Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe - Blissfull Kitchen (2024)

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This Chicken Pastina Soup recipe, aka "Italian Penicillin", or also known as sopita, is a comforting, vegetable-packed soup that is perfect for the chilly winter season!

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Why This Recipe Works

The deep-colored and rich broth in this chicken pastina soup recipe is secretly filled with vegetable goodness that makes it the perfect meal to help you this cold and flu season! The simple preparation of this healing soup will surprise you. It is one of my favorite recipes and I make it at least once a month! Simply simmer some vitamin-rich and aromatic vegetables in your favorite chicken broth, blend, add some little pasta, and voila! You will have a delicious and comforting soup that even the pickiest of eaters will love.

This chicken pastina soup is also often referred to as "Italian penicillin" since it is a version of Italian chicken noodle soup that is used to help cure young ones of mild sicknesses like cold. This style of soup can also be found in other cultures and is often referred to as "sopita" in Mexico. Sopita generally has a tomato or two added to the broth as well. I have made it this way and it is super delicious!

The chicken in this recipe appears only in the form of chicken broth, to keep things super simple and easy to digest. However, if you want added protein and a bit of extra flavor to the broth, you can simmer chicken breast or skinless chicken thighs in the broth as well, then shred it and add it back in along with the pureed veggies.

Ingredients

This simple chicken pastina soup recipe with acini di pepe uses good-for-you, basic ingredients that are simple to find. Here's what you'll need:

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  • Chicken Broth: Chicken broth offers a rich and cozy flavor. You can use your favorite brand of boxed broth, chicken boillon and water, or make homemade chicken broth!
  • Vegetables: I used the classic combination of carrots, onion, celery and garlic here. You can throw in tomatoes to make this a sopita-style soup instead!
  • Spices: To make an extra flavorful broth, I like to add a some dried thyme and basil to the soup. However, you don't have to add these if you prefer not to!
  • Pasta: You will want to use a small pasta shapes here, aka pastina. I used acini di pepe which are very small balls. You can also use pastina stars, stelline, orzo or even ditalini.
  • Fresh Herbs: Garnish with fresh herbs like chopped parsley or cilantro!
  • Parmesan Cheese: Finish it off with some grated parmesan cheese, too!

How to Make Chicken Pastina Soup

  1. Simmer the Broth: Bring the chicken broth or chicken stock to a boil in a large pot on medium heat. Make sure to keep it at a gentle boil, so as to not lose too much liquid to evaporation.
  2. Add Veggies: Add roughly chopped onion, carrots and celery, and full garlic cloves. It doesn't matter how you chop it since we will be blending later! The larger the chunks of vegetables, the longer they will take to get tender, though. Allow to simmer in the broth for about 20-30 minutes, until fork tender.
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  1. Separate Veggies: Scoop out the vegetables and garlic and place into a blender. Add a little bit of broth into the blender as well so it blends more easily.
  2. Blend: Carefully blend the vegetables until smooth. If you have an immersion blender and want to use that, you can. It might not be as smooth of a mixture, but it will do the trick!
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  1. Add Pasta: Add the pureed vegetables back into the pot with the broth. Add the acini di pepe or other small pastina, making sure to stir frequently as they have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  2. Simmer: Cook until the pasta is plump and al dente, about 10 minutes.
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  1. Serve: Serve with freshly grated parmesan and fresh parsley or cilantro, along with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.
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Tips for Success

  • To make a vegetarian version of this pastina soup recipe, simply swap out the chicken broth for vegetable broth!
  • Add some chicken! For added protein, throw in some left over shredded rotisserie chicken or simmer in some skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs! Simmering the chicken directly in the broth will create a rich chicken broth and tender chicken.
  • To add even more flavor to the broth, you can throw in a parmesan rind if you have one! Parmesan rinds add a depth of savory flavor that is wonderful in so many soup recipes!
  • To make your Italian chicken pastina soup ahead of time, boil the pasta in a separate pot of water. Drain and serve the pasta in a bowl then ladle the broth on top. Store them separately. If you store the pasta in the broth, the pasta will soak up a lot of the broth, making it super thick. Still delicious, but not as soupy!
  • This pastina recipe is delicious on its own, but would go great with a side of crusty Italian bread to make it a more hearty meal!
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is pastina?

The word "pastina" means "little pasta". Many of us associate the little stars as pastina, since the brand Barilla Pasta sells pastina stars labeled as pastina. But technically, any small shape of pasta is pastina! I like to use little stars, acini di pepe, or orzo here.

How should I store pastina chicken soup leftovers?

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you are cooking this soup with the intent of having leftovers, cook the pastina pasta in a separate pot of water and drain. Then serve the cooked pastina in the bowl and lade the warm broth over the top! This will keep the pasta from getting to squishy and soaking up all the broth.

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More Recipes to Try

  • Creamy Tomato Soup
  • White Chicken Chili
  • Lemon Zucchini Mafalda Pasta
  • Mushroom Risotto

Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe - Blissfull Kitchen (10)

Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe

This Chicken Pastina Soup recipe, aka "Italian Penicillin", or also known as sopita, is a comforting, vegetable-packed soup that is perfect for the chilly winter season!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Servings 4 people

Calories 199 kcal

Ingredients

  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 white onion
  • 2-3 large carrots
  • 3 stalk celery
  • 3-4 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 cup Acini di Pepe or small pasta like orzo or little stars
  • parsley or cilantro for garnish
  • grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

  • Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.

  • Add roughly chopped onion, carrots and celery, and full garlic cloves. It doesn't matter how you chop it since we will be blending later! Allow to simmer for about 20-30 minutes until fork tender.

  • Scoop out the vegetables and garlic and place into a blender. Add a little bit of the broth into the blender as well so it blends more easily.

