Pastina is truly one of the world's best comfort foods. It's buttery and cheesy and is true pasta perfection. It's also simple and flavorful and comes together in no time. Make it just once and it will be on permanent request!
Pastina is also lovingly called Italian Penicillin, and for good reason. It's like an Italian take on chicken noodle soup. It's good for the soul and the belly.
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Pastina, oh how I love thee. For many, many reasons. First and foremost, its a quick and easy one-pot recipe. We are all busy with life and kids and all the things. Who needs another pot to wash? Not this girl, I can assure you. And, if you forgo the veggies, you can have in about 10 minutes!
Pastina is the ultimate comfort food. It's fanastic if you're under the weather, if you need a pick-me-up, or you're just craving something super cozy.
I will forever keep all the ingredients needed to make this on hand. It's the best hug in a bowl for anytime. And, once you taste it, you'll crave it from now on!
What You'll Need and Why
The ingredients needed for this wonderfully comforting recipe are basic. There's nothing fancy here. You'll need:
Pastina. It's a wonderfully tiny little pasta, but you can use orzo if you can't find it.
Butter, Onion, Carrot, Celery, Garlic. These are my must-haves for base of any comfort food. The smell of these cooking with butter are my favorite thing ever
Chicken Bone Broth and Turmeric. The importance of using a good quality chicken broth (or brodo which is Italian for broth) cannot be understated. Especially, if you're making this pastina recipe for someone under the weather, use the best you can find. Or, even better, make it yourself.
Throw the turmeric in for the color and anti-inflammatory properties, but you do not have to. Again, food is medicine and turmeric is a super duper food.
Parmesan gives the dish its lovely salty, nutty flavor we all love and the lemon brings out all of the wonderful flavors. And, it has vitamin C. It give the penicillin part of the pastina more ooomph!
I add egg for the additional silkiness and extra protein. Fresh parsley goes in for flavor and it's chockfull of full body beneficial vitamins and minerals!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is pastina?
Pastina translates to "little pasta" and there are several varieties. I love them all. Stelline (little stars) is what I used for this particular recipe. Acini de Pepe is also a family favorite and it reminds me of Israeli couscous. Ditalini or Orzo are also fantastic options!
Do I have to use bone broth?
You do not have to use bone broth for this pastina recipe. You can even use just water or bouillon if you would like. However, bone broth has many healing properties and if you're making pastina for someone who is under the weather, I recommend it 100%.
For a quick and easy bone broth recipe, try my Instant Chicken Pot Bone Broth! It's my favorite way to do it!
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes, you can! All you need to do is use a small gluten-free pasta.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Yep! All you need to do to keep this recipe dairy-free is omit the butter and parmesan cheese. I would just sub out the butter for avocado oil. As for the parmesan, nutritional yeast is a great option for substitution!
Do I have to add the veggies?
Nope! And, if you omit the veggies, this recipe will be ready in less than 10 minutes!
Tips and Tricks
- Use the best chicken broth/bone broth you can find. This is a very simple recipe, and the quality of the broth will make a difference.
- Don't skip the lemon. It truly brings the flavors together and adds a little hit of vitamin c.
- Stir the pastina often and don't overcook it. It can stick to the bottom of the pot and become mushy.
- If using a store bought broth, be mindful of your salt content. Some broths will be saltier than others. Taste as you go.
- Use real parmesan cheese. This is a very simple recipe and you will be able to taste the difference!
Variations and Substitutions
- Use any small pasta you prefer.
- Add some rotisserie chicken for extra protein.
- Add any veggies you like. Broccoli, zucchini, and even mushrooms would be really good!
- If you want this to be more soup-like, add a little more broth.
- Omit the veggies all together to make this a 10 minute-ish recipe!
- Make it spicy and add some red chili flakes for kick!
Pastina Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ½ cup carrot, diced
- ½ cup onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup pastina or other small pasta like orzo
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 egg, thoroughly whisked optional
Instructions
- Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in 2 tablespoon butter until they begin to soften. Add the garlic, cooking until it becomes fragrant - 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bone broth, turmeric, kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Continue to heat the broth until it starts to simmer. Add the pastina (or orzo) and cook until just al dente.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and extra 2 tablespoon butter.
