Name: Italian Zucchini Egg Drop Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 2 pounds zucchini (about 4 large), shredded using the shredding blade of your food processor (5-6 cups shredded); Salt; Pepper; 3 large eggs; 1/3 cup grated parmigiana Reggiano or another good quality parmesan cheese; 4 cups low salt chicken broth (I recommend Swanson's); 2 cups water; 12-14 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped plus more for garnish; Grated parmigiana cheese to sprinkle on top

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This Italian zucchini egg drop soup recipe has shredded zucchini, onions, garlic, parmesan and fresh basil. It's hearty and bursting with fresh summery flavors.

I spent last weekend in New Orleans. Two of my sons attend college there at Tulane. Our visits are largely centered around eating - the food is sooooo good.

We had a particularly memorable meal at a charming contemporary Creole restaurant called Atchafalaya. If you go there, don't miss the fried green tomatoes with crab and remoulade sauce. When we arrived, we were greeted by a very large cast iron skillet - my favorite cooking vessel and Panning The Globe's trademark.

When I got back to Massachusetts I was craving a light meal - but one that didn't compromise on flavor. I experimented a bit and came up with this Italian zucchini egg drop soup.

Egg Drop Soup Italian Style

You might think of egg drop soup as an Asian dish, but Italy has it's own version. They call it Stracciatella. The name comes from the Italian verb "stracciare", meaning “to tear apart.” That's how the eggs look in the soup - like torn shreds.

Traditional stracciatella is made with chicken broth, eggs, parmesan cheese and spinach. In honor of summer I decided to use shredded zucchini instead of spinach. I also added some fresh basil for a finishing touch.

How To Make Zucchini Egg Drop Soup

Sauté shredded zucchini with onions and garlic until tender
Whisk eggs with parmesan cheese, salt and pepper
Bring chicken broth (or veggie broth) and water to a simmer and slowly whisk in the egg-parmesan mixture.
Stir in the zucchini and simmer until heated through - Done!

Stir in chopped basil just before serving for a bright fresh final layer of flavor.

This soup makes a perfect, light summer lunch or even dinner. If you're a vegetarian, use your favorite vegetable broth as the base, instead of chicken broth. Serve zucchini egg drop soup with a salad of sliced ripe summer tomatoes and basil, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic - maybe some crusty bread on the side. Or with this delicious Mediterranean Chickpea Salad on the side.

Pass around some extra parmesan cheese - it only gets better!

Top time saving tip

Shred the zucchini in your food processor!

Here's the recipe for Italian zucchini egg drop soup. If you make this I hope you'll come back to leave a star rating and a comment. I'd love to know what you think!