Description
A comforting and nourishing Italian pastina soup perfect for sick days, featuring simple ingredients that warm the soul.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small head garlic, peeled (11 cloves)
- 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 large sticks of celery, roughly chopped
- 8 cups filtered water
- Optional: 1/4 inch fresh ginger root, peeled
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup dry pastina (mini star pasta, gluten-free if desired)
- Garnish: finely diced parsley leaves
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, fine salt, and ground black pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Stir in peeled garlic cloves and sauté over low heat for another 10 minutes until fragrant.
- Add chopped carrots and celery, sautéing for an additional 5 minutes until aromatic.
- Pour in 8 cups of filtered water and bring to a gentle boil. Optionally add ginger, turmeric, and thyme.
- Simmer covered for about 10 minutes or until carrots are fork-tender.
- While the soup simmers, prepare pastina in a separate pot according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Transfer solids to a blender with about 3 cups of broth and blend until smooth.
- Return blended mixture to the Dutch oven and stir well.
- To serve, add 1/4 cup cooked pastina to a bowl and pour broth over it. Garnish with diced parsley.
Notes
Customize soup with additional spices as desired; if too thick, add more filtered water for desired consistency.
