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).
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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.