Description
A comforting and easy pastina soup featuring a vegetable-infused low-sodium chicken broth, tender tiny pasta, and enhanced with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Perfect for a quick and cozy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth and Vegetables
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into large pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into large pieces
- 2 celery ribs, sliced into large pieces
- 1 parmesan rind, about 2 inches long
- Kosher salt, to taste
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 1/2 cups pastina (or any tiny pasta variety, like alphabet, orzo, or acini di pepe)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
- Grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Simmer the broth: In a large pot with a lid, combine the chicken broth, sliced onion, carrots, celery, parmesan rind, and a pinch of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Puree the vegetables: Remove and discard the parmesan rind. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked vegetables to a food processor. Add a couple of ladles of the broth and blend until the vegetables become completely smooth. Scrape the pureed mixture back into the pot with the remaining broth.
- Boil the pasta: Increase the heat to high to bring the soup back to a boil. Stir in the pastina and cook for about 3 minutes until the pasta is tender. Remove the pot from the heat.
- Serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed. Ladle the hot pastina soup into serving bowls, garnish each with chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omit the parmesan rind or use a vegetarian parmesan alternative.
- Use any tiny pasta variety such as alphabet, orzo, or acini di pepe if pastina is unavailable.
- Simmer the soup gently to avoid overcooking the pasta later in the final step.
- Serve with crusty bread and a fresh salad for a complete meal.
- To make the soup heartier, add shredded cooked chicken or other vegetables as desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 308 kcal
- Sugar: 5.4 g
- Sodium: 136 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.2 g
- Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 15.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
