Macaroni soup

Macaroni soup
Macaroni soup in Hong Kong
TypeSoup
Place of originItaly
Main ingredientsMacaroni
VariationsPasta e fagioli

Macaroni soup is soup that includes macaroni. The food is a traditional dish in Italy, and is sometimes served with beans, which is known as pasta e fagioli,[1] and was also included in Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management, where the connection with Italy is mentioned and the dish includes Parmesan cheese.[2] In the early 19th century, macaroni soup was one of the most common dishes in Italian inns.[3]

The soup was discussed as a food to improve the health of poor miners. Weeds can be used in macaroni soup in times of poverty to provide vitamins and minerals.[4][5] Due to its inexpensive nature, it is often part of the menu in institutions such as schools, hospitals and prisons. Protein such as soya beans can be added to provide nutrition.[6] It was included in a cookbook for schools in 1896.[7] One book suggests using it as a food to comfort distressed mental patients.[8] The dish was served as part of the menu for students in Memorial Hall, Harvard, in 1882,[9] where their food was described as looking better than it tastes.

In the Philippines, a common macaroni soup is known simply as sopas ('soup' in Tagalog). It originated from the American chicken noodle soup. It is made with macaroni, various vegetables and meat (usually chicken), with added evaporated milk. It is regarded as a comfort food and commonly served during cold days or to sick people.[10] [11]

The soup is also known in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is sometimes served with chicken balls.[12] In Indonesia, macaroni soup is an easy dish often served for children and during sahur meals in Ramadan.[13]

Macaroni in soup is also commonly found in Hong Kong, especially in Cha chaan teng (Hong Kong–style cafes). McDonald's in Hong Kong serve the dish in its breakfast menu.[14]

  1. ^ "Cara Mia Due". Newsday. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  2. ^ Beeton, Isabella (2006). Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. Wordsworth Editions. p. 70. ISBN 9781840222685. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  3. ^ Cadell, William Archibald (1819). A Journey in Carniola, Italy, and France, in the Years 1817,1818. Edinburgh: George Ramsey and Company. p. 152. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  4. ^ Researchspace: Nutrition and occupational health and safety in the South African mining industry, part 1
  5. ^ Search AGRIS - from 1975 to date | AGRIS :: International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Pereira, L.; De Campos, S. D. S. (1981). "Soya protein products for institutional feeding systems". Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society. 58 (3Part2): 355–362. doi:10.1007/BF02582377. S2CID 96782930.
  7. ^ Farmer, Fannie Merritt (January 1997). Original 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. Courier Corporation. ISBN 9780486296975.
  8. ^ John a. Kunz, MS (23 April 2007). Transformational Reminiscence: Life Story Work. Springer. ISBN 9780826115409.
  9. ^ "Rooms And Board At Harvard". The New York Times. 1882-12-25. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
  10. ^ "Chicken Sopas". Ang Sarap. February 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  11. ^ "How to Cook Sopas - the Creamy Filipino Macaroni Soup". Delishably. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  12. ^ "The New Straits Times Online". Archived from the original on 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  13. ^ "Resep Sup Makaroni Sosis untuk Menu Sahur, Enak dan Gampang Dibuat". IDNTimes.com. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Breakfast Platter and Twisty Pasta". McDonald's Hong Kong. Retrieved 24 November 2022.