Stracciatella alla Romana (Italian Egg Drop Soup) Recipe

Chicken soup Italian-style, featuring a rich broth filled with a deeply flavorful mixture of beaten eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated June 02, 2023
A bowl of stracciatella soup resting on a striped dishcloth.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Homemade stock makes all the difference here; most store-bought ones just won't cut it.
  • Blending the egg with grated cheese adds a ton of flavor to each spoonful of soup.
  • Whisking the egg mixture into the soup breaks it up into small, cloud-like nubbins.

Stracciatella alla romana is the egg drop soup of Italian cooking. It starts with a rich meat broth (either chicken or beef), into which a beaten mixture of whole eggs and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano is streamed in to form tiny, light, and flavorful clouds. A bit of fresh nutmeg and lemon complete the picture. It's quick, comforting, warming, and oh so delicious.

October 2018

Recipe Details

Stracciatella alla Romana (Italian Egg Drop Soup) Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 15 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 quart (950ml) homemade chicken stock (or homemade pressure cooker chicken stock) or homemade beef broth (see notes)

  • Kosher salt

  • 4 large eggs

  • 3 ounces (85g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

  • Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (optional)

  • Freshly grated lemon zest and/or fresh lemon juice, to taste (optional)

  • Finely minced flat-leaf parsley, to garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. In a medium saucepan, heat stock over medium-high heat until simmering. Lower heat to a bare simmer. Season lightly with salt.

  2. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs and cheese until thoroughly mixed.

  3. Slowly pour egg mixture into the soup while whisking. Return to a simmer, then remove from the heat. Season with salt once more, if needed.

  4. You can season and garnish the soup as desired. A light grating of nutmeg is traditional, as is some finely grated lemon zest, and even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with parsley, if you like. Serve hot.

Special Equipment

Saucepan, whisk

Notes

Homemade stock is very important here, since it's very exposed. Store-bought broths and stocks can be used, but we don't recommend it since they generally don't taste nearly as good. To make a simple beef broth, simmer beef stewing meat, bones, and/or ground beef and aromatic vegetables like carrot, onion, celery, and garlic until flavorful (at least 1 hour); you can also use a pressure cooker for a beef broth, which should cut the cooking time down to about 30 or 45 minutes.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The broth can be made in advance, but the egg mixture is best when added shortly before serving. Still, the finished soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
192 Calories
11g Fat
4g Carbs
17g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 192
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 218mg 73%
Sodium 1071mg 47%
Total Carbohydrate 4g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 17g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 221mg 17%
Iron 1mg 7%
Potassium 180mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

More Serious Eats Recipes