Stracciatella is a brothy Italian egg drop soup made here with ribbons of kale to warm and sooth you during from the inside out.
Nothing is quite as comforting as a bowl of hot soup; the colder the weather, the more inviting. A warm room, a big bowl and spoon are all that’s needed to make me happy.
For me this Italian egg drop soup (also known as Stracciatella alla Romana) is a nearly perfect food; it’s pure nourishment with ease. On paper it doesn’t look like much, but bowl after bowl it delivers.
When I’m cold or ill, I turn to egg soup. There are as many versions of this soup as there are cooks in the world with variations of it found across the globe. From Asian egg drop soup to Italian Stracciatella to Provencal aigo boulido, brothy eggs soups are an age old comfort touted to have restorative and curative properties.
This bare bones soup is simple yet so soothing. If you have a good homemade broth on hand this is the time to use it, but if not, a quick and aromatic garlic broth can be made in less than an hour or you can use your favorite store-bought broth.
How to make stracciatella soup:
- Just water, garlic and a few herbs are all that’s needed to make a simple broth, or skip this step and use your favorite vegetable broth instead. Choose something with a light clean flavor.
- Then comes a chiffonade of hardy kale (spinach is more traditional if you'd prefer) that's simmered in the broth until just softened, silky and noodle-like.
- Next an egg is beaten with either Parmesan or Pecorino (choose one made with vegetarian rennet like this one) and swirled gently into the broth. The egg adds richness and heartiness to this otherwise Spartan soup, creating ribbons that the Italians call “stracciatella” (little rags). The steaming broth and slight bitterness from the greens contrasts nicely with softened egg ribbons.
Immensely satisfying and wholesome, this might just become your new winter favorite too.
More soothing soups to try:
Italian Egg Drop Soup (Stracciatella)
A brothy Italian egg drop soup made with ribbons of kale to warm and sooth you during the winter months.
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 3 cups/720ml vegetable broth (homemade or store bought) or 3 cups of garlic broth (recipe below)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup/67g kale (fresh or frozen), cut into ribbons or finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons/30g freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan or Pecorino Romano
- ⅛th teaspoon fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 Tablespoon finely minced parsley for garnish (optional)
For the Garlic Broth:
- 6 cups/ about 1 ½ liters of fresh filtered or spring water
- 1 small head of garlic
- 4 fresh sage leaves
- 6 fresh thyme stems
- 2 small bay leaves
- A few sprigs of parsley
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
Make the Broth (if using):
- Peel and smash the garlic cloves.
- Add the peeled garlic cloves, fresh herbs, salt and pepper to the water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer.
- Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Store extra in fridge for up to a week.
Make the Soup:
- In a small saucepan, bring the 2 cups of broth to a simmer.
- Add the chopped kale and cook for 5 minutes or until just wilted and softened.
- In a measuring cup, combine together the eggs, cheese, 1 teaspoon of water and salt and pepper, whisk vigorously.
- Gently pour the egg mixture into simmering broth, while stirring constantly. Stir quickly for fine ribbons, or more slowly for thicker ones.
- Remove saucepan from heat and let sit covered for 1 to 2 minutes until egg has set.
- Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with parsley if using and serve with more Parmesan on the side if desired.
Notes
If using a store-bought vegetable broth, choose one from the freezer section instead of a box or can for the freshest flavor.
Spinach can be substituted for the kale. If using spinach stir the spinach after the egg mixture has been added.
Make sure to choose a Parmesan or Pecorino that is made with vegetable rennet to keep the soup vegetarian.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 205Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1032mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 15g
Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.
EA-The Spicy RD says
I just love how simple this soup is to make, and I am a huge fan of egg in soup...I have great childhood memories of going to a Chinese Restaurant in LA w/ my grandparents and eating egg drop soup. Can't wait to try this!
Jeanne @ Cooksister says
Ou Sylvie, your pictures are as soothing as I imnagine the soup to be! Love these light broths - conforting but never heavy 🙂
Amanda says
What a stunning soup!! Hope you are well!
Liz @ The Lemon Bowl says
What a gorgeous, nourishing, comforting bowl of soup. Can't wait to try this!
[email protected] says
This is one of my favorite soups. My grandma used to make this with stinging nettle. It doesn't sting when it's cooked! 😉
Lovely recipe, Sylvie, and, as always, I am going to hang around here for a while and stare/study the photos. 🙂
Christine (Cook the Story) says
Sylvie, You're so right! A hot brothy soup is such a comfort. I think the egg is especially so. Such a basic simple food that always seems to matter so much.
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
I've never made any sort of egg soup, and I'm not a huge fan of Kale, and yet somehow your post has made me want to try this soup. It sounds so nourishing! 🙂
Liz says
We have bitter cold temps headed our way next week. Your beautiful and yummy soup would be a perfect way to warm up from inside out. I'd add a few meatballs for the carnivore hubby...mmmmm....
thelittleloaf says
This looks beautifully comforting - perfect for this cold, cold weather we're having here in the UK!
El says
What gorgeous pictures. I love soup!