Stracciatella Soup (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
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A pot of flavorful broth, a quick whisk of eggs and cheese, and ten minutes on the stove—that’s all it takes to make stracciatella, the comforting Italian soup that always hits the spot.
Stracciatella soup, also known as also known as stracciatella alla romana, is a classic Roman soup made by whisking eggs, Parmesan, and a touch of nutmeg into hot broth, where they cook into soft, lacy egg ribbons. It feels special but couldn’t be easier to make, and if you start with a good-quality store-bought broth, you can have it on the table in under 20 minutes. A handful of spinach makes a nice variation, but it’s equally satisfying in its simplest form.
Stracciatella is typically served in Italy as a first course before the main meal, but it also makes a light, nourishing meal all on its own. I love pairing it with crusty bread for dunking, or a simple arugula salad on the side. If you’re making a full Italian-style dinner, it’s wonderful followed by my chicken piccata.
What You’ll Need To Make Stracciatella Soup
- Chicken Broth: This is the backbone of the soup, so using a good-quality broth makes all the difference.
- Thyme: Gently infuses the broth as it simmers; use dried or fresh.
- Spinach: Totally optional, but it adds a nice bit of color and nutrition. It wilts in just a minute or two, so it’s an easy way to make the soup feel a little more substantial.
- Eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano, Parsley, Salt, White Pepper & Nutmeg: Whisked together, these create the classic stracciatella “egg ribbons.”
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the soup base. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, bring the chicken broth and thyme to a gentle simmer. If you’re using fresh thyme, fish out the sprig once it’s fragrant—about 5 minutes. Give the broth a taste and season with salt and white pepper until it tastes good to you; this is the base of the soup, so you want it nicely seasoned. If you’d like to add spinach, stir it in now and cook just until it wilts, 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 2: Make the egg mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmesan, parsley, ⅛ teaspoon salt, a pinch of white pepper, and a dash of nutmeg until smooth.
Step 3: Make the stracciatella. Reduce the heat so the broth is gently simmering. While stirring the soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture in a thin stream. The eggs will form delicate little shreds—that’s exactly what you want. Let them cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until set.
Step 4: Serve. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a little more Parmesan and parsley if you’d like, and serve right away. Enjoy!
More Cozy Italian Soups You’ll Love
Stracciatella Soup (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
Ingredients
- 6 cups (48 oz) good chicken broth (homemade or good quality store-bought, such as Swanson)
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 sprig fresh thyme)
- Salt
- White pepper
- 2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach (optional)
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (packed) freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus a bit more for serving (optional)
- Pinch of nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, bring the chicken broth and thyme to a gentle simmer. If using fresh thyme, remove the sprig once fragrant (about 5 minutes). Taste and season with salt and white pepper as needed—this is your final broth, so adjust until it tastes good to you.
- Add spinach (optional): Stir in the chopped spinach and cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, Parmigiano Reggiano, parsley (if using), ⅛ teaspoon salt, a pinch of white pepper, and the nutmeg until smooth.
- Reduce the heat so the broth is at a gentle simmer. While stirring the broth in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture in a thin stream. The eggs will form delicate shreds. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until just set.
- Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with more Parmesan and a touch of parsley (if desired), and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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