- Let the pastina cool for 2-3 minutes. Then, slowly stir it in the optional egg while continuously stirring the pastina at the same time. Add a little fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon. I always top with a extra parm.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Store any leftover pastina in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To reheat, you can microwave a portion in a bowl on low until warm. You can also do this on the stovetop, again on low heat. Add broth to loosen it up if necessary.
- I do not recommend freezing this recipe.
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try this recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok!
If you guys make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments!
Happy Cooking!
-Rufus
Other Comforting Recipes You'll Love
Cheeseburger Soup - This soup will knock your socks off. It's quick and easy and it's like having a cheeseburger in a bowl. Garnish with potato chips and pickles. You can thank me later.
Creamy Vegetable Soup - This is a quick and easy soup with flavors that are just too good. It's a family favorite around here!
Chicken Bone Broth - I'll show you how to make the best bone broth ever. It's too easy, you'll use it all the time in cooking, and it's super good for you!
Butter Cake - A classic sweet treat with a vanilla bean glaze that keeps this easy cake super moist!
Oven-Roasted Asparagus - A classic side dish if there ever was one! It's quick and easy and goes with anything!
Jodie says
This is the perfect comfort food recipe! We absolutely love it!
Rufus says
Thank you so much!
Sallie Myers says
Our whole family loves this recipe! It is true comfort food in a bowl. Yummmmmmmo!!!!
Rufus says
Thank you soooooo much!
Brenda says
It's like a hug from your best friend in a bowl!
Rufus says
Thank you, Brenda!
Ben Smitherman says
Excellent!
Tastes as good as it looks!
Rufus says
Thank you so much! So glad you like it!
Cindy says
My first time making pastina and it is sooooo good! I didn't have lemon so I made it without. Still delish.
Rufus says
I am so glad you liked it, Cindy! Thank you so very much for letting me know. That made my day!
Janet says
Can you make this ahead of time?
Rufus says
You can make this recipe ahead of time and simply reheat it on the stovetop with a bit of broth. Have a great day!
Stacy says
This was absolutely wonderful! Will be making again. I did 2 eggs instead of just 1, and didn’t have celery on hand, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly and we loved it! Adding to our rotation for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Rufus says
Hi, Stacy! Thank you so very much for letting me know! This means the world to me!
Laura leland says
Made this tonight!! Very good!!
Rufus says
I'm so glad you liked it! Thank you for letting me know!
TB says
Loved it! Had use orzo but delicious and easy to make.
Rufus says
I am so glad you liked it!
Jessica DiFuria says
Family Favorite and easy to make!
Rufus says
I am so very glad to hear you like it! Thank you very much for letting me know. Kind words like this make my day!
Sarah says
Perfectly comforting and so easy to make!
Amy T. says
This is a family favorite now. We love it so much. Usually add chicken to bump up the protein.
Travis Cunningham says
We just keep coming back to this. It’s a staple around our house now!
Rufus says
I am so very glad to here this! Thank you for letting me know and have a wonderful day!
Sharilyn says
This is our go-to comfort meal now. I make it when someone is under the weather and I swear it helps. We usually add some rotisserie chicken and extra parm!
Laura says
Made this for my husband who was sick. He loved it!
Jessica says
Made this for my kids when they were sick over spring break. Ended up making it two more times for them. They loved it and i swear it made them feel better. I will forever keep this recipe!
CarrieC says
Made it as written (with egg) with the addition of frozen peas before adding the pastina. This was absolutely fantastic and comforting. Will have some fun and try with different bases - mushroom, veggie - to use as a quasi risotto. Really delicious!
Rufus says
Thank you so very much for letting me know! It makes my heart so happy to hear from you. Glad you liked it!
Eleanor Yates says
This was so good! I have three kids under three and a picky mom who lives with me. They devoured this. We will definitely be adding this to our rotation.
Rufus says
Thank you so very much, Eleanor! I'm so glad you liked it!