Nani's Comforting Pastina Soup

Name: Nani's Comforting Pastina Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks; 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks; 1/2 yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks; 4 cloves garlic, smashed; 10 cups chicken or vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups pastina (star shaped pasta); Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

This simple, savory star pasta soup is the ultimate bowl of comfort when you are feeling under the weather.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 Italian· October 12, 2026

recipesbynani.com

Prep

15 minutes

Cook

30 minutes

Total

45 minutes

Serves

When someone in my house comes down with a cold, I always turn to this classic pastina soup. It is light enough to soothe an upset stomach but flavorful enough to make you feel human again. The broth is the real star here, packed with pureed vegetables that give it a rich, velvety texture without needing any heavy cream.

My kids adore the little star shapes, and I love how quickly this comes together. If you find yourself with extra broth, just freeze it for a future sick day or a quick weeknight lunch. It is truly like a warm hug in a bowl.

🧺 Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, smashed
10 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pastina (star shaped pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.
2
Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot. Sauté them for about 5 minutes until they are fragrant.
3
Pour in the broth and add the salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender.
4
Use a slotted spoon to carefully remove the vegetables from the pot and place them in a bowl to cool for a few minutes.
5
Once cooled, blend the vegetables with 1 to 2 cups of the broth until completely smooth.
6
Pour the blended vegetable mixture back into the pot with the remaining broth and stir well to combine.
7
In a separate pot, cook the pastina according to the package directions, then drain it and toss with a little olive oil and salt.
8
To serve, place a scoop of the cooked pastina into shallow bowls and ladle the hot broth over the top. Finish each bowl with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

💡 Tips

Store any leftover broth in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It is best to store the cooked pastina separately from the broth so the pasta does not soak up all the liquid and become mushy.

#soup #comfort food #vegetarian #healthy #easy recipe

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