Description
Italian Pastina Soup is a comforting and creamy soup made with finely diced vegetables, bone broth, and delicate pastina pasta. Blended to a smooth texture and finished with parmesan, fresh parsley, and a touch of lemon juice, this soup is perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/2 cup carrot, finely diced
- 1 cup onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, stripped
Soup Base and Pasta
- 1 quart chicken bone broth
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup pastina
Finishing Ingredients
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetables: Preheat a soup pot over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add diced celery, carrot, onion, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 12 minutes.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Incorporate fresh thyme sprigs, chicken bone broth, and turmeric into the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Allow the soup to gently simmer for 30 minutes, developing flavor.
- Puree Soup: Remove thyme sprigs and use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and all vegetables are fully integrated into the broth. Taste and adjust seasoning with kosher salt and black pepper.
- Cook Pastina: Return the pot to medium heat and add pastina pasta. Bring to a rolling simmer, cover, and cook until the pasta is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat once done.
- Finish Soup: Stir in lemon juice, minced parsley, and grated parmesan cheese. Let the soup cool for 5 minutes. Temper the beaten egg by slowly adding a small amount of warm broth while stirring continuously. Then, gradually pour the egg mixture back into the soup, stirring gently to combine and thicken slightly.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with extra parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper, and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Tempering the egg is essential to avoid curdling and creates a creamy texture.
- Chicken bone broth can be substituted with vegetable broth for a vegetarian version, but the diet classification would change.
- Pastina cooks quickly; monitor closely to avoid overcooking.
- Fresh thyme can be replaced by 1 teaspoon dried thyme if unavailable.
- The soup thickens as it cools; add extra broth if needed when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
