Italian Pastina Soup
This easy Italian Pastina Soup recipe (sometimes called "Italian Penicillin Soup") combines tender chicken, tiny pasta, vegetables, Parmesan, and fresh thyme for a flavorful homemade soup in 40 minutes.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 469kcal
Equipment
- large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 pound shredded, cooked chicken about 3 cups
- 1 lemon cut in half
- 1 cup pastina pasta
- 8 ounce fresh parmesan cheese wedge with the rind
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Add the onions and garlic and sauté for about 1 minute.
- Add the carrots and celery and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
- Add the broth, salt, pepper, thyme, chicken, and pasta to the pot and stir to combine.
- Cut the rind off the end of the cheese wedge and drop the rind into the soup.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium/medium-low, and place a lid on the pot. Allow the soup to simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the carrots and celery are softened.
- Squeeze the lemon juice from half of the lemon into the pot, taste the soup, and squeeze the juice from the second half into the pot if desired.
- Remove the parmesan cheese rind from the pot, and stir the soup one final time.
- Serve immediately topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese and extra thyme leaves.
Notes
Recipe Tips
- I used a parmesan cheese wedge (Parmesan rind) but any grated Parmesan cheese will work.
- To get the 1 pound cooked chicken, you can cook 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and then shred the cooked meat.
- Chicken breasts can be used in place of thighs, but I prefer the richer taste the dark meat gives the soup.
- Other fresh herbs, such as rosemary or sage, would also be wonderful additions to this soup.
- Do not allow this soup to sit for too long before serving, or the Pastina pasta will absorb too much of the liquid and become soggy. IF the soup needs to be prepared in advance, the pasta should be left out until about 15 minutes before serving. Bring the soup back to a light boil and then add the pasta.
- Avocado oil, butter, or vegetable oil can be used in place of the olive oil.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 1911mg | Potassium: 486mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5814IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 505mg | Iron: 3mg
