Do you drain pastina?

No, you do not drain the pasta for pastina en brodo soup. The broth is the most nutritious part, and the pasta cooks IN the broth. The pasta will absorb some of the broth, and that is normal. You can always add more broth to thin out the pasta soup if you want.

Can I add chicken to pastina soup?

Yes, absolutely! It is not traditional in the Italian pastina en brodo soup, but you can. If you want a boost of protein, you can add shredded chicken and even cooked veggies.

What chicken to use for homemade chicken broth?

There are many ways you can make homemade chicken broth. The most nutritious and rich chicken broth uses whole chicken. This is a great way to use your leftover chicken carcass after making Perfect Roast Chicken with Citrus and Fennel . This is what I love to do. Using the whole chicken carcass with bones provides extra health benefits. You can read more about the benefits of bone broth here . To make a lighter broth, you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken tenders, or any other chicken you have on hand.

What is Pastina Pasta?

Pastina pasta refers to several fine kinds of pasta or small shapes such as tiny pasta stars, "stelline" (perhaps the most common in Italy), small tubes, alphabet pasta, or even tiny macaroni noodles with small shells . There isn't one standard "pastina" pasta shape.

Where can I buy pastina pasta?

The Pasta brand Ronzoni announced in January 2023 that the company is discontinuing its pastina product, a tiny star-shaped pasta. Where can you find similar pasta that you know and love to make pastina soup? Here are some great alternatives: Barilla Brand Pastina (identical in shape to Ronzoni brand) Little Stars (best substitute- little stars) made in Italy Acini di Pepe (similar- little bead shaped pasta) Farfalline (great option- super tiny bowtie pasta) my nonna actually used these often.

Could I make pastina with store bought chicken broth?

I recommend making it homemade if you want the most flavorful and nutritious broth. You can certainly use store-bought chicken broth for convenience and ensure it is good quality.

Easy Pastina Soup Recipe (Italian Chicken Soup)

Name: Pastina Soup Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.5- 2 cups pastina pasta (depends on the ratio you like for pasta to the broth); 6 cups chicken broth or stock (vegetable broth or stock); Freshly ground pepper (optional), for serving; Extra-virgin olive oil (optional), for serving); Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for serving; 1 cooked whole chicken carcass, skin and meat removed; 1 whole onion, cut in half outer layer removed; 1 large carrot, whole or cut in half; 2 celery ribs with leaves, cut in half; 1 clove of garlic, peeled (optional); 2 bay leaves; 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (add other favorite fresh herbs); 1 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste; Water

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pastina Soup Ingredients

1.5– 2 cups pastina pasta (depends on the ratio you like for pasta to the broth)
6 cups chicken broth or stock (vegetable broth or stock)
Freshly ground pepper (optional), for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil (optional), for serving)
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for serving

Homemade Chicken Broth

1 cooked whole chicken carcass, skin and meat removed
1 whole onion, cut in half outer layer removed
1 large carrot, whole or cut in half
2 celery ribs with leaves, cut in half
1 clove of garlic, peeled (optional)
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary (add other favorite fresh herbs)
1 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
Water

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Instructions

Homemade Chicken Broth

Place all chicken broth ingredients in a large pot, soup kettle, or Dutch oven. Cover with water just enough so all ingredients are submerged. Bring to a boil on high heat. Let boil for a few minutes then reduce heat until it is just at a simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 2-3 hours, skimming foam from top as necessary.
Strain broth through a colander, or sieve. Discard the vegetables and herbs.

Pastina Soup

Bring 6 cups of homemade chicken broth to a boil.
Add the pastina pasta and boil for 3-4 minutes or until al dente (according to package instructions).
Serve with freshly grated parmigano cheese and freshly ground black pepper, and/or a good drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve with Easy Soft Italian No Knead Bread.

Notes

If you can, make your own broth for the pastina soup. It makes a rich and nutritious base for this simple soup recipe.

You can easily freeze the chicken broth, but I don’t recommend freezing the leftover cooked pasta in the broth.

Author: Elena Davis
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 5 minutes (3 hours if making homemade broth)
Category: Savory
Method: Italian
Cuisine: Italian