Easy Pastina Soup (20-Minute Italian Recipe) is quick, cozy, and made with simple ingredients. It's a classic Italian comfort meal that comes together in one pot with tiny pasta, real Parmesan, and a buttery broth that feels perfect for weeknights. This easy pastina soup recipe uses a handful of pantry staples, light aromatics, and a gentle simmering method that makes the broth taste homemade without taking all day.
If you want more cozy pasta ideas, you might also enjoy our Creamy Lemon Orzo Pasta with Feta or our Italian Pasta e Fagioli Soup.
Easy Pastina Soup at a Glance 🔎
- 🕒 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 2
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop simmer
- 🍽️ Cuisine (or General Category): Italian Cuisine / Soup Recipe
- 👩🍳 Pair With: Garlic ciabatta, a Simple Italian Salad, Smashed Broccoli
- ⭐ Difficulty Level: Easy
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We trust this simple Italian method every time. Ladling it into mugs with a drizzle of olive oil makes it perfect for cozy nights. ~Jami
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Weeknight Ease: This soup works perfectly for busy nights when you want something warm without much effort. Just like this Italian Lentil Soup!
- Kid-Friendly Shape: Tiny pasta makes it familiar for little ones, especially picky eaters who love small shapes.
- Pantry Simplicity: You only need basics like broth, aromatics, butter, and Parmesan.
- Built-In Flexibility: It's easy to customize with veggies, chicken, or lemon when you want extra variation.
Easy Pastina Soup Ingredients
- Broth Base: We like using a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon because it creates a richer broth without opening a whole carton.
- Carrot: We simmer a halved carrot to add a natural sweetness to the broth.
- Celery: Celery gives that familiar soup backbone without overpowering anything.
- Onion: We use a quarter onion for depth and gentle savory flavor.
- Garlic: Two smashed cloves soften in the broth and bring warmth without sharpness.
- Stelline (Tiny Star Pasta): This is the classic. We love how it thickens the broth naturally as it cooks.
- Butter: Adds silkiness at the end, helping the broth feel richer.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Freshly grated cheese melts into the broth and gives the soup its signature creaminess.
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Pasta: Acini di pepe, orzo, and other tiny pasta shapes all work if stelline isn't available.
- Chicken Base: Use a vegetable base to keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly.
- Flavor: Add a squeeze of lemon for a bright, slightly tangy finish.
- Presentation: Add extra Parmesan on top for a pretty, snowy finish. Drizzle with olive oil for more richness.
- Kid-Friendly: Use fun shapes like alphabet pasta and serve with extra butter.
How To Make Easy Pastina Soup
STEP ONE: Prepare the Broth
Simmer the water, Better Than Bouillon, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic for about 10 minutes until the broth becomes fragrant and the veggies soften.
STEP TWO: Prepare the Clear Broth
Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer.
STEP THREE: Prepare the Pastina
Add stelline pasta directly to the broth and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly.
STEP FOUR: Prepare the Finish
Turn off the heat and stir in butter and grated Parmesan until the soup becomes silky and creamy. Season and serve warm.
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Expert Tips for Success
👩🍳Jami's Pro Tips: Want to take this recipe to the next level? Check out my expert tips below for the best flavor, texture, and meal prep hacks!
✔️ DO Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-grated doesn't melt as well.
❌ DO NOT Skip stirring after adding the pasta; tiny shapes sink quickly.
❌ DO NOT Overcook the pastina or it will become mushy.
Storage
Store leftover pastina soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pastina absorbs broth quickly, so add a splash of water or stock when reheating. This soup isn't ideal for freezing because tiny pasta can become overly soft during thawing. Warm gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Pastina soup (Italian Penicillin) is made from tiny pasta simmered in broth with simple aromatics like carrot, celery, onion, and Parmesan. It creates a creamy, silky texture without needing heavy cream.
You can make pastina soup creamy by stirring in butter and freshly grated Parmesan at the end. As the tiny pasta cooks, it naturally releases starch that thickens the broth, giving it a smooth texture even without egg.
To prevent pastina from soaking up the broth, cook it just until tender and add extra water or stock if needed before serving. Tiny pasta continues to swell as it sits, so adjusting the liquid at the end helps maintain a balanced, soup-like consistency.
Yes, chicken is an easy addition to this soup. Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken during the last few minutes of cooking to turn it into a heartier bowl.
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📖 Recipe
Easy Pastina Soup (20-Minute Italian Recipe)
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Slotted spoon or strainer
- Fine grater
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base or vegetable, if preferred
- 1 small carrot peeled and cut in half
- 1 small celery stalk cut in half
- ½ small onion peeled
- 2 garlic cloves smashed
- ½ cup stelline pasta tiny star-shaped pastina
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 ounce about ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano stirred into soup, plus extra for serving
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, Better Than Bouillon, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
- Remove the vegetables using a slotted spoon or fine mesh strainer.
- Add the stelline pasta directly to the simmering broth. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly thickened.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter until melted, then mix in the Parmesan until the soup becomes smooth and silky.
- Season with salt and pepper. Spoon into bowls, top with extra Parmesan or a drizzle of olive oil, and serve warm.
Save This Recipe 💌
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get new recipes from us each week!
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Notes
- Pasta: Acini di pepe, orzo, and other tiny pasta shapes all work if stelline isn't available.
- Chicken Base: Use a vegetable base to keep this recipe vegetarian-friendly.
Jami Powell says
We love a big bowl of this "Italian Penicillin," especially when we're feeling under the weather. It's so good!