Description
A comforting and quick-to-make Pastina Soup featuring tender pastina pasta simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth with sautéed onions, carrots, and garlic, finished with fresh parsley and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Perfect for a light meal or soothing snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 cup pastina pasta
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes, to develop a sweet, aromatic base for the soup.
- Add Carrots and Garlic: Stir in the diced carrots and minced garlic. Cook for an additional few minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant and the carrots start to soften.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Pour the low-sodium vegetable broth into the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer to combine flavors and prepare for the pasta.
- Cook Pastina: Add the pastina pasta to the simmering broth. Cook according to package instructions, generally 3 to 5 minutes, until the pasta is al dente but tender.
- Season and Add Parsley: Season the soup with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir in the finely chopped fresh parsley just before serving to add a fresh herbal note.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top each serving with grated Pecorino Romano cheese for a salty, umami-rich finish.
Notes
- Pastina cooks quickly; keep an eye on it during cooking to prevent overcooking and mushy texture.
- Use low-sodium broth to control the saltiness; adjust seasoning at the end as cheese adds additional salt.
- To make this soup vegan, substitute Pecorino Romano cheese with a plant-based cheese or nutritional yeast.
- For added protein, consider stirring in cooked shredded chicken or beans.
