Garlic Egg Drop Soup with Spinach

For our 10th day of Soup Month 2013 we prepared a light and easy to make, Garlic Egg Drop Soup with Spinach.  This meat-free soup is full of bold garlic flavor and it would be delicious served as a first course with baked chicken or served with Shrimp Egg Rolls, and would even taste great served with a simple salad. 

This is a wonderful old fashioned Italian soup that has several variations.  Some people like to add shredded leftover chicken or sausage to the soup, while others prefer the clear, chicken infused broth.  And some people choose to add the Parmesan cheese only as a garnish and not in the soup pot.  Either way, this mild soup makes a quick and healthy dinner that you can have ready in about 20 minutes.

If you have the extra time, homemade stock gives this soup a deep, rich flavor.  Just boil a few chicken quarters or a whole chicken, and save the stock to use for this soup and you have an extra meal almost ready to go.   Enjoy!!

1 cup  Ditalini Pasta, or other small pasta
6 cups  Chicken Stock, homemade or packaged
5 cloves  Garlic, sliced
5 oz  Fresh Spinach, washed and stems removed
1 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
4  Eggs, beaten
1/3 cup  Grated Parmesan Cheese, plus more for garnish

In a small saucepan, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente.

In a medium soup pot, bring the stock and garlic to a simmer and cook 3 minutes.  Add the pasta and fresh spinach and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes.  Add the salt and pepper and adjust to taste.

Slowly drizzle the eggs into the hot soup, stirring to create long strips of egg and cooking for 2 minutes.  Add the Parmesan cheese and stir.  Remove the soup from the heat and ladle soup into bowls, topping each bowl with a sprinkle of more grated Parmesan cheese.  Serve with Shrimp Egg Rolls for a quick and easy meal.  Makes 6 - 8 servings.