I’m certain I inherited my love and appreciation for soups from my dad. He introduced me to so many of them that I have been inspired to make a LOT of them myself.
And so I wanted to make one of my (and my dad’s) favorite soups that isn’t only packed with wonderful flavor, but also with irresistible strands of spinach and egg.
It’s called Stracciatella soup. An Italian staple, it’s typically found at many Italian restaurants and is basically the Italian version of a Chinese Egg Drop soup. When my dad told me to try his at a restaurant once upon a time, I was totally hooked on this one.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it always, NOTHING cooks soup as good as the Instant Pot. And as with many soups, it couldn’t be easier to make. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that taste the best!
Here’s How I Made It!:
Pour some chicken broth into the Instant Pot…
…add some spinach…
…and give everything a good stir (it may seem like there’s a LOT of spinach in there, but trust me, it cooks down significantly!) Secure the lid and cook at high pressure.
Meanwhile, prepare the egg mixture by taking a lemon…
…and zesting half of it into a mixing bowl.
Then, crack 3 eggs and add it to the zest…
…along with some grated Parmesan…
…ground nutmeg…
…Italian parsley…
…and basil flakes…
Whisk together…
…until it looks like this and set aside.
Once the pot is done cooking, remove the lid and you’ll notice all of the spinach has wilted and cooked down perfectly.
Give it a nice stir so it blends into the broth and then bring up the heat on the Instant Pot with the “Sauté” setting.
Now this step is optional, but I love adding some cheese-stuffed tortellini into my Stracciatella soup!
Once the soup is boiling, add the tortellini to the Instant Pot…
…and let it boil for a few minutes.
When done, turn the pot off. The bubbling will die down and when it does…
…slowly pour in that wonderful egg mixture and swirl it around with a fork at the same time. You’ll bear witness to a magical transformation that will take place as the color of the soup changes and the eggs turn into tiny little frayed rags!
It should look like this thing of beauty when done.
Lade some into a bowl and top with some more Parmesan if you wish…
…and MANGIA!This one’s for you, dad!
Instant Pot Stracciatella Soup
Stracciatella Romana is the Italian version of egg drop soup. Light, comforting and filled with ribbons of spinach and egg alike, you cannot go wrong with this delightful soup experience.
Ingredients
- 6 cups of chicken broth (I used 6 tsp of Reduced Sodium Chicken Better Than Bouillon + 6 cups of water)
- 8oz bag of fresh spinach leaves, whole
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp of fresh basil, chopped (or 1 tsp of dried basil flakes)
- 3 tbsp of Italian parsley, chopped (or 1 tbsp of dried parsley flakes)
- 1/4 tsp of grated nutmeg
- Zest of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp of grated Parmesan cheese (plus additional for topping)
- Salt & black pepper to taste
Optional:
- 15-20 oz of fresh tortellini of your choice, though I suggest using cheese-filled (I used two 9 oz packages of Buitoni. You can usually find fresh tortellini in or near the refrigerated dairy section of your local supermarket – and Costco makes a GREAT one too near the cheese section!) Only add how much tortellini you’ll eat and see my “Jeffrey Sez” section to see why.
Instructions
- Add broth and spinach to the Instant Pot (it will feel like a LOT of spinach in the pot, but it will cook down to practically nothing). Secure the lid and hit “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” High Pressure for 3 minutes
- While the soup is cooking in the pot, combine the eggs, nutmeg, parmesan, basil, Italian parsley and lemon zest and whisk it all together
- Quick release the soup when done. As soon as you remove the lid hit “Sauté” and “Adjust” to the “More” setting to bring to a simmer. This will make it a more untraditional Stracciatella, but if you wish to add some fresh tortellini of your choice, add it now and cook according to the package (usually 3-4 minutes). Turn the pot off once it’s simmered and the pasta has cooked (if using it).
- Now, immediately and slowly pour the egg mixture into the Instant Pot in a drizzle-like fashion, using a fork to stir it around until the egg cooks and becomes a frayed/raggy/clumpy like consistency for about 60-90 seconds. Then, let it set for a minute and season with some salt and pepper to taste
- Ladle into bowls and top with some more grated Parmesan
- Enjoy!
Jeffrey's Tips
If you wish to add some of my shredded chicken that’s been prepared previously, do it at the very end just before serving. Click here to see how to make it!
Want it even more eggy? Add a fourth egg!
Want to make it a bit unconventional and want some pasta like a fresh tortellini in there? Feel free to add an 9oz package or two (with a stuffing of your choice – I suggest cheese) after quick releasing and allow to simmer in the Instant Pot until cooked according to the package’s instructions, just before adding in the egg mixture!
Just remember that if you store leftovers with the tortellini in there, it will absorb a lot of the soup while in the fridge and expand. So it’s best to only add in how much tortellini you’ll be need per serving and then just cook the tortellini with the soup while reheating!
Esther
After making the minestrone, I went right to the stracciatella. Also, superb, easy and delicious. I froze individual portions of each soup. Easy to heat up anytime! I’ll keep trying Jeffrey’s recipes. They are true to the recipes, so easy and deliver on taste.
Kristy
How about adding meatballs, and could you use dried tortellini?