Oh, This Is Good.
Like, slurp that savory broth and go back for a third bowl kind of good.
My daughter got sick last week, which means that our whole family got sick last week. And when I get sick, I lose two things: 1) my appetite, and 2) my interest in cooking.
This pastina soup truly SAVED us last week. It is:
- Incredibly easy to make.
- So, so savory and flavorful.
- Light (like, practically drinkable) but nutrient-rich.
- Warm, cozy, and healing.
- Generous – like, every time I make it, I end up freezing half of the broth for our next sick day, or to share with someone when they might need it.
I can’t say enough about how much I loved this last week. I sat down at the table with a steamy bowl with extra parm on top, and found myself repeatedly going back for “just one more scoop” of the broth over those tiny stars, even though I swore I hadn’t been feeling hungry just a moment earlier.
My girls were pretty excited about eating tiny star pasta with olive oil + Parmesan, while Bjork and I ladled the luscious broth over our bowls and finally tucked into some nurturing food for the first time in several days.
Pastina refers to the tiny star shaped pasta, which I found at Target, and the nickname Italian Penicillin refers to the healing nature of the savory broth – almost like a chicken noodle soup, but simpler. (And if I’m being honest, I prefer this to chicken noodle.)
I hope you are healthy and well, physically and emotionally. But if you’re not, this is comfort meal that has been serving our family so well lately!
How To Make Pastina (In Photos)
1
Chop and Sauté the Veggies.
I keep them real chunky, and I give them a quick sauté with olive oil before adding all the liquid just to get things extra fragrant.
2
Simmer with the Liquid.
I use water and Better Than Bouillon broth base.
3
Remove Cooked Veggies.
Transfer to a bowl to cool down for a moment.
4
Blend Veggies.
And then add them right back to the broth pot.
5
This Broth!
Look how vibrant and gorgeous.
6
Ladle over Pastina!
And top with parm. YUM.
Source Notes: “Italian penicillin” is a nickname for pastina soup, or pastina (small pasta) in broth. It is playfully compared to medicine because of its healing vibe, being that it is a warm, nostalgic, nourishing comfort food. It originated with generations of Italian grandmothers and it has moved into the spotlight after becoming a popular trend on TikTok over the last few years. 🙂
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Pastina Soup (Italian Penicillin)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
This soup has become my go-to recipe when my family is sick. The broth is amazing – simple, light, flavorful, and nourishing! It’s absolute comfort food.
Ingredients
For the Broth:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 stalks of celery, cut into large chunks
- half of 1 yellow onion, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I use 10 cups water plus 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For Serving:
- 1 1/2 cups pastina (I use Stelline from the Good and Gather brand at Target)
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Sauté Veggies: Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chunky carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Simmer: Add broth and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are very tender.
- Remove Veggies: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetable chunks to a bowl. Set aside to cool for a few minutes (you don’t want to add scorching hot veggies to your plastic blender).
- Blend: When the veggies have cooled a bit, blend them with 1-2 cups of broth until very smooth. Add the blended mixture back to the pot; stir to incorporate.
- Pastina: Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Serve: Put a scoop of pastina in a shallow bowl. Ladle the steaming-hot broth over the top, then top each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pastina soup, italian penicillin, soup recipe, simple soup recipe
Hi, do you know if I can cook the Stelline directly in the broth? Looking forward to trying this recipe! Thank you!
Could you use an immersion mixer and keep the veggies in the bowl? Or will that change the outcome? Thank you!
Do you really use 10 cups of broth? Does look like that much in the pictures.
Throw a parm rind in while it’s simmering and thank me later. 😊