Italian Penicillin Soup
Italian Penicillin Soup is a comforting, blended vegetable soup with pastina, lemon, and Parmesan. Perfect for sick days or easy weeknight dinners.
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 celery ribs halved
- - 1 teaspoon salt
- - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- - 1 Parmesan rind optional
- - 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- - 1¼ cups pastina or other small pasta
- - Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium. Add carrots, onion, garlic, and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until softened.
- Add Parmesan rind (if using) and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, until vegetables are very soft.
- Remove Parmesan rind. Blend soup using an immersion blender (or in batches in a regular blender) until smooth.
- Stir in pastina and cook for 8–10 minutes until al dente.
- Turn off heat and stir in lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Serve hot with Parmesan, parsley, and olive oil if desired.
Notes
- For a thinner soup, stir in extra broth after blending.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze without pasta for best texture; add freshly cooked pastina when reheating.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze without pasta for best texture; add freshly cooked pastina when reheating.