Equipment
Ingredients
Eggs
- 4 large eggs, cold
Soup Base
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1000 ml vegetable broth
- 100 g small pasta, dry
- 150 g baby spinach, washed and dried
- g fine sea salt
- g black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 224 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 23 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 1055 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 186 mg
- Potassium
- 445 mg
- Calcium
- 86 mg
- Iron
- 2.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 65 mg
- Phosphorus
- 220 mg
- Zinc
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 291 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 184 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.33 mg
- Niacin
- 0.6 mg
- Folate
- 96 mcg
- Water
- 318 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring water to a gentle boil in a medium saucepan. Carefully lower the cold eggs into the water using a slotted spoon. Boil for exactly 9 minutes to ensure the yolks are fully firm, safely reaching an internal temperature of 71°C/160°F.
Transfer the eggs immediately to an ice-water bath using the slotted spoon. Let them sit until completely cooled. Peel, cut in half on a cutting board, and set aside.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant but not browned.
Pour the vegetable broth into the pot with the garlic. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Stir the small dry pasta into the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook until the pasta is al dente according to package instructions.
Remove the pot from the heat. Add the fresh baby spinach and stir gently until the leaves are bright green and fully wilted. Season with fine sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.
Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls. Gently place two egg halves on top of each bowl and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Cooking the pasta directly in the broth releases starches that give the soup a slightly richer, more comforting body.
- For a clearer broth or if preparing for meal prep, boil the pasta in a separate pot of salted water and add it to individual portions upon serving to prevent liquid absorption.
- Using a high-quality homemade vegetable stock or chicken bone broth elevates this simple dish from a quick weeknight fix to a remarkably deeply flavored meal.
- To make peeling the hard-boiled eggs easier, use eggs that have been in the refrigerator for at least a week rather than farm-fresh ones, as the membrane pulls away from the shell more readily.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store peeled boiled eggs separately from the soup in an airtight container to maintain optimal texture.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering. Add extra broth if the pasta has absorbed too much liquid. Add cold eggs to the hot soup just before eating to warm them through.
Troubleshooting
Pasta absorbs all the broth, resulting in a stew-like consistency
Cause: The soup was left sitting too long before serving, or boiled too aggressively
Fix: Add an extra splash of hot water or heated broth to thin out the soup to the desired consistency
Prevention: Cook pasta just until al dente and serve immediately. If making ahead, cook pasta separately and add to individual bowls.
Green or grey ring around the egg yolks
Cause: The eggs were overcooked or not cooled quickly enough, causing sulfur and iron to react
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Set a precise timer for 9 minutes and plunge the eggs immediately into a very cold ice bath
Cultural Context
Spinach and egg soups appear across many cultures, notably in the Italian tradition of Stracciatella (which uses beaten eggs dropped into hot broth) and rustic European peasant dishes. The addition of a whole hard-boiled egg and pasta transforms a simple, economical broth into a sustaining, well-rounded meal using common pantry staples.