  • Carefully blend the vegetables until smooth. If you have an immersion blender and want to use that, you can. It might not be as smooth of a mixture, but it will do the trick!

  • Add the pureed vegetables back into the pot with the chicken broth.

  • Add the acini di pepe or other small pasta into the pot, being sure to stir frequently as they have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot.

  • Cook until plump and al dente, about 10-12 minutes.

  • Serve with freshly grated parmesan and parsley or cilantro if desired.

Notes

To make your Italian chicken pastina soup ahead of time, boil the pasta in a separate pot of water. Drain and serve the pasta in a bowl then ladle the broth on top. Store them separately. If you store the pasta in the broth, the pasta will soak up a lot of the broth, making it super thick. Still delicious, but not as soupy!

Nutrition

Calories: 199kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 8gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 1333mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 5122IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg

Keyword chicken pastina soup

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Chicken Pastina Soup Recipe - Blissfull Kitchen (2024)

FAQs

Are you supposed to drain pastina? ›

Are You Supposed to Drain Pastina? No. Traditionally pastina is cooked with just enough liquid as to absorb most of it but have some remaining in the pot. It makes sense, since the liquid is so often a flavorful chicken or vegetable broth – see the en brodo pastina recipe listed below as an example.

Why does pastina make me feel better? ›

Warmth: Consuming warm foods like pastina can soothe the throat and warm the body, providing a comforting sensation that can help you relax and feel better. Easy Italian Chicken Pastina Soup is made with homemade chicken broth and tiny pasta stars.

Can you freeze pastina? ›

Can you freeze chicken pastina soup? Yes, you can freeze the soup. But be sure to freeze the broth separately from the pastina. Once the soup has completely cooled down, store it in airtight container (totally freezer safe)for up to 3 months.

Is stelline like pastina? ›

Hate to break it to you, some of you think you're eating pastina, but you're really not 🥴 There's several other small pasta varieties: orzo, stelline, and acini di pepe, that often get confused with pastina. Pastina is a TINY star-shaped pasta, much smaller than these other varities.

Why should you not rinse pasta after draining? ›

“You're really just washing off those natural starches that are coming out of the pasta from the cooking, and that's such an integral part of pulling the sauce together,” Adler said. The starch on the pasta is what helps the sauce cling to it.

How do you drain pastina without a strainer? ›

No problem, says Bon Appétit, suggesting taking safety precautions when using your pan lid to drain pasta water. "Leave the lid slightly askew, about ¼ inch. Hold the lid down with insulated oven mitts. Make sure to hold the pot away from you as you pour — otherwise you risk steam burns," the article points out.

What does pasta do to your gut? ›

Is pasta good for gut health? A diet high in refined carbohydrates is generally not good for your gut health, since being on a high-refined carbohydrate diet can reduce the presence of good bacteria in your gut. This can result in digestion issues.

Why is pastina soup good for you? ›

Pastina's warm broth soothes the throat and hydrates the fevered body; the garlic is believed to support immunity. But Granny did not use a lot of garlic. The stereotypical Italian eats massive quantities of garlic. European Italians, however, are very restrained in their use of most seasonings, including garlic.

Why do I feel bad after eating pasta? ›

You may have a gluten intolerance if you get sick after eating gluten, a type of protein. You might feel tired, nauseous or bloated. Another name for gluten intolerance is non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS).

What is a good substitute for pastina pasta? ›

If you can't find pastina pasta or stelline pasta (I've seen it at Target but also bought it online), you can use any little pasta such as orzo, acini de pepe, alphabet pasta, ditalini, small shells, or even Israeli couscous (this may require a different amount of broth or different cooking time; I have not tested this ...

Is orzo like pastina? ›

The main difference between orzo and pastina is their shape and size. Orzo is rice-shaped and larger, while pastina is star-shaped and very small. Additionally, orzo is commonly used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, while pastina is often used in Italian cuisine.

Does Barilla make pastina? ›

Pastina is here to stay!

Thank you Barilla for keeping it going since Ronzoni decided to discontinue pastina!

Does Prince Spaghetti make pastina? ›

Italian for "tiny dough", Pastina is the smallest shape we make; if you look closely, they're in the shape of a five-pointed star. Pastina works best in light soups. It is often made in single servings for one of toddler's first foods.

What is the Italian name for pastina? ›

Since the term "pastina" encompasses all small shapes of pasta, it comes in many shapes and goes by many names. You may see round pastina called "acini di pepe" (pepper seeds in Italian), or star-shaped pastina called "stelline" (meaning little stars in Italian).

What does pastina mean in Italian? ›

Pastina ( lit. 'little pasta') is a variety of pasta consisting of tiny pieces, typically of a round (irregular) shape with a diameter of about 1.6 millimetres (1/16").

How do I drain pastina? ›

Pastina is too tiny to drain, so you cook this until the water disappears.

Should pasta be drained after cooking? ›

No, in almost every case, you should not rinse pasta after it's cooked. It's true that rinsing noodles or pasta after cooking halts the cooking process. “This is also known as shocking,” Tiess says. But rinsing also removes the starch water after the noodles are strained, which is what helps adhere sauce to noodles.

Do you strain or drain pasta? ›

To "drain" pasta means to "draw off or remove water from the pasta", which is what many of us do. To "strain" pasta means to "remove the pasta from the water". Shannon's hack sees her draining the pasta using a colander, but it is the way she uses the colander that is mind-blowing.

Can I cook pasta without draining water? ›

Yes, it is possible to cook pasta without draining the water. This method, known as the “one-pot” or “no-drain” method, allows you to cook the pasta and sauce together in the same pot, resulting in a flavorful dish with less clean-up.

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