Italy · Soups

Stracciatella alla Romana (Roman Egg Drop Soup)

15 min4 servings150 kcal

Stracciatella alla romana is a Roman egg drop soup: hot chicken or meat broth into which a mixture of beaten eggs and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano is streamed, forming delicate little 'rags' of egg.

Stracciatella alla Romana (Roman Egg Drop Soup)

Ingredients

chicken broth1 l
eggs2
parmesan40 g
nutmeg1 pinch
black pepper0.5 tsp
parsley1 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil1 tbsp

Cook’s note

Texture of the rags: stir vigorously with a whisk for fine, wispy threads (a cloudier soup); stir slowly with a spoon for larger, softer flakes. Extra flavorings: a pinch of nutmeg, grated lemon zest (a Lazio/Marche touch), freshly ground black pepper; a little pecorino alongside the Parmigiano for sharpness. Variations: (a) Vegetarian — use a quality vegetable broth instead of chicken (and Parmigiano made with vegetable/microbial rennet). (b) With greens — kale (simmer until tender first) or spinach (30-60 seconds before the end). (c) Pastina stracciatella — add small pasta (stelline, ditalini) for a heartier version, the Italian child's 'soup when you are sick.' (d) Lemon — more zest in the egg mixture plus a squeeze of juice at the finish. Storage: do not freeze; leftovers up to 1 day in the fridge; when reheating, break up the clumped egg with a spoon and only warm it through, NOT to a second boil (a second boil makes the egg rubbery). Serving: immediately and hot, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, pepper, parsley, optionally more Parmigiano; as a primo before a meat second course (especially the Easter lamb) or as a light supper. Wine: Frascati (Lazio) or a light white. Main mistakes: too much heat (scrambled egg instead of threads); pouring the egg in all at once without stirring (big clumps); semolina in alla romana (turns it to porridge); parsley during cooking (muddies the broth — add only at serving); over-salting (the Parmigiano is already salty); re-boiling leftovers (rubbery egg).

Method

1Bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Pour about 1 litre of good chicken or meat broth into a saucepan and warm it over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer — tiny bubbles only at the edges, the surface almost still. The quality of the broth carries the whole dish, since there are so few ingredients, so use homemade if you can. Just before adding the egg, lower the heat to its lowest setting; a rolling boil is the single thing that ruins this soup.
2Make the egg-and-cheese mixture. While the broth heats, crack 2 eggs into a bowl and add 40 g of finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, and a few grinds of black pepper. Whisk thoroughly until completely smooth and homogeneous, with no lumps. Room-temperature eggs blend in more evenly. Hold off on salt — the Parmigiano brings plenty of its own, and you can adjust at the end.
3Stream in the egg, stirring in one direction. With the broth at its lowest simmer, slowly pour the egg-and-cheese mixture into the pot in a thin stream while stirring the broth continuously in a single direction with a whisk or wooden spoon. The egg sets on contact with the hot broth and breaks into the little rags that give the soup its name. The broth will look cloudy at first but clears as it warms.
4Choose your texture. Stir vigorously with a whisk for fine, wispy threads and a cloudier soup; stir slowly with a spoon for larger, softer egg flakes. Both are correct — it is purely a matter of taste. Let the soup simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes more so the egg cooks through, without ever letting it come to a hard boil.
5Season and serve. Taste and add salt only if needed — remember the cheese. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and finish each with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a little more black pepper, a scattering of minced parsley, and extra grated Parmigiano if you like. Add the parsley only now, at serving — stirring it in during cooking turns the broth muddy. Serve immediately; stracciatella does not wait.