Description
This Parmesan Chicken Pastina Soup is a warm, hearty Italian-style soup featuring a rich parmesan-infused broth combined with tender chicken, star-shaped pastina pasta, and fresh vegetables. Perfect for cozy comfort food, it is built from a homemade parmesan broth with sautéed onions, carrots, celery, and rehydrated mushrooms, delivering deep umami flavor and soothing warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 medium onions, diced and divided
- 2 carrots, cut into large chunks
- 2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
- 8-10 dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms (~0.5 ounce), rehydrated in hot water
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup (8 ounces) parmesan rind, cut into 16-20 pieces
- 4 cups hot water
- 8 cups room temperature water
Soup Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon oil (vegetable or olive oil)
- 2 medium onions, diced (remaining half)
- 2 carrots, small diced
- 2 stalks celery, small diced
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
- 8 cups prepared parmesan broth (from above)
- 1 cup stelline pasta (or small shells)
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
- Fresh parsley, for topping
Instructions
- Prepare the Parmesan Broth: In a large soup pot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add half of the diced onions, large carrot chunks, and celery chunks. Sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add the rehydrated mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, and parmesan rinds, cooking another 4 minutes. When the cheese and vegetables begin sticking to the pot bottom, slowly drizzle in the 4 cups of hot water while stirring and scraping to deglaze the pan. Once deglazed, add 8 cups of room temperature water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking.
- Simmer the Broth: Reduce heat to medium-low and let the broth simmer gently for 50-60 minutes. Stir frequently to keep parmesan from sticking and ensure flavors meld well. The broth should have steam rising but not vigorous bubbling. After simmering, strain the broth through a fine sieve or cheesecloth and set aside the clear broth.
- Sauté Vegetables for Soup Base: Using the same pot, add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté the remaining diced onions, small diced carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt over medium heat for about 7 minutes until softened. Add the pressed garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Cook Soup: Pour the prepared parmesan broth (8 cups) back into the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the shredded cooked chicken and stelline pasta. Cook for 6-7 minutes or according to pasta package instructions, stirring often to prevent sticking.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat once pasta is tender. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and white pepper as needed, but it should not require much extra salt. Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- This is the ultimate cozy Italian pastina soup, perfect for chilly days or when you need comfort food.
- Homemade parmesan broth imparts deep savory flavor that store-bought stocks can’t match.
- Stir often when simmering to avoid cheese and vegetables sticking or burning on the pot bottom.
- Use stelline or small shell pasta for the most traditional texture and appearance.
- Adjust lemon juice and zest to brighten flavors without overpowering the savory broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 206
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 13 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
