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Cozy Italian Pastina Soup for Chilly Nights

This cozy Italian pastina soup is a warm, soothing comfort food made with tiny pasta, rich broth, egg, and Parmesan. Perfect for chilly nights, sick days, or whenever you need a gentle and nourishing homemade meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium preferred
  • 1 cup pastina pasta (stelline or acini di pepe)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)
  • Extra grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Pour the chicken broth into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  2. Add the pastina directly to the simmering broth and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until tender and slightly thickened.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and grated Parmesan cheese until smooth.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and slowly ladle a small amount of hot broth into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the egg.
  5. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot, stirring continuously until the soup becomes creamy.
  6. Add the butter and stir until fully melted and incorporated.
  7. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
  8. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve warm.

Notes

Stir frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking. Keep the heat low when adding the egg mixture to avoid scrambling. Add extra broth if the soup thickens too much before serving.