Description
Pastina Soup is a comforting and easy-to-make soup featuring tiny pasta cooked in a flavorful vegetable-spiked chicken broth with parmesan cheese. This cozy weeknight recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, making it perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner. Garnished with fresh parsley and grated parmesan, it pairs wonderfully with crusty bread and a fresh salad.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Vegetables
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into large pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into large pieces
- 2 celery ribs, sliced into large pieces
- 1 parmesan rind (about 2 inches long)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups pastina (or any tiny pasta variety like alphabet, orzo, or acini di pepe)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
- Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Simmer the broth: In a large pot with a lid, combine the chicken broth, sliced onion, carrots, celery, parmesan rind, and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Let it simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Puree the vegetables: Remove and discard the parmesan rind. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add a couple of ladles of the broth and blend until smooth. Return the pureed vegetables to the pot with the broth.
- Boil the pasta: Increase the heat to high and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Stir in the pastina and cook until tender, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
Notes
- This recipe uses one pot, making clean-up easy and quick.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the parmesan rind or use a vegetarian parmesan alternative.
- Pastina cooks very quickly, so keep an eye on it to prevent overcooking.
- Serve with crusty bread and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- Leftover soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking the pasta.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 308 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
