Name: Quick and Cozy: How to Make Pastina Soup in 30 Minutes or Less
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 carrots chopped; 1 medium onion chopped; 3 garlic cloves minced; 5-8 springs of thyme tied together with kitchen string; 1 6 oz. can tomato paste; Parmesan rind; 1/4 cup olive oil; Salt and black pepper to taste; 2 quarts; 2 quarts Brodo chicken bone broth or regular chicken stock or broth; 2 cups pastina pasta (or any small pasta you can find); Pinch of red pepper flakes

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Two bowls of pasta soup sitting next to the pot of soup and a chunk of parmesan cheese and cheese grater.

Looking for a quick and comforting meal that’s satisfying and ready in under 30 minutes? This pastina soup recipe is your answer. It’s a warm, hearty dish packed with flavor that will become a regular in your dinner rotation – especially during the cold winter months.

Pastina soup is classic Italian comfort food. It’s so comforting that it’s nicknamed Italian penicillin soup. So, if you’re feeling a bit under the weather, I can’t guarantee it will cure whatever ails you, but I will tell you that a warm bowl of pastina soup is as soul-warming and comforting as food gets.

You can use regular chicken broth for this recipe, and it’s delicious. However, we used Brodo chicken bone broth (Spicy Nonna) for this recipe. Brodo’s bone broth is all organic, extra healthy, and contains 10 grams of protein in every cup. And it does provide a little bit of extra flavor that you can really taste.

Ingredients for Italian pastina soup

All the ingredients for making quick and cozy pastina soup are on the kitchen counter.

A package of brodo bone broth, tomato paste, springs of thyme, and a parmesan cheese rind.

Pastina pasta (acini di pepe, stars, or any small or tiny pasta shapes you can find)
Carrots
Onion
Garlic cloves
Sprigs of thyme tied together with kitchen string
Tomato paste
Fresh basil
Parmesan cheese (grated)
Parmesan rind
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
Brodo chicken bone broth or regular chicken broth
Red pepper flakes

Directions for making Italian pastina soup

Carrots, onions, and garlic with olive in a large copper pot.

Carrots, onions, and garlic with tomato paste are cooking in a large copper pot.

Thyme and parmesan cheese rind have been added to the broth in a large copper pot.

A large copper pot is full of Italian pastina soup. In the background is a striped container of olive oil and a chunk of parmesan cheese.

Chop the onions, garlic, and carrots.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the chopped vegetables and saute until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened.
Add the tomato paste and stir until all the vegetables are coated. Cook the tomato paste and vegetables until the tomato paste has turned a dark, red brick color or until almost caramelized.
Add the salt and pepper, parmesan rind, sprigs of thyme, and bone broth and stir, making sure to scrape all the bits of the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the pastina and red pepper flakes and stir. You’ll want to stir at least once a minute while it cooks. Pastina tends to clump together or stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking.
Once the pastina is done (about 5-6 minutes), remove the thyme springs and parmesean rind and throw away.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, add a drizzle of olive to each bowl, top with basil (or parsley or your favorite fresh herbs) and freshly grated parmesan, and serve immediately.

For leftovers

Place the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator. Just reheat when ready to have it again.

Quick and Cozy: How to Make Pastina Soup in 30 Minutes or Less

Two bowls of Italian pastina soup are served in white bowls on wooden chargers.

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Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale

2 carrots chopped
1 medium onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
5–8 springs of thyme tied together with kitchen string
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
Parmesan rind
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 quarts
2 quarts Brodo chicken bone broth or regular chicken stock or broth
2 cups pastina pasta (or any small pasta you can find)
Pinch of red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Chop the onions, garlic, and carrots.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot, add the chopped vegetables and saute until the onions are translucent and the carrots have softened.
Add the tomato paste and stir until all the vegetables are coated. Cook the tomato paste and vegetables until the tomato paste has turned a dark, red brick color or until almost caramelized.
Add the salt and pepper, parmesan rind, sprigs of thyme, and bone broth and stir, making sure to scrape all the bits of the bottom of the pot.
Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the pastina and red pepper flakes and stir. You’ll want to stir this at least once a minute while it cooks. Pastina tends to clump together or stick to the bottom of the pan while cooking.
Once the pastina is done (about 5-6 minutes), remove the thyme springs and parmesan rind and throw away.
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, add a drizzle of olive to each bowl, top with basil (or parsley or your favorite fresh herbs) and freshly grated parmesan, and serve immediately.