Vegan Pastina: Comforting Italian Noodle Soup Recipe
This Vegan Pastina recipe is a comforting Italian noodle soup made with tiny star-shaped pasta simmered in a flavorful, blended vegetable and vegan chicken broth base. It’s a warm, hearty, and velvety soup infused with savory garlic, carrot, celery, and onion, enriched with vegan Parmesan for a creamy finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 5.7 ounces dry Stelline Pasta (little stars, or any small pasta like acini di pepe, alfabeto, or orzo)
- 1 small Carrot, peeled and cut in half
- 2 ribs Celery, cut in half
- 1/2 small Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic, peeled
- 6 cups Vegan Chicken Broth
- 1 pinch Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
Finishing
- 1/3 cup grated Vegan Parmesan, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Simmer Vegetables: Add the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic to a large pot along with 4 1/2 cups of the vegan chicken broth. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to maintain a hard simmer and cook for 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Blend Vegetables: Remove only the vegetables from the pot and transfer them to a blender. Add 2 to 3 ladles of the hot cooked broth (do not discard the remaining broth). Blend until completely smooth, creating a creamy vegetable puree.
- Combine and Season: Return the blended vegetable mixture to the remaining broth in the pot along with the 1 1/2 cups of broth that were set aside earlier. Season with a pinch of ground black pepper and bring the mixture to a low boil.
- Cook Pastina: Add the pastina pasta to the pot and stir well. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the small pasta from sticking together or to the bottom of the pot.
- Finish with Vegan Parmesan: Once the pastina is tender and cooked through, remove the pot from heat. Stir in the grated vegan Parmesan until it is fully incorporated, adding a rich, cheesy flavor to the soup.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve immediately, topped with additional grated vegan Parmesan if desired for extra flavor.
Notes
- Stelline pasta can be substituted with other small-shaped pastas like orzo or acini di pepe.
- Be sure to stir frequently when cooking pastina as it cooks quickly and tends to stick.
- Use a high-quality vegan parmesan for the best flavor and meltability.
- This soup can be made in advance; reheat gently and add a splash of broth if it thickens too much.
- For a gluten-free version, choose a gluten-free small pasta alternative.
