Stracciatella – is that not just the sexiest word? It means “little shred” and before it found it’s way into a Haagen Dazs commercial it was a sort of Italian soup; the ice cream was inspired by the soup. I have been using this technique for years with my Christmas Eve Holiday soup, but I never knew what it was called. When I perused that holiday soup recipe and realized that with the simple swap of g-free bread crumbs in the meatballs, my husband could enjoy it just like every other December. Stracciatella is the Italian version of egg drop soup; you combine eggs and cheese and drizzle them into the swirling broth, forming thin strands of egg noodles (sans flour, full of flavor). It also adds more protein and a general good time to your soup.
Typical stracciatella just has broth, egg/cheese noodles, and spinach. I figured white beans would be the perfect addition for the flavor profile as well as protein factor. Now I have a soup that comes together in under twenty minutes, is gluten free, and presents a satiating weeknight meal. Serve with plenty of parmesan cheese for a total win.
White Bean and Stracciatella Soup
Serves 6
2 tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 c. chicken broth
2 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
6 c. fresh baby spinach
Parmesan for serving
1. Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium low heat. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant and garlic is starting to turn golden.
2. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
3. Add beans, salt and pepper.
4. Combine eggs and cheese in a small bowl. While stirring soup in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in mixture. Separate cooked eggs/cheese with a fork to create thin shreds.
5. Add spinach and cook until wilted.
6. Serve with plenty of parmesan on top.
