Italian Pastina Soup
Simple and nourishing, Italian pastina soup (also called Italian penicillin soup) is a healing comfort food made with blended vegetables and rich broth. Perfect for when you’re feeling under the weather.
I made this Italian pastina soup recipe (aka pastina en brodo or Italian Penicillin Soup) because my daughter has a terrible cough and cold right now. I’ve seen so many versions of this viral Italian penicillin soup recipe, but I decided to try one from The Menu Maid because it sounded amazing. I cooked the pasta separately from the broth, so my daughter can make bowls of it in the coming days without the pasta becoming gummy. She had two bowls, along with some crusty bread, and said it was comforting and delicious.
Italian Pastina Soup
Ingredients:
- 1½ tbsp butter
- 4 small carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2Â bay leaves
- Parmesan rind, optional, but adds umami, flavor, and richness
- 1 cup cold chicken broth or water
- ¾ cup acini di pepe, or tiny star-shaped pasta
- Juice of 1 lemon
Serving:
- Fresh parsley, finely minced
- Parmesan, freshly grated
- Fresh lemon wedges
How to Make an Italian Pastina Soup:
Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add all the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic cloves and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, to soften a bit and bring out their natural sweetness.
Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and Parmesan cheese rind. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the veggies are very soft.
Remove and discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaves.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the veggies to your blender. Add 1 cup of cold broth (or water) to the veggies. Blend the cooled veggies and broth in your blender until completely smooth.
Pour into the broth and stir to combine. Add the juice of one lemon. Taste the broth and re-season if needed.
Meanwhile, cook the acini di pepe in a large saucepan of well-salted boiling water to al dente. Drain.
Ladle some broth into a serving bowl and stir in the desired amount of drained pasta.
Serve with fresh parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon wedges.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or Large Soup Pot
Ingredients
- 1½ tbsp butter
- 4 small carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 whole garlic cloves peeled & smashed
- Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- Parmesan rind optional, but adds umami, flavor, and richness
- 1 cup cold chicken broth or water
- ¾ cup acini di pepe or tiny star-shaped pasta
- Juice of 1 lemon
Serving:
- Fresh parsley finely minced
- Parmesan freshly grated
- Fresh lemon wedges
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add all the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic cloves and season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, to soften a bit and bring out their natural sweetness.
- Add chicken broth, bay leaves, and Parmesan cheese rind. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the veggies are very soft.
- Remove and discard the Parmesan rind and bay leaves.
- Pour into the broth and stir to combine. Add the juice of one lemon. Taste the broth and re-season if needed.
- Meanwhile, cook the acini di pepe in a large saucepan of well-salted boiling water to al dente. Drain.
- Ladle some broth into a serving bowl and stir in the desired amount of drained pasta.
- Serve with fresh parmesan cheese, parsley, and lemon wedges.
