Pastina Soup

By Lidey Heuck

Published Feb. 27, 2025

Pastina Soup
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Brett Regot.
Total Time
55 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(711)
Comments
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Often referred to simply as pastina, which means “little pasta” in Italian, this is Italy’s answer to the comforting cure-all chicken soup. Variations of pastina soup abound, but most include chicken broth, vegetables (in the form of sautéed onions, carrots and celery) and tiny pasta. The miniature star-shaped pasta most commonly used in this dish is sold as “stelline” — or “tiny stars” — in Italy, and simply as “pastina” in the United States. Acini de pepe works well, too, if pastina is unavailable. A tiny shape is key here, as the pasta continues to absorb broth after it cooks, giving the soup an almost creamy, porridge-like consistency. Some versions even call for puréeing the cooked vegetables and stirring them back into the soup to further thicken the broth. Homemade chicken broth would be an excellent choice here, but for those who need comfort in a hurry, this recipe uses the handy shortcut of reducing store-bought chicken broth and adding a Parmesan rind to the pot, to enrich and maximize the soup’s flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter or extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1medium onion, finely chopped (1½ cups)
  • 1cup finely chopped carrot (from 1 medium-large carrot)
  • 1cup finely chopped celery (from about 3 stalks) 
  • 2quarts (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
  • 1(2-to-3-inch) Parmesan rind
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
  • 1cup pastina or acini de pepe
  • 2tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus more for serving
  • Grated Parmesan, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

201 calories; 8 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 994 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 10-inch Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 6 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add the chicken broth, Parmesan rind and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, until slightly reduced.

  3. Step 3

    Add the pastina and simmer vigorously, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the parsley and more salt and pepper to taste. Discard the Parmesan rind. The broth may seem thin but will thicken considerably as the soup sits.

  4. Step 4

    Serve in shallow bowls topped with grated Parmesan and parsley. If reheating, add more broth as needed.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
711 user ratings
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Comments

Katie

@April -- I know this is an old comment, so maybe you've figured it out or don't care anymore, but it's getting to be soup season, so I'll share what I know just in case. ha ha. If I were going to add egg to this soup, I would temper it and then pour into the soup to give it a more creamy consistency. If you do it right, it won't be as dramatic as cream, but it will make the broth feel more rich and be less translucent without having any egg pieces. The goal of tempering the egg is to slowly raise the temperature, so it doesn't cook as soon as it hits the hot soup (which causes it to basically scramble and then you would have little pieces of cooked eggs throughout). To temper the egg, crack it into a separate heat safe dish and whisk it lightly. Then, take a small ladle full of soup broth and pour it slowly over the egg while whisking. Do this a few times to get the egg closer to the temperature of the soup. With the pot of soup off of the heat source, pour the egg mixture into the soup slowly while stirring the soup. You'll see the broth get a little cloudier as the egg is mixed in. I think it's a really nice texture.

Emily

My Italian grandmother made this, as does my mom. Now my kids expect it when they are sick. My grandmother and mom always whisked a couple of eggs into the soup just before stirring to give it a rich creaminess (egg allergy kids so I can’t do that). Also best topped it with butter.

Maryann

My Italian relatives served pastina cooked in chicken broth as baby food with a bit of parmesan on top - better than that stuff in the jar!

LES

Can leftover Pastina soup be frozen to be consumed later with no diminution of taste? How would that best be achieved? Thank you.

Rachel

This tasted exactly like my Sicilian grandma always used to make. Yay! I used two shallots instead of one onion because that’s all I had, and only one stalk of celery (I think 3 would’ve been too much). Delicious and so comforting! 5/5.

Janice T

Next time would add more veggies or less pasta but VERY DELICIOUS. Used a mix of chicken and bone broth.

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