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Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Pastina Soup (aka Italian Penicillin)


Pastina Soup is brothy, satisfying, and really easy too! Also called Italian Penicillin, this nourishing soup recipe will remedy no matter ails you. Heat up and really feel higher with a scrumptious bowl of soup that feeds the physique and soul.

bowl of pastina soup

There’s been at the very least one particular person in my household sick at any given second over the previous three months, which implies I’ve made extra batches of Pastina Soup, aka Italian Penicillin, then I can depend!

My children and I’ve even developed a chant we sing time and again as I scoop ladlefuls of steaming broth into their bowls:

Sewp! Sewp! We. Love. Sewp!

Possibly you needed to be there.

Whether or not you’re sick, nicely, or someplace in between, you’re going to like every spoonful of this brothy, nourishing, EASY soup.

close up photo of italian penicillin soupclose up photo of italian penicillin soup

Pastina — aka Italian Penicillin — Soup

Pastina Soup is a tackle Hen Noodle Soup. Just like the soul-satisfying traditional, this model requires broth, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, plus contemporary and dried herbs, and pasta. Not like typical hen soup although, the greens are boiled then blended into the broth which provides the soup a little bit physique.

Pastina Soup additionally goes by the title “Italian Penicillin” as a result of it’s the BEST whenever you’ve bought a head chilly or the flu and want one thing comforting and nourishing that takes little or no effort to make.

What’s Pastina?

Pastina refers to small pasta shapes and interprets to: “little pasta” in Italian. Acini di pepe and orzo are forms of pastina, and Barilla even sells mini star pasta they label as “pastina”.

All that stated, I really like utilizing Jovial model gluten free “stelline” pasta which is tiny star-shaped pasta made with brown rice. They work completely on this recipe.

ingredients for pastina soupingredients for pastina soup

Components Wanted

This soup recipe falls into “the sum is larger than its components” class, that means it requires on a regular basis elements which mix to make one thing spectacular. Right here’s what you’ll want:

  • Hen inventory or bone broth: I really like utilizing home made hen inventory as the bottom of this soup, in any other case Kirkland (Costco) model hen inventory is my store-bought go-to. In the event you’re actually underneath the climate, bone broth is incredible for pumping up the vitamin and protein within the soup.
  • Mirepoix: carrots, celery, and shallot or onion present numerous taste and vitamin.
  • Garlic: I’m a garlic lover and have examined this recipe with a head of garlic, all the best way right down to 2 cloves, and like the refined taste of a pair garlic cloves.
  • Contemporary thyme: provides a lot taste. I extremely advocate contemporary, however dried will do in a pinch.
  • Bay leaf: infuses the broth with taste.
  • Parmesan cheese rind: should you don’t already, inventory your freezer with a Ziplock bag of parmesan cheese rinds to drop into soup recipes like this one. It’s SHOCKING how a lot taste they add! Discover parmesan cheese rinds on the speciality cheese counter at your grocery retailer.
  • Further virgin olive oil: a drizzle added to the soup pot supplies taste and a contact of wanted fats.
  • Salt and pepper: seasons the soup.
  • Lemon: a small drizzle added on the finish wakens and brightens the soup. Just like the parmesan cheese rind, this can be a should.
  • Pastina: once more, I like to recommend Jovial model stelline pasta which is gluten free.

Customise Your Pastina Soup

It is a tremendous straight ahead soup recipe that’s straightforward, good as written, and principally fingers off. That stated, be at liberty to decorate it up a bit, if you want!

  • Add protein: pump up the protein by including diced or shredded hen. Leftover rotisserie, baked, or Air Fried hen work completely.
  • Add warmth: a pinch or extra of pink chili pepper flakes is very welcome when you may have the sniffles.
  • Add taste: I LOVE including a drizzle of truffle oil to my bowl simply earlier than digging in.

Alright, lets get you some Pastina Soup to assuage the abdomen and soul!

spoon in a bowl of pastina soupspoon in a bowl of pastina soup

Serve with Gluten Free Focaccia

Tips on how to Make Pastina Soup

Step 1: Prep the greens.

Begin by slicing the ends off then peeling a small yellow onion (or massive shallot), cleansing then trimming a pair ribs of celery, and peeling a pair small/medium-sized carrots.

Roughly chop all of the veggies into hunks. I LOVE that you simply don’t should take the time to finely chop or slice the veggies on this recipe which may really feel like a whole lot of effort, particularly whenever you’re sick.

cut vegetables on a cutting boardcut vegetables on a cutting board

Step 2: Boil the greens in broth.

