Description
Italian Penicillin Soup is a velvety, lemon-brightened vegetable soup finished with tiny pastina pasta. Often called the Italian “cure-all,” this comforting bowl is soothing, hearty, and easy to make. Perfect for cold evenings, recovery days, or when you simply crave cozy wellness in a pot.
Ingredients
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3 Tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
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3 large carrots, peeled & roughly chopped
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1 yellow onion, quartered
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5 garlic cloves, peeled
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3 celery ribs, halved
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1 tsp (5 g) salt
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Black pepper, to taste
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Parmesan rind (optional)
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8 cups (1.9 L) chicken or vegetable broth
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1¼ cups (170 g) pastina or other small pasta
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Juice of 1 lemon (more as desired)
To Serve:
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Freshly grated parmesan
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Black pepper
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Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
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Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook 4–5 minutes until lightly browned.
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Add parmesan rind (if using) and broth. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer 25–30 minutes until vegetables are soft.
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Remove rind. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender (or in batches with a countertop blender).
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Stir in pastina and cook 8–10 minutes until tender. (Cook pasta separately if saving leftovers.)
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Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and adjust the seasoning.
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Serve hot, garnished with parmesan, parsley, and olive oil if desired.
Notes
Don’t skip the lemon—it brightens and balances the flavors.
Add a Parmesan rind while simmering for deeper flavor.
For vegetarian: use vegetable broth and omit the parmesan rind.
Soup base freezes beautifully—add pasta fresh when reheating.
Adjust thickness with extra broth or longer simmering.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35–40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Sautéing, Simmering, Blending
- Cuisine: Italian