Italian Penicillin Pastina Soup
A comforting soup packed with vegetables and small pasta, perfect for chilly days or when feeling under the weather.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
- 3 medium carrots (peeled & sliced)
- 3 ribs celery (diced)
- 6 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small parmesan rind (optional, omit for vegan)
- 1 ½ cups pastina (ditalini, orzo, or small shells)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ cup fresh parsley (chopped)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
- Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for about 8–10 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Pour in vegetable broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and the parmesan rind if using. Bring to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Remove bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and the parmesan rind. Use an immersion blender or transfer to a countertop blender, and puree the soup until smooth and velvety. Return it to the pot.
- Bring the blended broth back to a gentle simmer. Stir in the pastina and cook until al dente, about 8–10 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and chopped parsley. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls, top with freshly grated Parmesan, and enjoy with warm crusty bread.
Notes
For a vegan version, skip the parmesan rind. Fresh herbs make a noticeable difference.