Why You’ll Love This Italian Penicillin Soup

It uses simple ingredients. You don’t need anything fancy to make this soup. Most of the ingredients are pantry and refrigerator staples.

It’s incredibly flavorful. Garlic, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, chicken broth, bouillon, and Parmesan create layers of flavor without requiring a complicated recipe.

The vegetables disappear into the broth. This is especially great if you have picky eaters who aren’t thrilled about a bowl full of vegetables.

It’s cozy and comforting. This is the kind of soup you want on a chilly day, when someone in the house isn’t feeling their best, or when you just need a big bowl of comfort food.

The pastina makes it extra special. Tiny pasta + butter + Parmesan is basically comfort food perfection.

Ingredients

• Chicken Broth– Chicken broth forms the base of the soup. You can use your favorite store-bought chicken broth or homemade chicken stock. For an even richer flavor, chicken bone broth works beautifully here too.
• Garlic– You’ll need 6–8 cloves of peeled garlic. Don’t be afraid of the amount! The garlic simmers right along with the vegetables and broth, creating a delicious savory flavor without becoming overwhelmingly garlicky.
• White Onion– Half of a white onion adds sweetness and depth to the broth. Since everything gets blended at the end, you only need to roughly chop it in half.
• Carrots– The carrots add natural sweetness, flavor, and beautiful color to the soup. Peel and cut them in half so they cook evenly.
• Celery– Celery gives the soup that classic homemade chicken soup flavor. Again, you can simply cut the stalks in half since everything will eventually be blended.
• Bay Leaves– Bay leaves add subtle herbal flavor while the broth simmers. Remember to remove them before blending the vegetables!
• Chicken Bouillon– A spoonful of chicken bouillon gives the broth an extra boost of savory chicken flavor. Depending on the broth and bouillon you use, you may want to wait until the end to adjust the salt.
• Pastina– Pastina is the tiny pasta that makes this soup so comforting. Cook it separately according to the package directions so it doesn’t absorb all of the broth while the soup cooks.
• Butter + Parmesan– Tossing the cooked pastina with butter and Parmesan is one of my favorite parts of this recipe. It gives the pasta a creamy, cheesy flavor before it even hits the soup, and don’t forget extra Parmesan for serving!

1. While the soup is simmering, prepare the pastina according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain the pastina and toss it with butter and ½ cup Parmesan cheese. Set it aside.
2. When the vegetables are tender, remove them from the broth along with the bay leaves.
3. Add the cooked vegetables to a blender with about 2 cups of the broth. Blend until completely smooth. You can also use an immersion blender if you prefer to blend everything directly in the pot.

1. Be careful when blending hot liquids. If using a traditional blender, don’t seal it completely airtight while blending hot soup, as steam needs somewhere to escape. Work carefully and in batches if necessary.
2. Pour the smooth vegetable purée back into the remaining broth and stir well.
3. To serve, spoon some of the buttery Parmesan pastina into a bowl and ladle the vegetable-infused broth over the top. Finish with more freshly grated Parmesan and plenty of fresh cracked black pepper.
4. Then grab a spoon and dig in!

My Best Tips for Making This Soup

Don’t skip the vegetable purée. This is what gives the soup its signature texture and flavor. It transforms a basic chicken broth into something much richer and more satisfying.

Cook the pastina separately. If you add the pastina directly to the soup pot, it will continue absorbing the broth as it sits and can become mushy. Keeping it separate lets everyone add as much pasta as they want to their bowl.

Use freshly grated Parmesan if possible. It melts more easily and has a much better flavor than pre-shredded Parmesan.

Taste before adding more salt. Chicken broth and bouillon can both contain quite a bit of sodium, so I recommend tasting the finished broth before adding additional salt.

Don’t forget the black pepper. A generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper adds the perfect finishing touch.

What to Serve With Italian Penicillin Soup

This soup is filling enough to be a meal on its own, especially with the pastina and Parmesan. But if you want to round it out, serve it with warm crusty bread, garlic bread, or a simple green salad.

A grilled cheese sandwich would also be absolutely delicious with this soup!

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

For the best texture, I recommend storing the pastina separately from the broth if you know you’ll have leftovers. The pasta will continue soaking up the broth as it sits, which can leave you with much less liquid the next day.

When reheating, warm the broth on the stovetop or in the microwave and add fresh pastina to your bowl.

If the soup thickens in the refrigerator, simply add a little extra chicken broth when reheating.

Can You Freeze Italian Penicillin Soup?

Yes! The vegetable-infused broth freezes well. For the best results, freeze the broth without the pastina and make fresh pastina when you’re ready to serve it.

Allow the broth to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently on the stovetop.

FAQs

Can I use an immersion blender?

Absolutely! An immersion blender makes this recipe incredibly easy. Once the vegetables are tender and the bay leaves have been removed, blend the vegetables with some of the broth until smooth.

Do I have to use pastina?

No. Pastina is traditional for this style of soup, but you can substitute another small pasta or even skip the pasta altogether.

Can I add chicken?

Yes! Shredded chicken is a great addition if you want to make this soup more substantial.

Why do you cook the pastina separately?

Cooking it separately prevents the pasta from absorbing too much of the broth and becoming overly soft. It also makes leftovers much easier to store.

Can I make this soup ahead of time?

Yes. The broth can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. When you’re ready to serve, warm the broth and prepare fresh pastina.

This Viral Italian Penicillin Soup is one of those recipes that proves you don’t need a long ingredient list or complicated cooking techniques to make something absolutely delicious.

The vegetables simmer slowly in chicken broth until tender, then get blended into a silky purée that makes the broth rich and flavorful. The buttery Parmesan pastina takes it over the top, and that final sprinkle of Parmesan and cracked black pepper is the perfect finishing touch.

It’s warm, cozy, comforting, and exactly the kind of recipe I want to have saved for those days when everyone needs a little extra comfort.

So whether you’re making it because you’re feeling under the weather, feeding a family on a chilly night, or simply because this viral soup looked too good not to try—save this recipe. You’re going to want to make it again!