Description
A comforting and easy Pastina Soup recipe featuring vegetable-infused chicken broth, tender pastina pasta, and a touch of parmesan cheese. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal that’s ready in 30 minutes and full of comforting flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 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
Soup
- 1 1/2 cup 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 to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and 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. Scrape the pureed vegetables back into the pot.
- Boil the pasta: Increase the heat to high and bring the soup back to a boil. Stir in the pastina and cook until the pasta is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from heat.
- Serve: Taste the soup and adjust salt as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Serve hot with crusty bread or a fresh salad if desired.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level in the soup.
- If you don’t have a food processor, you can use an immersion blender to puree the vegetables directly in the pot.
- Pastina cooks quickly, so keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking and becoming mushy.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness if desired.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth and omit the parmesan rind or use a vegetarian parmesan alternative.
- This soup pairs perfectly with crusty bread and a crisp green salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 308 kcal
- Sugar: 5.4 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.2 g
- Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 15.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
