This homemade Tomato Pastina Soup is a nourishing and comforting meal that uses simple ingredients for a delicious meal. Pair it with some crusty bread to soak up all that soupy goodness!
What is Pastina?
Pastina is really tiny pasta. It can come in many different shapes, and was originally popular due to Ronzoni pastina stars. Ronzoni no longer sells their pastina stars, but you can use different small pasta shapes for similar texture and flavor!
I usually use acini di pepe, which is very small round balls, similar to cous cous. They grow after being cooked and add a lovely texture to this pastina tomato soup recipe! Anything with pastina in it turns into the ultimate comfort food.
I also have a classic chicken pastina soup recipe, which is similar to Italian Penecillin. Give it a try!
Ingredients Needed
My homemade creamy tomato pastina soup uses simple ingredients for ease. Here's what you'll need:
- Onion & Garlic: We start by sautéing some onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil to start building flavor and aroma.
- Basil: I like to add a bit of dried basil to my tomato soup for some extra flavor. Tomato and basil just go so well together!
- Canned Tomatoes: I used a 28 oz can of tomato sauce here. You can also use crushed or diced tomatoes, if you like your soup a little chunkier. If you use whole canned tomatoes, I recommend using an immersion blender before adding in the pasta.
- Broth: I used chicken broth in this recipe, but you can make this recipe vegetarian by using vegetable broth! Feel free to also use chicken stock or bouillon.
- Pastina: I used acini di pepe, which is a very small pasta shape that are round balls of pasta. I love the texture and substance that pasta adds to tomato soup. I have been able to find this regularly at my local grocery store so decided to make a recipe with it! If you can't find this particular pasta, you can use any small pasta shape like orzo, pastina stars or ditalini.
- Heavy Cream: The heavy cream makes this recipe creamy and cuts the acidity of the tomato.
- Salt & Pepper: To taste.
- Grated Parmesan: Top it off with some grated parmesan!
How to Make Tomato Pastina Soup
- Sauté the Aromatics: Using a stock pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in about one tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the onion to become translucent by sautéing about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Season: Add a pinch of salt and the dried basil.
- Add Tomatoes & Broth: Next, add in the canned tomatoes and the broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Add Pasta & Cook: Once simmering, add the pasta. Put the lid on, turn the heat down to medium low and stir occasionally.
- Simmer: Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the pasta is plump and tender. Stir in the heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve & Enjoy: Serve hot topped off with grated parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Serve this creamy tomato soup along with a classic grilled cheese or some homemade crusty bread!
- If you like a strong flavor of tomato in your soup, add some tomato paste when you are sautéing the garlic and onion.
- Don't waste any of the tomato sauce by pouring the tomato sauce into the pot, then pouring some broth into the tomato can to get any of the leftover tomato goodness!
- If you like a little spice, add a bit of crushed red pepper!
- Have fresh basil on hand? You can use fresh basil and stir it in towards the end of the cooking process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! If you have left over tomato soup that you would like to freeze, let the soup cool before adding it to an air tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat the soup, let it thaw in the fridge for a few hours before pouring it into a stock pot to warm up on the stove.
More Recipes to Try
Tomato Pastina Soup
Ingredients
- 1 yellow or white onion diced
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 28 oz can tomato sauce
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup Acini di pepe pasta or other small pasta shape
- ½ cup heavy cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- parmesan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Using a stock pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in about one tablespoon of olive oil. Allow the onion to become translucent by cooking for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add a pinch of salt along with the dried basil.
- Next, add the canned tomato sauce and the broth. Bring to a simmer.
- Once simmering, add the pasta. Put the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to medium low, and stir occasionally.
- Simmer for about 10-15 minutes until the pasta is plump and tender. Stir in the heavy cream and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot, topped with some grated parmesan, and enjoy!
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