I’m about to tell you about the weirdest thing I’ve tried all year, and I need you to stay with me: Italian coffee with a raw egg yolk beaten into it.
Before you assume this is some cursed TikTok “wellness hack” involving raw liver and ice baths, let’s get one thing straight—this is uovo sbattuto con caffè. It’s a tradition Italian grandmothers have been using to fuel their families since long before “biohacking” was a word.
The “What” and the “Why”
The name literally means “beaten egg with coffee.” It’s basically two ingredients plus your morning caffeine. You take a yolk, a spoonful of sugar, and you whisk it with a fork until it turns into a pale, creamy mousse. Then, you drown it in hot espresso.
The result isn’t “breakfast soup.” It’s more like a liquid tiramisu that hasn’t found its way into a cake pan yet. It’s velvety, rich, and has just enough bitterness to remind you that you’re actually an adult who needs to get to work.
Why did they do it? Efficiency. In rural Italy, specifically places like Lombardy, this was the original “on-the-go” breakfast. If you had eggs from the coop and coffee on the stove, you had a high-calorie, high-energy meal in thirty seconds. Milk was a luxury or a hassle; eggs were right there.
The Elephant in the Room: Salmonella
Look, I’m not a doctor, and I’m definitely not your doctor. If you’re pregnant or immunocompromised, go make a standard latte and skip the rest of this.
But for the rest of us? The panic over raw eggs is a bit overblown. In the U.S., the CDC estimates that only about 1 in every 20,000 eggs is contaminated with Salmonella. If you’re using fresh, high-quality, refrigerated eggs, the risk is statistically lower than the risk of getting food poisoning from a bag of pre-washed lettuce. If you’re really worried, buy pasteurized eggs. Otherwise, just remember you’ve eaten way more raw cookie dough than this in your life and you’re still standing.
How It Actually Tastes
It doesn’t taste like eggs. Seriously.
When you whisk a yolk with sugar, the proteins emulsify. It stops being “egg” and starts being “cream.” When that hot espresso hits the mixture, it creates this frothy, luxurious head that’s thicker than any cappuccino foam you’ve ever had. It’s richer than a latte, but since there isn’t ten ounces of milk diluting it, the actual flavor of the coffee still hits you.
Vietnam Might Have Won This One
I’ll probably get my Italian card revoked for this, but the Vietnamese version—cà phê trứng—is actually better.
Invented in Hanoi in 1946 during a massive milk shortage, it uses sweetened condensed milk instead of plain sugar. It’s thicker, sweeter, and basically a drinkable custard. If the Italian version is a classy morning pick-me-up, the Vietnamese version is a full-blown dessert. Both are great, but the Hanoi version is what you drink when you’ve had a really bad day and need a hug in a cup.
How to Not Screw It Up
You can make this in two minutes, but don’t get lazy.
- Whisk like your life depends on it. Use a fork or a small whisk. If it’s not pale yellow and fluffy, keep going. If you stop too early, you’re going to have eggy chunks floating in your cup. Nobody wants that.
- Slow and steady. Don’t just dump the coffee in. Pour it slowly while stirring. You want to “temper” the egg, not scramble it.
- Drink it now. This isn’t a drink you carry around in a thermos for three hours. The texture starts to get weird once it cools down.
The Verdict
Is it weird? Yeah, a little. But it’s also a perfect example of how people used to eat before everything came in a plastic wrapper—simple, high-quality ingredients used in a clever way.
If you’re the person who appreciates a good cortado or cares about your bean origin, give it a shot. At worst, you have a funny story for your next brunch. At best, you just found your new favorite way to start the morning.
The Basic Recipe:
1. Separate one egg yolk into a cup or small bowl. Save the white for something else.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar (or more if you want it sweeter).
3. Whisk vigorously with a fork or small whisk for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and fluffy.
4. Brew a shot of espresso (or strong coffee).
5. Pour the hot espresso slowly over the whipped egg mixture, stirring gently as you pour.
6. Drink immediately while it’s hot.
Common Mistakes:
Don’t skimp on the whisking. If you don’t whisk long enough, the egg won’t emulsify properly and you’ll get eggy chunks. You want it pale and mousse-like.
