Acquacotta
Acquacotta, a rustic Italian peasant soup from Tuscany, transforms humble ingredients into a comforting and deeply flavorful meal. This vegetarian rendition features a rich, herbaceous vegetable broth brimming with tender seasonal vegetables, all served over toasted crusty bread and crowned with a perfectly poached egg.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 5 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 368 kcal
Allergen information: may contain celery, eggs, gluten, and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 pcsyellow onion, chopped
- 1 pcscarrot, diced
- 1 pcscelery stalk, diced
- 2 clovegarlic, minced
- 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
- 1 lvegetable broth
- 1 pcszucchini, diced
- 1 pcsbell pepper, diced
- 100 gspinach
- 1 pcsbay leaf
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.25 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 4 pcseggs
- 4 slicecrusty bread, stale, toasted
garnish
- 4 tbspparmesan cheese, grated(optional)
- 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped(optional)
Equipment
Dutch oven · Chef's knife · Cutting board · Measuring spoons · Measuring cups · Ladle · Grater (optional)
The method
Step by step
- 1
Finely dice the yellow onion, carrot, and celery into small, uniform pieces.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Uniformly diced vegetables, known as a 'mirepoix', ensure even cooking and a consistent texture in the soup base.
- 2
Mince the garlic cloves.
About 2 min
- 3
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Using a Dutch oven helps distribute heat evenly, preventing scorching and allowing for a gentle simmer.
- 4
Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
About 9 min
Cook’s note: Sweating the vegetables slowly coaxes out their natural sweetness and builds a foundational layer of flavor for the soup.
- 5
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Garlic burns quickly, so add it towards the end of the sautéing process and cook just until aromatic.
- 6
Pour in the canned crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, then add the bay leaf and dried oregano.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Crushed tomatoes provide a rustic texture and rich tomato flavor, while the bay leaf and oregano infuse the broth with classic Italian aromatics.
- 7
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer gently for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: A gentle simmer, rather than a rolling boil, helps to develop deeper flavors without over-reducing the liquid.
- 8
While the soup simmers, dice the zucchini and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces.
About 3 min
- 9
Add the diced zucchini and bell pepper to the simmering soup and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Adding these vegetables later prevents them from becoming mushy and helps them retain their vibrant color and texture.
- 10
Stir in the fresh spinach until it completely wilts, which typically takes about 1-2 minutes.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Spinach cooks down significantly, so it's best to add it at the very end of the cooking process.
- 11
Remove the bay leaf from the soup and discard it.
About 1 min
- 12
Season the soup with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Taste the soup before adding salt, as vegetable broth can vary in sodium content.
- 13
Carefully crack each egg directly into the gently simmering soup, spacing them out evenly.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the soup is at a very gentle simmer, not a boil, to prevent the eggs from breaking apart and to allow them to poach perfectly.
- 14
Cover the pot and poach the eggs for 3-5 minutes, or until the whites are fully set and the yolks are still wonderfully runny.
About 4 min
Cook’s note: For perfectly poached eggs, avoid lifting the lid too often, as the trapped steam helps cook the whites evenly.
- 15
While the eggs are poaching, toast the slices of crusty bread until they are golden brown and crisp.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Toasting the bread adds a delightful crunch and prevents it from becoming soggy too quickly when submerged in the soup.
- 16
To serve, place one slice of toasted bread in the bottom of each serving bowl, then ladle the hot soup over it, ensuring each bowl receives a perfectly poached egg.
About 1 min
- 17
Garnish generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley before serving immediately.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: The fresh parsley adds a bright, herbaceous finish, while Parmesan cheese provides a salty, umami depth.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 368.1kcal
- Protein
- 18.8g
- Carbs
- 35.5g
- Fat
- 17.5g
- Fibre
- 5.2g
- Sugar
- 11.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
This Acquacotta is a wonderfully adaptable dish. Feel free to add other seasonal vegetables like green beans, peas, or kale. For a heartier meal, you could stir in some cooked cannellini beans. Serve with a crisp green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. A light-bodied red wine, such as a Chianti or Sangiovese, would pair beautifully with the rustic flavors of this soup.
Store leftover soup (without the bread or poached eggs) in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Poached eggs are best eaten fresh.
Gently reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. Do not boil. Poach fresh eggs and toast new bread when serving leftovers.
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