Nothing soothes an itchy throat and stuffy nose quite like this Pastina Soup Recipe. It’s super easy to make and filled with comforting and nutritious ingredients like broth, stelline pastina, and parmesan cheese.

Beige colored soup bowl filled with pastina in a rich and comforting orange-colored vegetable chicken broth and garnished with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

When someone in my family isn’t feeling well, I have a small arsenal of comforting soup recipes to help. Pastina soup, nicknamed Italian penicillin, is the favorite. Filled with tiny star-shaped pasta in a soothing and flavorful broth, it’s the Italian equivalent to chicken noodle soup but lighter and (arguably) easier on the tummy.

What is Pastina?

Pastina means “little pasta” in Italian, and that’s precisely what it is. It comes in several different shapes, including little stars, tubes, and rice shapes, and is often served in soups and broths. Kids especially love it – so much so that it is often associated with childhood memories and comfort food. Most grocery stores will carry at least one type of pastina pasta, for example, acini di pepe, alphabet pasta, stelline, ditalini, anelli, orzo, etc.

Ingredients needed to make pastina soup in individual measuring cups and ramekins.

Key Ingredients

This is just one way to enjoy this tiny pasta. Some recipes may include bits of chicken or beaten egg (creating an egg-drop soup effect).

Pastina Pasta: My son loves the cute star shape of pastina pasta for this recipe, and I agree! Any other small pasta, like acini de pepe and orzo, will also work.
Vegetables: Onion, carrot, and celery add flavor to the broth.
Aromatics and Seasoning: A few whole garlic cloves, salt, and black pepper are all you need to enhance the broth’s flavor.
Broth: Traditionally, pastina soup is made using homemade chicken stock or chicken broth. To save time, we’re swapping homemade broth with store-bought chicken broth.
Parmesan: Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds the perfect salty umami finish.

Spoon filled with pastina soup hovering over a beige-colored soup bowl filled with orange-colored broth, pastina pasta, and parmesan cheese.

How to Make The Best Pastina Soup

1. Soften the whole garlic cloves, carrots, celery, and onion in a large pot filled with chicken broth. Bring the broth to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender.

2. Remove from heat and allow the broth and vegetables to cool for approximately 20-30 minutes. Once cool enough to safely handle, use kitchen tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked veggies, garlic, and two cups of broth to a large blender (reserve the rest of the broth in the pot).

Large white Dutch oven filled with raw carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Chicken broth added to a large white Dutch oven filled with raw carrots, onion, celery, garlic, salt, and black pepper.

Large white Dutch oven filled with softened celery, carrots, onion, and garlic simmering in hot chicken broth.

3. Blend until smooth, then return the pureed vegetables to the pot. Optional: Strain the pureed veggies and broth through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Season with additional salt and black pepper to taste.

4. Set the heat to high and return the broth to a boil – stir often. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until it develops a deep orange color and has reduced slightly. If it reduces too much, pour in a cup of broth or water at a time until it’s to your liking.

Large blender filled with boiled and softened whole celery and carrot sticks, onion, and garlic with two cups of chicken broth.

Large blender filled with pureed boiled veggies in chicken stock.

5. As the broth simmers, cook the pastina in a separate pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse well.

6. Just before serving, stir in half a cup of freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. Stir continuously until fully incorporated with the broth.

7. To serve, spoon desired amount of pastina pasta into a bowl, then pour the broth over the top. Serve with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Ladle resting in a large white Dutch oven filled with homemade veggie and chicken stock.

What to Serve with Pastina Soup

I’ll typically serve pastina soup with a grilled cheese sandwich or Italian “toast”. A bit different from the toasted bread you’d find here in the US, toast in Italy (and much of Europe) is made with two slices of soft white sandwich bread filled with cheese and meat. It is toasted in a sandwich press or panini grill resulting in gooey melted cheese.

Pastina soup is also a light and delicious side dish to enjoy with a Caesar salad, charcuterie board, or even pizza.

Large stainless steel ladle pouring broth into a wide soup bowl filled with cooked pastina pasta.

Storage

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container and placing it in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. For best results, store the soup broth and pastina in separate containers as the pastina will continue to absorb liquid, making it soft and mushy. Reheat the broth and pasta in a small pot or in the microwave until thoroughly heated and steaming hot.

To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely and store the pasta and broth separately. Freeze for up to 2-3 months.

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