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Ultimate Healing Italian Pastina Soup (The Real Italian Penicillin Soup)

Close-up of a warm bowl of italian penicillin soup featuring small pasta shapes, sliced carrots, and grated cheese.
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This restorative Italian Pastina Soup offers deep comfort when you need it most. It uses simple, fresh ingredients to create a warm, soothing bowl, perfect as a healing remedy or a quick, cozy dinner.

Ingredients

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  • 6 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 cup pastina pasta (or other tiny soup pasta)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • Zest of 1 lemon (optional, for brightness)
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
  2. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
  3. Stir in the pastina pasta. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the pasta is tender.
  4. Turn off the heat. Stir in the butter and the grated Parmesan cheese until they melt into the broth.
  5. Season the soup with salt and pepper to your taste. If using, stir in the lemon zest now for a brighter flavor.
  6. Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese. Serve this soup for colds immediately while hot.

Notes

  • For a gluten-free version, substitute the pastina with gluten-free pastina or use quinoa.
  • To make this a vegetarian comfort food recipe, use high-quality vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
  • You can easily freeze leftovers. Cool the soup completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mistyplate.com/italian-penicillin-soup-recipe/