Nourishing Stracciatella Soup
This stracciatella soup or Italian egg drop soup recipe is made with a rich (chicken) broth, nourishing vegetables, and a flavorful mixture of Parmesan cheese, eggs, and fresh parsley.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time15 minutes mins
Total Time25 minutes mins
Course: Soups and Salads
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 330kcal
- 8 cups homemade chicken stock or robust unsalted store-bought chicken stock 2 quarts/about 2 liters
- 1 cup finely chopped carrots (about 5 small farmer's carrots) 140 grams
- ½ cup finely chopped celery (about 1 to 2 celery stalks depending on size) 70 grams
- 1 cup packed finely chopped leeks—1 small leek 105 grams
- 3 cups packed chopped curly kale 110 grams (1 small bunch)
- 1 package frozen or refrigerated Ravioli or Tortellini 8 ounces/ 227 grams (optional), (*or use dried tortellini cooked according to package instructions)
- 2 large eggs 3 if eggs are small
- ½ cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese 45 grams
- ½ cup packed finely chopped parsley (curly or flat) 30 grams
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot, heat the stock over medium-high heat until simmering. Then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Season lightly with salt.
Meanwhile, prep the vegetables while keeping an eye on the stock.
Add the chopped carrots, celery, and leeks—Cook for 5 minutes.
Then stir in the chopped kale.
Optional: if you want to add frozen or refrigerated tortellini or ravioli, add it right after you've stirred in the kale.
Let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes at a steady simmer.
Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, the cheese, and the parsley until thoroughly combined.
Pour in the egg mixture and give it a good stir.
Simmer for about 1 minute more, allowing the mixture to cook and fluff to the surface.
Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Serve hot.
Helpful tips:
- Storage: if you have leftovers, store soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. Best to keep the tortellini or any pasta and soup separate so the pasta won't drink up the broth.
- For freezing, best to freeze the stock without the pasta or stracciatella (egg mixture).
- Reheating: The soup warms up quickly on the stove over medium-low heat. When hot, stir in the cooked noodles (if using) and let cook for about a minute. Then serve and enjoy!
- Options: This soup tastes amazing without any pasta. But if you do choose to make it with pasta, I recommend a cheese or spinach-filled tortellini or ravioli. You can also add leftover or cooked shredded chicken or pre-cooked ground Italian sausage to make it a stand-alone nourishing meal.
- Prep Time: the 10 minutes include warming up the stock while prepping the vegetables.
- Pasta: if added, frozen/refrigerated tortellini or ravioli will be ready when they're floating to the surface and tender (anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes). Dried tortellini must be cooked according to package instructions before adding them to the soup.
- Eggs: A few gentle stirs when mixing in the egg mixture will result in small eggy clumps (which we prefer at home). However, if you like the egg mixture to be a sheer addition to the soup (more like little shreds), then keep stirring until the egg mixture becomes more stringy.
Calories: 330kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 902mg | Potassium: 633mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 7778IU | Vitamin C: 42mg | Calcium: 210mg | Iron: 6mg