Italian Penicillin Soup - Pastina
Fresh, nutrient-rich vegetables are blended into a silky, savory broth that absorbs into perfectly tender pastina and is finished with a generous sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 2 cups sweet onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 celery ribs chopped
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves fresh
- 1 Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese block use the rind in the soup, grate the cheese for garnish.
- 4 oz pastina uncooked
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- fresh parsley garnish
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or dutch oven, add the broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and salt. Bring this to a boil then reduce the heat and let it simmer until the veggies are tender. Transfer all the softened veggies to a blender along with about a cup of broth. Blend until smooth. See notes for safely blending hot liquid.
- Add the liquid back into the pot (option to run the blended veggies through a sieve first) and stir. Add the thyme, bay leaves, and the cheese rind. Cover, and allow the broth to come to a boil, over medium heat.
- Once boiling, add the pastina to the broth. Bring the heat down to low, and let the pasta cook until tender, about 18-20 minutes, or whatever the pastina packaging calls for. Stir occasionally.
- Add the shredded chicken to the pasta 3 minutes before you finish cooking. Remove the thyme sprig, bay leaves and parmesan rind. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Blending Hot Liquid - Be cautious when blending the hot veggies and broth. Heat causes steam to build up, which can create pressure and potentially force the blender lid off or crack the jar. If your blender lid has a removable center cap (not the whole lid), leave it off and cover the opening with a kitchen towel while blending the vegetables. This allows steam to escape and helps prevent pressure buildup (and a potentially messy cleanup).
- Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender, I just find it doesn’t always get everything as silky smooth as a regular blender.
Nutrition
Calories: 267kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1757mg | Potassium: 242mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5394IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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