Macaroni soup is soup that includes
macaroni. The food was included in ''
Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management'', where the connection with Italy is mentioned and the dish includes
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan (, ) is an Italian hard, granular cheese produced from cow's milk and aged at least 12 months. It is a grana-type cheese, along with Grana Padano, the historic , and others.
The term ''Parmesan'' may refer to either Parmigiano ...
.
In the early 19th century, macaroni soup was one of the most common dishes in Italian inns.
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. 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. It was included in a cookbook for schools in 1896. One book suggests using it as a food to comfort distressed mental patients. The dish was served as part of the menu for students in
Memorial Hall, Harvard, in 1882, 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
Chicken soup is a soup made from Chicken (food), chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear broth, chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common addition ...
. It is made with macaroni, various vegetables and meat (usually chicken), with added
evaporated milk
Evaporated milk, known in some countries as "unsweetened condensed milk", is a shelf-stable canned cow’s milk product for which approximately 60% of the water has been removed from fresh milk. French inventor, Nicolas Appert, the "father of ...
. It is regarded as a
comfort food
Comfort food is food that provides a nostalgic or sentimental value to someone and may be characterized by its high caloric nature associated with childhood or home cooking. The nostalgia may be specific to an individual or it may apply to a ...
and commonly served during cold days or to sick people.
The soup is also known in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is sometimes served with chicken balls. In Indonesia, macaroni soup is an easy dish often served for children and during sahur meals in
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (''Fasting in Islam, sawm''), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. It is also the month in which the Quran is believed ...
.
Macaroni in soup is also commonly found in Hong Kong, especially in
Cha chaan teng
''Cha chaan teng'' ( zh, t=茶餐廳, cy=chàhchāantēng, l=tea restaurant), often called a Hong Kong-style cafe or diner in English, is a type of restaurant that originated in Hong Kong. ''Cha chaan tengs'' are commonly found in Hong Kong, Ma ...
(Hong Kong–style cafes).
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
in Hong Kong serve the dish in its breakfast menu.
References
{{Pasta dishes
Macaroni dishes