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Italian Penicillin Soup Recipe

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4 from 13 reviews

Italian Penicillin Soup is a comforting, velvety smooth vegetable and parmesan broth-based soup with tender pastina pasta, brightened with fresh lemon juice. This hearty, nourishing soup combines sautéed carrots, onions, garlic, and celery simmered with a parmesan rind to infuse rich flavor, then blended until smooth. It’s perfect as a soothing starter or light meal served warm with crusty bread.

  • Author: Chef
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings
  • Category: Soup
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, quartered
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 ribs celery, halved

Seasonings and Broth

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 parmesan rind (optional, but adds rich flavor)
  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Main Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups pastina (or another small pasta shape)

Finishing Touches

  • Juice of 1 lemon (plus more to taste)
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Extra black pepper
  • Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
  • Chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, celery, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables soften and develop a slight golden color. This step builds flavor but can be skipped by simmering all ingredients directly for time-saving.
  2. Simmer the broth: Add the parmesan rind if using, then pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Cover the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and let it simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very tender and the soup is infused with rich flavors.
  3. Blend until smooth: Remove and discard the parmesan rind. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth and velvety. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender, puree, and return to the pot.
  4. Add the pasta: Stir in the pastina and cook for 8–10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. To prevent over-softening if storing leftovers, cook pasta separately and add it when serving.
  5. Brighten with lemon: Squeeze in the juice of one lemon and stir well. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning and lemon juice as desired. Add a splash more broth if the soup is too thick.
  6. Serve and enjoy: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan, extra black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, or a sprinkle of chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm with crusty bread for a complete meal.

Notes

  • Using the parmesan rind enhances depth of flavor but can be omitted for a vegetarian version without parmesan.
  • To keep leftovers from getting mushy, cook pastina separately and add it just before serving.
  • You can substitute pastina with any other small pasta shape like orzo or ditalini.
  • For a vegan version, use vegetable broth and omit parmesan or substitute with nutritional yeast and a vegan parmesan alternative.
  • The lemon juice adds a bright contrast to the creamy soup, so adjust the amount to your taste preference.

Find it online: https://cheftinaskitchen.com/italian-penicillin-soup-recipe/