Stracciatella alla
Romana

Roman egg & cheese soup

Beaten eggs and Parmigiano-Reggiano form soft ribbons in hot broth, making a light Roman first course with a gently savory finish.

Let’s cook it
The photo shows a version with greens; this recipe has none.
Egg ribbons in a bowl of broth with leafy greensEgg ribbons; the photo includes greens
Get to know the dish

Soft ribbons,
a clear broth.

In this Roman soup, eggs beaten with grated cheese meet simmering broth and separate into tender little shreds. The name stracciatella refers to those ragged pieces. A little nutmeg gives the clear broth a warm aroma without turning it into a thick cream soup.

It is a light primo, useful when you want a warm beginning before a more substantial course. The same name appears on cheese and gelato menus, so look for alla romana or the soup section. Some versions add greens or semolina; this one keeps the egg-and-cheese mixture simple.

Explore by food: Soups

A little Lazio in your kitchen

Let’s make stracciatella alla romana.

Ready-made broth keeps this egg-and-cheese soup straightforward.

Four small bowls as a first course.

Serves4
Prep5 min
Cook10 min
Total15 min

What you’ll need

  • 1 lready-made chicken or beef broth
  • 4large eggs
  • 80 gParmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated
  • ⅛ tspgrated nutmeg
  • ¼ tspblack pepper
  • to tastefine salt
A little kitchen wisdom

Use a broth you enjoy on its own. The timing begins with prepared broth; making broth from scratch is a separate task.

How to make it

  1. 01

    Heat the broth

    Bring the broth to a steady simmer in a saucepan. Taste it before adding any salt.

  2. 02

    Beat the eggs

    Whisk the eggs, cheese, nutmeg and pepper in a bowl until evenly combined.

  3. 03

    Form the ribbons

    Pour the egg mixture slowly into the simmering broth while stirring gently with a fork. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until all the egg is set in soft shreds. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.

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