Add the chopped greens to a big soup pot or Duch oven with hen inventory or hen bone broth, contemporary thyme, a bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, salt, pepper, and drizzle of further virgin olive oil.

Place a lid on prime then flip the warmth to excessive to carry the liquid to a boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth right down to low then simmer till the greens are very tender, 20-Half-hour.

ingredients for pastina soup in a potingredients for pastina soup in a pot

Step 3: Mix the greens.

As soon as the greens are very tender, take away the parmesan cheese rind, thyme stems, and bay leaf from the pot then switch the greens to a high-speed blender with a ladleful or two of broth.

Mix till the greens are very easy then pour the puree again into the soup pot and stir to mix. I like so as to add practically all of the pureed greens into the pot as a result of I don’t just like the broth to develop into too thick. Be at liberty so as to add kind of to get your broth to your required consistency.

Recipe Tip

In case you have an immersion blender you possibly can mix the veggies proper within the pot!

cooked vegetables in a blendercooked vegetables in a blender

Step 4: Season the soup.

Add a squeeze of contemporary lemon juice — the soup shouldn’t style lemony, simply brightened — then style and add extra salt and pepper if vital.

That’s it! Place a lid on prime of the pot to maintain it heat whilst you cook dinner the pastina.

squeeze of lemon juice added to a soup potsqueeze of lemon juice added to a soup pot

Step 5: Cook dinner the pastina.

Boil the pastina in a pot of salted, boiling water in line with the package deal instructions then drain and return to the pot.

box of gluten free pastinabox of gluten free pastina

These little stars are so satisfying to eat. I simply love them!

brown rice stelline pasta in a palmbrown rice stelline pasta in a palm

Divvy the cooked pastina between bowls then prime with the steaming soup and end with a flourish of freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. A contemporary loaf of Gluten Free Focaccia, or basket of heat Gluten Free Biscuits are the right crowning glory.

Leftovers hold nicely within the fridge for 3-5 days, and/or freeze fantastically for as much as 3 months. That stated, hold the cooked pasta and broth separate when storing within the fridge or freezer.

Whether or not you’re underneath the climate or in good well being — you’ll love each final drop of this soup satisfying soup. Get pleasure from!

bowl of italian penicillin soupbowl of italian penicillin soup

Extra Nourishing Soup Recipes

  • 8 cups hen inventory or bone broth
  • 2 small-medium sized carrots, peeled then roughly chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
  • 1 massive shallot OR small yellow onion, peeled then roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled then smashed
  • 2-3 sprigs contemporary thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 parmesan cheese rind
  • drizzle further virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 8 oz gluten free stelline pasta, Jovial model advisable, see notes
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Stop your display screen from going darkish

  • To a big soup pot or Dutch oven add the hen inventory or bone broth, carrots, celery, onion/shallots, garlic, contemporary thyme, bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, further virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place a lid on prime then flip the warmth to excessive to carry the liquid to a boil. As soon as boiling, flip the warmth right down to low then simmer with the lid on for 20-Half-hour or till the greens are very tender.

  • Take away the thyme stems, bay leaf, and parmesan cheese rind then switch the cooked greens right into a blender. Add a ladleful of broth then mix till the greens are very, very easy. Be aware: make sure you crack the lid of the blender open to permit steam to flee. Pour some or the entire pureed greens again into the soup then stir to mix. Alternatively you should utilize an immersion blender to puree the greens within the pot.

  • Add a squeeze of contemporary lemon juice — the soup shouldn’t style lemony, simply brightened — then style and add further salt and pepper to style. Place a lid on prime to maintain the soup heat whilst you cook dinner the pasta.

  • Cook dinner the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water in line with package deal instructions then drain and divide between bowls. Scoop the soup over the cooked pasta then serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.

  • I like to recommend Jovial model gluten free stelline pasta for this soup. In the event you don’t have to eat gluten free, you should utilize mini stars or acini di pepe.
  • I like so as to add ~3/4 of the pureed greens again into the broth as a result of I like this soup on the thinner facet. Be at liberty so as to add kind of relying in your preferences.

Energy: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 11g, Fats: 5g, Saturated Fats: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g, Monounsaturated Fats: 2g, Ldl cholesterol: 10mg, Sodium: 476mg, Potassium: 392mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 142IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg

Dietary values are estimates solely. Please learn our full vitamin data disclaimer.


photo collage of pastina soupphoto collage of pastina soup

Pictures by Ashley McLaughlin

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