Don’t dump the coffee in all at once. Pour it slowly while stirring, or you’ll scramble the egg. This is coffee, not breakfast.
Don’t let it sit. The texture changes as it cools, and not in a good way. This is meant to be drunk hot and fresh.
Use good eggs. Since you’re eating them raw, quality matters. Fresh, organic, pasture-raised eggs have better flavor and lower risk.
Variations Worth Trying
Once you’ve nailed the basic version, mess with it.
Add a pinch of cinnamon or cardamom to the egg mixture before whisking.
Use half a shot of espresso and top it with steamed milk for a richer, latte-like drink.
For the full zabaglione experience, add a splash of Marsala wine or amaretto to the egg before whisking.
Try the Vietnamese version: use sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, whisk until stiff peaks form (this takes longer), and pour over iced coffee.
Make it boozy: top with a shot of rum or Irish cream. This is technically breakfast, but no one’s judging.
Who Should Try This?
If you’re the kind of person who orders a cortado instead of a latte, makes your own cold brew, or has opinions about burr grinders—you should try this. It’s weird enough to be interesting, traditional enough to feel authentic, and delicious enough to actually add to your rotation.
If you treat coffee like fuel and don’t really care what it tastes like, skip it. This is for people who actually enjoy coffee.
If you’re horrified by raw eggs no matter how much I explain the statistics, fair enough. Make a latte. Or try the cooked version (zabaglione) where you whisk the eggs over a double boiler until they’re pasteurized.
Where to Learn More
Wikipedia – Uovo Sbattuto
Basic history and regional variations of the traditional Italian beaten egg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uovo_sbattuto
Food52 – Zabaglione al Caffè Recipe
Personal story about “caffé col’uovo sbatutto” from childhood, includes cardamom variation
https://food52.com/recipes/9338-zabaglione-al-caffe
Batch Recipes – Uovo Sbattuto Explained
Deep dive into the viral Italian coffee trick, safety considerations, EU egg handling
https://batchrecipes.com/uovo-sbattuto/
The Nonna Project – Childhood Breakfast Recipe
Collection of Italian-American family memories and regional variations with Marsala
https://nonnaproject.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/shocking-childhood-breakfast-recipe-uovo-sbattuto-ingredients-italian/
Shelf5 – Uovo Sbattuto con Caffè
Simple recipe and technique tips from “every Italian nonna”
https://shelf5.com/2022/02/12/uovo-sbattuto-con-caffe/
Nguyen Coffee Supply – History of Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Complete history of cà phê trứng, Nguyen Giang’s invention at Metropole Hotel in 1946
https://nguyencoffeesupply.com/blogs/news/history-of-vietnamese-egg-coffee
Atlas Obscura – Vietnamese Egg Coffee
Cultural context and wartime dairy shortage backstory
https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/vietnamese-egg-coffee
Legal Nomads – Vietnamese Egg Coffee Recipe
Firsthand Cafe Giang experience in Hanoi, comparison to dalgona coffee
https://www.legalnomads.com/vietnamese-egg-coffee-recipe/
Analida’s Ethnic Spoon – Authentic Vietnamese Recipe
Detailed recipe with condensed milk, personal travel story from Hanoi
https://ethnicspoon.com/vietnamese-egg-coffee-ca-phe-trung/
Cafe Giang Official Site
The original egg coffee cafe in Hanoi since 1946, still run by Nguyen family
https://cafegiang.vn/
Miscela d’Oro – Coffee Zabaglione Recipe
Italian dessert version with bain-marie technique, alcohol-free variation
https://www.misceladoro.com/en/news/coffee-zabaglione-italian-recipe/
Food Network – Giada De Laurentiis Espresso Zabaglione
Celebrity chef’s cooked version whisked over simmering water
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/espresso-zabaglione-recipe-1943273