This stracciatella soup (Italian egg drop soup) recipe is made with a rich (chicken) broth, nutritious vegetables, and a flavorful mixture of Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, eggs, and fresh parsley.

It's incredibly hearty, nourishing, and filling enough to serve as a complete meal. You can keep it low-carb or make it with pasta like Tortellini or Ravioli—this soup won't disappoint!

Two bowls filled with Straciatella soup next to a large pot of soup, extra Parmesan cheese and wooden spoons on the side.

When colder months are around the corner, there is nothing better than warming you up with a bowl of this healthy Roman egg drop soup.

In my home, it often serves as a cold cure soup to comfort and nourish the body when you need a little extra help.

It's also versatile enough to keep adding ingredients or tweak it to your liking. However you make it, this soup delivers incredible flavors and nourishment.

Jump to:

Why we love this soup
What is Stracciatella soup
Ingredients, notes & substitutions
How to make stracciatella soup
Keep it low-carb & gluten-free
Add Tortellini or Ravioli for a Heartier Dish
Storage & reheating
Serving Suggestions
Also Recommended
📖 Recipe

Why we love this soup

This homemade Italian egg drop soup contains plenty of nourishing vegetables.
It includes celery, carrots, leeks, and kale (or replace it with spinach).
Although traditionally made with a rich chicken broth, bone broth works too.
You can keep it simple and enjoy it as a vegetable egg drop soup.
Or throw in any cooked shredded chicken (or leftovers from a cast-iron roasted chicken) or pre-cooked ground Italian sausage to make it a stand-alone nourishing meal.
It has an incredibly flavorful mixture of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, beaten eggs, and fresh parsley that becomes little clouds when whisked into the simmering broth.
This soup is light, low-carb, and gluten-free without pasta.
But you can add your favorite pasta, like tortellini and ravioli, for a heartier dish.
You have plenty of options.

So let's make this nourishing Stracciatella soup recipe.

What is Stracciatella soup

You may know it as Stracciatella Alla Romana or Italian egg drop soup. It's a simple soup made usually from a rich meat-based broth. A raw egg-based mixture is stirred during the simmer, creating little shreds or soft egg pockets, usually deliciously flavored with Parmesan-Reggiano cheese and fresh chopped parsley. Although traditionally a starter soup for Easter with bread on the side, it's one of these recipes that was often adapted and served as a whole winter meal with added vegetables, meats, or pasta in my childhood.

Ingredients, notes & substitutions

A large bowl with chicken stock, another bowl with chopped fresh veggies like carrots, leeks, and celery, and another bowl with chopped kale on a table.

Stock or broth: This soup tastes richer and better with homemade stock. Although traditionally made with a rich chicken broth, bone broth works too. If you're looking for more ways to incorporate chicken broth into your meals, explore these recipes using chicken broth for inspiration.

For store-bought broths and stocks, go for slow-simmered, unsalted ones with minimal ingredients.

Finely chopped vegetables: leeks, celery, and deep-colored carrots add nutrition and infuse the stock with tremendous sweet and savory flavors.

They're only simmered long enough to tender but are far from mushy.

Greens like kale or spinach: curly or Russian kale is tossed in towards the end and tastes amazing in this soup. You can opt for spinach or Swiss chard.

When cooked, these dark greens lose their bitterness while making the Stracciatella soup nutritious and a complete meal.

A close up of fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and two farmer's eggs.

Eggs: use two large eggs for the mixture. Add a third or more to cover the Parsley if your eggs are small.

Parmesan or pecorino cheese: I wish I could tell you that you can substitute the Parmesan or Pecorino cheese, but this is an Italian egg drop soup, after all.

In my humble opinion, nothing compares to the sharp and uniquely bold flavors of these Italian cheeses when it comes to this soup. You don't have to get the best, just a decent brand.

Fresh parsley: it adds a peppery and unmistakable aromatic flavor that lifts up the whole soup. We add it to our homemade version, and I highly recommend it.

How to make stracciatella soup

(See complete instructions in the Recipe).

STEP 1: Bring your favorite homemade stock or broth to a gentle simmer. Season lightly with salt.

STEP 2: Add the chopped vegetables, except kale, and cook for 5 minutes.

STEP 3: Then stir in the kale. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes at a steady simmer. If you choose to add any frozen or refrigerated tortellini or ravioli, stir it in at this point.

STEP 4: In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with the cheese and parsley.

A close up of fresh chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and two cracked eggs in bowl.

A close up of an egg parmesan and parsley mixture in a bowl.

STEP 5: Pour the egg mixture into the soup, give it a good stir and simmer for one minute allowing the mixture to cook and fluff to the surface.

Note: For fluffy clouds or soft clumps—our home version—avoid over-stirring once you add them to the broth. A few stirs will suffice. For a more delicate stracciatella soup where the egg mixture becomes more stringy, slowly pour it while whisking it in the soup until it becomes straggly.

A bowl filled with Italian egg drop soup and vegetables with tortellini.

Keep it low-carb & gluten-free

No pasta is needed to enjoy this soup because it has satisfying flavors and incredibly nourishing ingredients.

You can make it more wholesome by adding any leftover shredded chicken (chicken stracciatella) or serving it with a chicken salad on the side (low-carb Italian Stracciatella soup).

A wooden spoon resting in a bowl filled with Italian egg drop soup and vegetables.

Add Tortellini or Ravioli for a Heartier Dish

Add cheese, spinach, or meat-filled tortellini for a more hearty dish—even ravioli can work here.

Refrigerated or frozen tortellini goes straight into the soup and cooks for a few minutes. And like kale, they are added toward the end.

I wouldn't add more than a pack of eight to nine ounces; otherwise, the pasta will soak up all the broth (more on that later—see storage).

A tortellini stracciatella is always very popular amongst kids and a great comforting winter meal like this sausage broccoli rabe pasta.

Note: You can also use dried tortellini, but instead of going straight into the soup, cook them first according to package instructions. Dried tortellini takes longer to soften and will take away too much of the broth when cooked together.

A large pot filled with Italian Straciatella soup with Tortellini.

Storage & reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

If you've made it with any pasta, it's best to store the pasta and soup separately so the noodles won't drink up the broth.

The soup warms up quickly on the stove over medium-low heat. When hot, stir back in the noodles and let cook for about a minute. Then serve and enjoy!

I never freeze this soup. Instead, I'll make a big batch of homemade chicken stock, freeze that in smaller portions, and only take out what I need to make this hearty Stracciatella soup.