Pastina soup is a gentle, savory bowl built from tender vegetables, silky broth, tiny star-shaped pasta, and a generous shower of Parmesan. This pastina soup recipe keeps the pasta separate so it stays pleasant instead of swelling in the pot, while blended carrots, celery, onion, and garlic give the broth a naturally rounded texture. It is a practical 45-minute meal for a quiet lunch, a cold evening, or any time a simple bowl sounds better than a complicated dinner.
What makes pastina soup special
Pastina means “little pasta,” and the tiny shapes make this soup feel distinct from a standard noodle bowl. Here, the vegetables are simmered until soft, then blended with part of the broth and returned to the pot. That step keeps the soup light enough to sip but gives it more body than a plain clear stock.
The pasta is cooked separately and added to each bowl. This small choice matters for leftovers: the broth remains brothy, and each serving can be adjusted with more or less pastina. Parmesan adds a salty, nutty finish that melts into the hot liquid.
Why this pastina soup recipe works
Sautéing the chunky vegetables in olive oil first builds a fragrant base before the broth goes in. A gentle simmer extracts their flavor without needing a long cooking time. Blending the softened vegetables with one or two cups of broth creates a smooth vegetable layer without adding cream.
Keeping the pasta separate also makes the recipe flexible. Serve the amount you want immediately, refrigerate the remaining components separately, and combine them only when reheating. The result is a cozy soup that is easy to portion and easy to refresh.
Ingredients you will need
- Olive oil, for sautéing and tossing the cooked pasta.
- Large carrots, celery, half a yellow onion, and garlic for the blended broth base.
- Chicken or vegetable broth and salt.
- One and a half cups of pastina.
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving.
How to make pastina soup
Begin with a large Dutch oven so the vegetables have room to sauté. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, and cook for five minutes. They do not need to brown deeply; look for softened edges and a fragrant, savory smell.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, then sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the broth and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked vegetable chunks to a bowl. Let them cool briefly before blending.
- Blend the vegetables with 1 to 2 cups of broth until very smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot.
- Cook the pastina according to its package directions. Drain it and toss with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Spoon pastina into shallow bowls, ladle the hot broth over it, and finish with freshly grated Parmesan.
Serving ideas
Serve pastina soup hot in shallow bowls so every spoonful carries both pasta and broth. A little extra Parmesan is the simplest finish. For a fuller table, pair it with warm bread, a crisp green salad, or roasted vegetables. Keep toppings restrained so the sweet vegetable broth and tiny pasta remain the focus.
This is also a useful make-ahead meal for a busy day. Prepare the broth and pasta separately, then assemble each bowl just before eating. That approach lets one person prefer a more brothy serving while another adds a larger scoop of pasta.
Tips for smooth, flavorful broth
Cut the vegetables into similarly sized chunks so they soften at roughly the same pace. Do not rush the simmer: the vegetables should be genuinely tender before blending. If the blender seems too full, work in batches and add only enough broth to create a smooth puree.
For the clearest flavor, taste the broth after the blended vegetables return to the pot. The Parmesan will add salt at the table, so make small adjustments rather than heavily seasoning the pot at the beginning.
Optional variation
For an optional variation, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth for a vegetarian bowl. The core recipe stays the same: sauté the vegetables, simmer and blend them, cook the pastina separately, and finish with Parmesan. This variation changes the broth choice only and does not alter the timing or vegetable method.
Storage and reheating
Cool the broth and pastina promptly, store them in separate airtight containers, and refrigerate them. Reheat the broth gently on the stovetop until steaming, then warm the pastina briefly or add it directly to the hot bowl. If the broth thickens slightly in the refrigerator, loosen it with a splash of broth or water while reheating.
Pastina soup questions answered
Can I cook the pasta in the soup? You can, but cooking it separately gives better control and helps prevent the tiny pasta from absorbing too much broth as it sits.
What is pastina? Pastina is a general name for very small pasta shapes. Tiny stars are especially fitting here, but another small shape can work if it cooks to a tender, spoonable texture.
How do I make the broth smoother? Simmer until the vegetables are completely tender and blend them with enough broth to move freely. Blend in batches when necessary.
Pastina soup FAQs
Pastina soup is at its best when served simply: silky vegetable broth, tender little pasta, and Parmesan melting over the top. Keep the components separate for easy leftovers, or ladle a fresh bowl straight from the pot for a warm, comforting meal.
Pastina Soup (Italian Penicillin) with Parmesan
Adjust the serving amount to scale the ingredient list. Written quantities in the steps refer to the original recipe; adjust them in the same proportion. Timing may vary with batch size.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for tossing the pasta
- 3 large carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 stalks celery cut into large chunks
- 1/2 yellow onion peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth or water plus broth base
- 1 teaspoon salt plus a pinch for the pasta
- 1 1/2 cups pastina tiny star pasta, cooked separately
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, then sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the broth and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked vegetable chunks to a bowl. Let them cool briefly before blending.
- Blend the vegetables with 1 to 2 cups of broth until very smooth. Stir the blended mixture back into the pot.
- Cook the pastina according to its package directions. Drain it and toss with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Spoon pastina into shallow bowls, ladle the hot broth over it, and finish with freshly grated Parmesan.
