Description
A comforting and easy-to-make Italian Pastina Soup featuring tiny pasta simmered in savory chicken broth with vegetables, finished with a gentle egg ribbon and Parmesan cheese. Perfect as a light meal or starter.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 small celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Pasta and Garnish
- 3/4 cup pastina pasta (or other tiny pasta like acini di pepe)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Simmer Broth: Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Cook Pasta: Add the pastina pasta to the boiling broth and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Incorporate the Egg: While stirring the soup gently in a circular motion, slowly drizzle in the lightly beaten egg to create delicate ribbons throughout the soup.
- Finish with Cheese and Seasoning: Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and season the soup with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove the soup from heat, garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- To make the soup heartier, add shredded cooked chicken or spinach.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth and omit the egg.
- Leftovers tend to thicken; add a splash of broth or water when reheating to restore the desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 420mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
