Italian Penicillin Soup
A soul-soothing, one-pot soup made with blended veggies, pastina, and a bright squeeze of lemon. This cozy bowl is perfect for sick days or chilly nights.
Equipment
- - Large pot
- - Immersion blender or heat-safe blender
- Ladle
Ingredients
- - 3 tablespoons olive oil
- - 3 large carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- - 1 yellow onion quartered
- - 5 garlic cloves peeled
- - 3 ribs celery halved
- - 1 teaspoon salt
- - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- - 1 parmesan rind optional
- - 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- - 1¼ cups pastina or orzo, stelline, ditalini
- - Juice of 1 lemon
- - Freshly grated parmesan for serving
- - Optional: chopped parsley extra lemon wedges, drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until slightly browned.
- Add parmesan rind and broth. Cover and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to simmer for 25–30 minutes until veggies are soft.
- Remove rind. Blend soup until smooth using an immersion blender (or transfer to a heat-safe blender in batches).
- Stir in pastina and cook for 8–10 minutes until pasta is tender.
- Turn off heat. Add lemon juice, then adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot with parmesan, black pepper, and any desired toppings.
Notes
- Add rotisserie chicken, canned beans, or lentils for protein
- Thin soup with extra broth if it thickens when stored
- Freeze without pasta for best texture
- Thin soup with extra broth if it thickens when stored
- Freeze without pasta for best texture