With just a few simple ingredients you’ll have this easy pastina soup on the table in no time! The perfect cozy weeknight pastina recipe that the whole family will love!
What Is Pastina?
Pastina is an Italian noodle that directly translates to “little pasta”. It is typically smaller than a rice grain and can be found under many names including stelline (little stars), acini di pepe (little pearls) or pastina (little pasta). Because of its small size it is popular with babies and toddlers and is often mixed with cream/milk or broth/stock to make either a porridge or soup consistency. It is considered an Italian comfort food and known by many as “Italian penicillin”.
You can find pastina in most grocery stores under the name pastina (Barilla makes a great one), stelline or acini di pepe. Here are some brands to look out for:
Ingredients Needed
One thing I love about this pastina soup is that it requires a few very simple ingredients:
- Olive oil – for cooking your mirepoix (carrots, celery + onion).
- Pastina – check out some of your options above!
- Carrots – chopped finely.
- Celery – same as the carrots, we want these finely chopped!
- Onion – I like using yellow onion but white onion also works.
- Chicken stock/broth – I use homemade chicken stock but you can use any stock you prefer.
- Parmesan – this helps give the pastina soup a creamy texture/flavor. Feel free to omit if you want this to be dairy-free.
- Lemon juice/zest – optional but adds some depth to the soup
- Salt and pepper – feel free to reduce if watching sodium levels.
How to Make Pastina Soup
STEP 1: COOK VEGGIES
Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil. Stir in carrots, celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and veggies are lightly browned.
STEP 2: SIMMER SOUP
Add in your chicken stock or broth and increase heat to high. Allow stock/broth to boil and then reduce heat to low. Stir in pastina and cook for 8-10 minutes letting the pastina soak up the broth.
STEP 3: SERVE
Stir in parmesan, lemon zest/juice and salt and pepper. Continue to cook to desired consistency or serve right away.
Easy Swaps & Substitutions
Use another type of noodle – I wouldn’t recommend a large noodle but you can easily sub in a different type of smaller noodle like orzo. My kids LOVE these alphabet noodles that secretly have veggies in them!
Make it vegan – Leave out the parmesan and use vegetable stock to keep this pastina soup vegan.
Use homemade broth – you could use homemade vegetable broth or even Instant Pot Bone Broth!
Add Protein – you can stir in cooked rotisserie chicken or cooked sausage for an added protein kick.
Add veggies – feel free to stir in any extra veggies towards the end of cooking. Peas, chopped kale or chard or whatever you prefer!
FAQs
Sometimes you’ll find pastina listed under other names including estrella, stelline, acini di pepe or stars. If you can’t find any of these see above for links to where to buy online. Otherwise most stores carry orzo which is a great substitute.
Most toddlers/kids can enjoy this pastina soup with a spoon since it is fairly thick and easier to scoop up. For babies you can either spoon feed or strain out extra liquid from the soup and let them hand-feed themselves. Yes it will be messy – but I promise they will love it!
Pastina is meant to absorb a lot of the broth so your soup will be thick like a stew. That being said, if you want it to be a bit more “soupy” simply stir in more stock/broth. You may need to do this with leftovers since the pastina will absorb the liquid in the refrigerator/freezer. In a pinch, water will work if you’re out of stock.
Storage Instructions
One thing I love about this pastina recipe is that it stores super well!
Refrigerator – store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Reheat on stove top or in microwave.
Freezer – Freeze in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Remove from freezer to thaw on counter for several hours or overnight in fridge. Reheat on stovetop or in the microwave.
More Easy Soup Recipes:
Easy Pastina Soup
With just a few simple ingredients you’ll have this easy pastina soup on the table in no time! The perfect cozy weeknight pastina recipe that the whole family will love!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup pastina pasta
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Zest, 1 lemon
- Juice, 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Stir in carrots, celery and onion and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is translucent and veggies are lightly browned.
- Add in your chicken stock or broth and increase heat to high. Allow stock/broth to boil and then reduce heat to low.
- Stir in pastina and cook for 8-10 minutes letting the pastina soak up the broth.
- Stir in parmesan, lemon zest/juice and salt and pepper.
- Continue to cook to desired consistency or serve right away.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. See storage and reheating instructions above.
