Pastina Recipe Italian Chicken Soup

What is Pastina?

This recipe is also known as Italian Pastina or Italian Penicillin. It’s the Italian version of chicken noodle soup. It is commonly used during cold and flu season to stave off, and treat illness. It’s so cozy and comforting. It’s like a warm hug in a bowl. Your family will love this Pastina soup and will be running back for seconds!

Ingredients in Pastina

Just a few simple ingredients are needed for this Pastina recipe. Once you have a bite, this be will one of your new favorite recipes! Both kids and adults enjoy it. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

Chicken Broth: Wonderfully flavored base for the soup. Use store-bought or homemade. Water: The base for all of the ingredients. Carrots: Give the soup its orange color and adds a bit of sweetness. Celery: Adds texture and a subtle bitterness to balance the other flavors. Onions: These are the reason for the incredible depth of savory flavor. Garlic: Gives the soup a punch of flavor adding to the savory flavor. Salt: Start with 1 teaspoon of salt to bring out all of the flavors. Pasta: This recipe uses tiny Italian pasta. Most major brands carry boxed pasta at the grocery store. You can use tiny star-shaped pasta or very small spheres, or satellites.

How to Make Pastina

I love simple and easy soup recipes, especially when they are healthy like this one! That’s a win-win! Here’s the simple process to make it:

Vegetarian: To make this recipe vegetarian-friendly, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Gluten-Free: As long as you use gluten-free pasta, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. Blender: You can use an immersion blender to make this but we recommend using a stand blender, if possible, to get extra creamy results! Just make sure to let the soup cool for a few minutes before putting it in the blender. Add Toppings: If you want to make this soup extra special, try adding some toppings like swirled heavy cream, chopped fresh parsley or other herbs, parmesan cheese, crispy crumbled bacon and some freshly cracked pepper!

Refrigerate: If you store broth separately from pasta, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 14 days. Freezer: You can store the broth in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat: To reheat Pastina, simply pour it into a medium-sized pot and heat it over medium heat until it’s warm throughout.