Acquacotta is an Italian vegetable soup with very humble beginnings. The word acquacotta literally translates from Italian to mean “cooked water.” It is what I think of as the Italian version of stone soup. Making something of nothing.
Start with a pot of plain water, and then add what you have. A bit of stale bread, some vegetables from the neighbor’s garden, maybe a bit of left over Parmesan cheese.
And then to make it just that much more hearty, add a poached farm-fresh egg.
From meager beginnings, the soup is elevated to perfection with a little help from your friends (or whatever leftover vegetables that linger in the fridge).
Pin or bookmark the post for later!
The finished soup, with the addition of the vegetables, beans, cheese, bread and a creamy poached egg is filling and delicious. It is perfect for lunch on a cold day or eaten as a light weekday dinner.
If you love this Italian bean soup recipe, and want to try a bean and pasta dish, try out this traditional Italian pasta fagioli recipe.
Here are some additional soup recipes you might enjoy.
Tuscan Vegetable Soup - Acquacotta

Acquacotta - A hearty Italian Vegetable Soup with Stale Bread, Parmesan Cheese and a Poached Egg.
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 Cloves Garlic - Minced
- 1 Medium Onion - Chopped
- 3 Stocks Celery - Roughly Chopped
- 2 Carrots - Roughly Chopped
- 1 Chili Pepper - Roughly Chopped
- 5 Porcine Mushrooms - Quartered
- 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 14 oz Can crushed tomato
- 1 14 oz Can White Beans, rinsed
- 2 Cups Packed Spinach, Kale, or Swiss Chard - Roughly Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Parsley - Roughly Chopped
- 6 Cups Vegetable Broth
- 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese - Shaved
- 4 Pieces Toast or Stale Bread
- 4 Eggs - Farm Fresh
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
- Serve with hot sauce of your choice
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.
- Add the onions and saute for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrots, celery, chili pepper and carrot. Continue to saute until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add the stock, tomato, spinach, beans and 1/2 of the parsley.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the carrots are cooked through.
- In the mean time, scrape a fresh garlic clove on top of the bread if you'd like an extra pop of garlic flavor. Place the each slice on the bottom of a soup bowl and top with shaved Parmesan Cheese.
- Poach the eggs by carefully cracking the eggs into the soup, or if you prefer into a separate pot of slowly boiling water. Continue to simmer for approximately 2 minutes until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny.
- Spoon vegetables and some broth into the soup bowls. Add a a poached egg to each bowl using a slotted spoon. Add some additional soup to the bowl and garnish with additional cheese and parsley. Serve with a side of hot sauce of your choice.
Visit our International Recipes section for other recipes inspired from our travels around the world.