Description
This Italian Pastina Soup is a comforting and creamy classic, featuring finely diced vegetables simmered in flavorful chicken bone broth, pureed to a smooth texture, and enriched with Parmesan cheese and a tempered egg for added richness. Perfect for a cozy meal, this soup balances delicate pastina pasta with aromatic herbs and a hint of lemon.
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 Seasonings
- 1 quart chicken bone broth
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Pasta and Final Ingredients
- 1 cup pastina
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Preheat Pot: Place a soup pot over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter until it is hot and bubbly.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add the finely diced celery, carrot, onion, and minced garlic to the pot. Cook them, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and become fragrant, about 12 minutes.
- Add Herbs and Broth: Stir in the stripped fresh thyme, chicken bone broth, and turmeric. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer gently for 30 minutes to develop flavor.
- Puree Soup: Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup directly in the pot until it is smooth and the vegetables are fully integrated into the broth. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to your preference.
- Cook Pastina: Add the pastina pasta to the pureed broth and increase the heat to bring the soup back to a rolling simmer. Cover the pot and cook until the pasta is tender, following the package’s recommended cooking time, approximately 7 to 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Add Finishing Touches: Stir in freshly squeezed lemon juice, minced parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese. Let the soup cool slightly for 5 minutes.
- Temper Egg: Slowly ladle a small amount of soup broth into the beaten egg while stirring continuously to temper it. Then pour the tempered egg mixture back into the soup, stirring steadily to avoid curdling and to enrich the soup.
- Serve: Garnish the soup with extra Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of freshly cracked black pepper. Serve warm and enjoy the creamy comforting flavors.
Notes
- Use chicken bone broth for a rich, deep flavor; vegetable broth can be substituted for a vegetarian version.
- Be careful when tempering the egg to prevent scrambling—adding broth slowly while stirring is key.
- Pastina cooks quickly; watch closely to avoid overcooking and turning it mushy.
- Fresh thyme can be replaced with dried thyme, but reduce quantity to 1 teaspoon.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute pastina with a gluten-free tiny pasta.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid breaking the emulsion.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
