Description
This Italian Pastina Soup is a comforting and nourishing dish featuring tender pastina pasta in a rich vegetable broth blended with aromatic vegetables. Perfect for a quick and satisfying meal, this soup is garnished with parsley, parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil for a traditional Italian flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 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
- Optional: 1 parmesan rind
For Garnish (optional)
- Chopped parsley
- Grated parmesan cheese
- Drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Roughly chop the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic cloves to create the base for the broth.
- Simmer Broth: 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 and simmer over medium-high heat for about 20 minutes to extract flavors and soften the vegetables.
- Check and Strain Vegetables: Test the vegetables with a fork to ensure they are soft and tender. Remove the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Use a slotted spoon or colander to strain out the vegetables from the broth.
- Blend Vegetables: Transfer the cooked vegetables to a blender, add ½ cup of water, and blend until smooth, creating a creamy vegetable puree.
- Combine and Season: Pour the blended vegetable mixture back into the pot with the broth. Stir well to combine and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Cook Pastina: Bring the soup to a boil and add the pastina pasta. Stir every minute to prevent sticking and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley, grated parmesan cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil as desired. Serve warm for the best experience.
Notes
- If parmesan rind is unavailable, you can increase the parmesan cheese garnish or omit it.
- Pastina cooks quickly; stir frequently to prevent clumping or sticking.
- For a richer flavor, chicken broth can be used instead of vegetable broth.
- This soup freezes well; store in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Adjust seasoning after blending to ensure a balanced taste.
