Print

Italian Pastina Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.6 from 79 reviews

A comforting and classic Italian Pastina Soup featuring tender vegetables, a rich Parmesan-infused broth, and delicate small pasta. This easy-to-make soup is perfect for cozy meals and can be garnished with fresh parsley for an aromatic touch.

Ingredients

Scale

Vegetables

  • 1 yellow or white onion (roughly chopped)
  • 2 carrots (roughly chopped)
  • 2 celery sticks (roughly chopped)

Broth and Pasta

  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 Parmesan rind
  • 1 cup pastina pasta (or other small pasta)

Finishing Touches

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • Salt and pepper (to taste)
  • Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare Vegetables: Chop the yellow or white onion, carrots, and celery roughly to ensure they cook evenly and quickly.
  2. Simmer Vegetables and Broth: In a large pot, combine the chopped vegetables, 6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, and the Parmesan rind. Bring the mixture to a boil to extract flavors from the vegetables and cheese rind.
  3. Cook Until Tender: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and infused with broth flavor.
  4. Blend Vegetables: Strain out the cooked vegetables while reserving the broth. Blend the vegetables with some of the reserved broth until smooth to create a creamy vegetable puree.
  5. Cook the Pasta: Return the vegetable puree and remaining broth to the pot. Add the pastina pasta and simmer for an additional 7 to 9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender and cooked through.
  6. Season and Finish: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed for a balanced flavor.
  7. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately for best taste and warmth.

Notes

  • If you prefer a chunkier texture, blend only half of the cooked vegetables and stir in the rest.
  • Vegetarian option: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • Parmesan rind adds deep umami; save your rinds from blocks of Parmesan cheese for soups like this.
  • Pastina pasta can be substituted with other small pasta shapes such as orzo or acini di pepe.
  • To reduce sodium, use low-sodium broth and adjust salt at the end.
  • Use fresh parsley for garnish to add a fresh herbal note and color contrast.

Keywords: Italian soup, Pastina soup, comfort food, vegetable soup, Parmesan rind, easy soup recipe, small pasta soup

Find it online: https://thedishspot.com/italian-pastina-soup-recipe/