Description
Italian Pastina Soup is a cozy, vegetable-based soup featuring tiny pastina pasta. A perfect balance of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and rich broth, this comforting soup is ideal for any day you need a heartwarming, quick meal. Ready in just 25 minutes, it's packed with nourishing ingredients like carrots, celery, garlic, and a flavorful broth. Garnished with parmesan and parsley, this Italian classic will warm you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pastina pasta (stelline shape or similar)
- 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 6 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth, low-sodium preferred)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Optional: 1 bay leaf and 1 parmesan rind
- For Garnish (optional): Chopped parsley, Grated parmesan cheese, Drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
Instructions:
- Roughly chop the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves.
- In a large pot, pour the vegetable broth and add the chopped vegetables, bay leaf, and parmesan rind (if using). Season with salt and black pepper. Cover the pot and simmer over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes.
- Check the vegetables for doneness with a fork; they should be soft and tender. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Use a slotted spoon or colander to strain out the vegetables.
- Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender, add ½ cup of water, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the blended vegetables back into the pot with the broth, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Bring the soup to a boil and add the pastina pasta. Stir the soup every minute to prevent the pastina from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the pastina is tender.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil, if desired. Enjoy warm!
Notes
- You can customize the soup by adding more vegetables, such as zucchini, spinach, or green beans.
- For extra protein, add cooked chicken or white beans.
- For a spicier version, add red pepper flakes or a chopped chili pepper.
- A dollop of ricotta cheese can be added for a creamier texture.
- You can make this soup ahead of time and store it for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer, Blend
- Cuisine: Italian
