Christmas and Easter time. If you want to make it a more hearty you can add some pastina (very small pasta) to the broth along with the eggs.

How to store it

It is always best to eat this soup as soon as it’s made but if you have leftovers store them in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to 2 days. It can also be frozen, freeze in a freezer safe container it will last up to 1 month.

More Delicious Italian Soups

So if you are looking for a new and different soup to try then I hope you try this Italian Stracciatella Soup and let me know what you think. Buon Appetito!