Pastina Soup (Italian Chicken Noodle Soup)
Updated Feb 09, 2021, Published Sep 12, 2019
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Cosy and comforting Italian Pastina Soup made with homemade chicken broth and tiny pasta stars. This easy soup recipe is the perfect way to beat those winter blues, made with wholesome ingredients and served with a cheesy parmesan crouton!
When you’re hit with a winter cold you know that a big bowl chicken noodle soup is a sure way to nourish your body to a speedy recovery.
It’s cosy, warming and full of wholesome ingredients not to mention it’s absolutely delicious!
When I’m looking for comforting soup recipes I also love to reach for Pasta e Fagioli, Tuscan farro soup (my absolute fav) and creamy mushroom soup.
We have a tonne of cosy winter soup recipes on the blog so you’ll never get bored!
So What is Pastina Soup?
Pastina soup is Italy’s version of chicken noodle soup.
It’s made with a nourishing homemade chicken broth and tiny pasta stars known as ‘Pastina’.
The great thing about this chicken pastina soup is that it can be whipped up in no time. Especially if you have pasta in the cupboard and a freezer or pantry stocked with chicken broth.
It’s super easy to make and you can easily adjust the amount of pasta to your liking.
If you make the chicken broth from scratch it will take a little longer but it’s so worth it for both nutrition and flavour. It’s also a great way to use leftover chicken.
You can store homemade broth in the freezer for months and take it out as you need it!
How to Make Chicken Broth for a Nourishing Soup
Remove as much cooked chicken meat and skin from the carcass as possible. Add the chicken carcass and any other chicken bones to a large, deep pot and add the vegetables and herbs (you don’t need to peel any vegetables).
Fill the pot with water until the chicken is covered then cover with a lid and bring to a boil (photo 1).
Once boiling uncover and reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface (photo 2).
Simmer the stock (uncovered) for 2-3 hours or longer (the longer you leave it the more concentrated the flavour will be but the less stock you’ll have as it will keep reducing (photo 3).
Pass through a sieve or colander so you’re left with the homemade stock and discard the bones, vegetables and herbs (photo 4).
How to Make Pastina Soup – Step by Step
Heat the chicken broth until boiling then add in the pastina pasta.
Boil the pasta for 3-4 minutes or until al dente (tiny pasta shapes will cook much faster than regular pasta).
Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
How to Make a Cheesy Parmesan Crouton
I love to serve chicken pastina soup with a cheesy parmesan crouton but you also can’t go wrong with a big hunk of crusty bread.
To make the crouton, cut up slices of crusty bread and drizzle with olive oil.
Toast them on each side using a hot griddle pan until slightly charred (you can also do this under a broiler).
Top each slice of toast with 1 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese and broil until melted, serve.
Making Pastina Soup in Advance
Pasta soups don’t store well because the pasta will swell by absorbing too much liquid and will turn mushy which isn’t nice to eat.
You can certainly make the chicken stock in advance and I totally recommend doing so and storing it in the freezer until you need it.
Make sure to only cook enough pasta to eat straight away.
Top Tips for Making Pastina Soup
- Homemade chicken broth or stock will always be more nutritious and wholesome but you can use storebought just make sure to use the highest quality you can get your hands on. Ready made stock sold in containers/tubs/pouches tends to be much higher quality than a stock cube.
- When following my recipe for homemade chicken broth make sure to use a cooked, leftover chicken.
- You can use any type of pastina to make this soup it doesn’t have to be star-shaped. Look for tiny shapes made for soups and stews.
- Pasta soup doesn’t store well because the pasta swells and turns mushy. Only cook enough pasta that you’re going to eat straight away.
- You can store chicken broth or stock in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for months.
More Italian Soup Recipes You Might Like;
- Pasta Fagioli Soup – Pasta & Beans
- Tuscan Minestrone Soup
- Roasted Red Pepper Soup – Creamy, Healthy And Delicious
- Tuscan Farro Soup with Beans
- Ribollita – Tuscan Vegetable Soup
- Tuscan Chickpea Soup
If you’ve tried this Pastina Soup or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most of our recipes come with step by step photos, helpful tips and tricks to make it perfectly first time and even video!
Pastina Soup
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups pastina pasta, (210g)
- 6 cups chicken broth or stock, (1.5 litres)
Homemade chicken broth
- 1 cooked leftover chicken carcass, skin and meat removed
- 1 carrot, , whole or cut in half
- 1 celery, , cut into 2 or 3
- 1 onion, , cut in half
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 rosemary sprigs or other herbs of choice
Instructions
To Make Homemade Chicken Broth
- Remove as much cooked chicken meat and skin from the carcass as possible. Add the chicken carcass and any other chicken bones to a large, deep pot and add the vegetables and herbs (you don’t need to peel any vegetables.
- Fill the pot with water until the chicken is covered then cover and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling uncover and reduce to a simmer. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface.
- Simmer the stock (uncovered for 2-3 hours or longer (the longer you leave it the more concentrated the flavour will be but the less stock you’ll have as it will keep reducing.
- Pass through a sieve or colander so you’re left with the homemade stock and discard the bones, vegetables and herbs.
To Make Pastina Soup
- Bring 6 cups of chicken broth to a boil.
- Add the pastina pasta and boil for 3-4 minutes or until al dente. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread or parmesan croutons.
Notes
- Homemade chicken broth or stock will always be more nutritious and wholesome but you can use storebought just make sure to use the highest quality you can get your hands on. Ready made stock sold in containers/tubs/pouches tends to be much higher quality than a stock cube.
- When following my recipe for homemade chicken broth make sure to use a cooked, leftover chicken.
- You can use any type of pastina to make this soup it doesn't have to be star-shaped. Look for tiny shapes made for soups and stews.
- Pasta soup doesn't store well because the pasta swells and turns mushy. Only cook enough pasta that you're going to eat straight away.
- You can store chicken broth or stock in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze for months.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
- When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
- All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
- All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
- Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
- Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
- You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Couple questions,
1) I have chicken bone broth (box) can I add that to the homemade Pastina Soup?
2) can I simmer the ingredients with water AND some chicken stock for Homemade Pastina (with a little cheat with box stock) ?
Thanks For The Recipes!
My family has been passing around a flu bug, so thought I’d make some “Italian Penicillin” ! 😃
Hi Karen, sure you can do it either way with bone broth or stock (preferably low sodium). The first way is quicker but second will have an added nutritional benefit if you’re adding in veg to it. Hope you all get well soon this is the best comfort food when you’re not feeling great!
I love this soup! I make the stock once a month & freeze in canning jars. I also found gluten free pastini made by Jovial on Amazon. PERFECT!
There is a mistake in the Ingredients. 6 cups does not equal 3 litres. 1 cup = 1/4 litre.
You’re right, thanks so much for pointing that out Bill I’ve corrected the mistake.
This sounds so good and comforting! I can’t wait to add it to my fall lineup.
Yay for all the cosy and comforting fall recipes!
I like chicken noodle soup but I love making homemade chicken noodle soup! I’m excited to try this jazzed up version and I’m sure my kiddos will love the star shaped noodles!
I love how cute the little stars are, hope you enjoy it!
This looks so comforting, I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks so much Amy, hope you enjoy it!
That is such a delicious and flavorful soup. Love that pasta. Going to try it again.
So happy you enjoyed it!
My whole family loved this. It was so easy and turned out so delicious! Will definitely be making again!
So happy to hear they enjoyed it, thanks so much!