Italian Pastina Soup

Bowls of pastina soup on a cutting board with bread.

5 from 7 votes

This cozy Italian Pastina Soup is the ultimate feel-better meal, made with blended veggies, tiny pasta, and a savory broth. Ready in just 30 minutes with easy prep and minimal ingredients—perfect for sick days, chilly nights, or a quick comfort dinner.

Prep Time5

Cook Time30

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings: servings

Calories: 165.54kcal

Author: Sarah Hill

Equipment

1 Large pot or Dutch oven
1 Blender or Immersion Blender

Ingredients

1 yellow or white onion roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 celery sticks roughly chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 Parmesan rind
1 cup pastina pasta or other small pasta like acini di pepe or stelline
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Chop the vegetables roughly; you don’t need to be precise.
1 yellow or white onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks
Add them to a large pot with the broth and Parmesan rind. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth, 1 Parmesan rind
Once boiling, turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the vegetables from the pot using a strainer and add to a blender with ½-1 cup of the broth. You can also add to another pot and use an immersion blender. Blend until smooth. Be careful when blending hot liquids.
Pour the pureed veggies back into the pot and add the pastina. Simmer for 7-9 minutes until the pasta is cooked.
1 cup pastina pasta
Turn off the heat and season with Parmesan cheese, salt and black pepper to taste.
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, Salt and pepper
Serve topped with some freshly chopped parsley.
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Video

Notes

If you're making a large pot, wait to add the pastina until the end, or even better, add it directly to each bowl. This prevents the pasta from getting too soft or soaking up all the broth, keeping it the perfect texture. I recommend doing this if you will have leftovers also.
For a kick, add a dash of red pepper flakes, a sprinkle of Italian seasoning, or a touch of garlic powder. Just a little goes a long way in amping up the flavors.
Turn your soup into a heartier meal by adding leftover rotisserie chicken, browned Italian sausage, or even a soft-boiled egg on top for extra protein.
To store Italian pastina soup, let it cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. If you anticipate leftovers, it’s best to keep the cooked pastina separate from the broth to avoid it absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.
I leave the parmesan rind in especially if I plan to have leftovers but you can remove it just before serving if you prefer.

Nutrition