Cozy Vegan Pastina Soup Recipe (Italian Penicillin Soup!)

Whenever someone in my family starts to feel a little under the weather, or when a freezing, rainy evening calls for the coziest meal imaginable, this is the exact soup that goes straight onto my stove. In my kitchen, this vegan pastina soup is pure magic because it transforms four humble vegetables from the crisper drawer—carrots, celery, onion, and garlic—into a rich, creamy, golden broth without using a single drop of heavy dairy cream, butter, or flour!

Whether you grew up eating classic Italian pastina as a child, saw the viral penicillin soup trend taking over social media, or simply want a nourishing, kid-friendly weeknight dinner that everyone devours to the very last spoonful, this easy pastina soup recipe will steal your heart.

Why This Recipe Works: The Food Science Behind “Penicillin” Soup

Have you ever wondered what is penicillin soup, or how blending simple vegetables turns clear broth into a creamy, golden elixir? Mastering the best vegan pastina soup comes down to three fascinating food science principles:

1. Soffritto Pectin-Lipid Emulsification (Creaminess Without Dairy!): In Italian cooking, the aromatic trio of carrots, celery, and onions is called soffritto. As these diced vegetables simmer for 20 minutes, the cell walls of the carrots and onions soften and release soluble pectin fibers. When you puree the cooked vegetables directly into the vegetable broth along with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the pectin acts as a natural hydrocolloid emulsifier—suspending microscopic droplets of oil and vegetable fiber to create a velvety, golden, cream-like body with zero dairy!
2. Allicin & Beta-Carotene Immune Synergy: Why is this affectionately called Italian Penicillin Soup? Carrots pack a massive dose of beta-carotene (which converts to immune-supporting Vitamin A), onions provide quercetin bioflavonoids, and minced garlic releases antibacterial allicin. Blending the whole cooked vegetables directly into the broth means you consume 100% of their fibers and phytonutrients in every soothing spoonful.
3. Separate Pasta Boiling (Preventing Broth Cloudiness & Bloat): Tiny pastina has an enormous surface-area-to-volume ratio and absorbs liquid rapidly. Boiling the pastina in a separate pot of salted water until al dente before stirring it into the pureed golden soup keeps the pasta stars plump and bouncy, preventing them from drinking up all your precious broth in the pot!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Naturally Creamy With Zero Dairy: Blended carrots, celery, and onions create a silky, golden broth that kids and adults adore.
• Only 7 Everyday Ingredients: Carrots, onion, celery, garlic, vegetable broth, pastina, and olive oil (plus parsley, salt, and pepper).
• 100% Vegan, Dairy-Free & Egg-Free: A wholesome, plant-based take on traditional Italian comfort food.
• Meal-Prep & Freezer Superstar: Freeze the golden vegetable soup base for busy nights and toss in fresh pastina in minutes!

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Wondering what is pastina called now at the grocery store or what you can substitute? Here is our foolproof checklist:

How to Make Vegan Pastina Soup (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Prep & Dice the Vegetables

Wash and peel the 3 carrots, then dice them into small pieces. Wash and dice the 2 celery ribs. Peel and dice the medium onion, and peel and mince the 2 garlic cloves.

Step 2: Sauté the Italian Soffritto Base

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion turns translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

Step 3: Simmer in Vegetable Broth

Pour the 6 cups of vegetable broth into the pot, stirring to combine with the sautéed vegetables. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a lively boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes until the carrots and celery are completely fork-tender.

Step 4: Boil the Pastina Separately

While the vegetable soup simmers, bring a separate medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the 1½ cups of dry pastina (or any tiny pasta variety) and cook according to the package instructions (usually 5 to 7 minutes) until al dente. Drain the pastina in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.

Step 5: Blend the Soup Until Velvety & Golden

Once the vegetables in the soup pot are tender, remove from the heat and use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the soup until completely smooth, thick, and creamy. (Alternatively, carefully transfer the soup in batches to a countertop blender, blend until silky smooth, and return it to the pot).

Step 6: Combine Pastina, Season & Serve!

Add the drained cooked pastina directly into the pot of velvety golden soup. Stir well to combine and let it simmer on low heat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes so the flavors meld and everything is piping hot. Taste and season generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Ladle into warm bowls, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve hot!

Tips and Tricks for Success

• Why Blending the Vegetables Is a Game-Changer: Kids (and picky eaters!) who normally pick out chunks of celery or onions have no idea they are eating three full servings of vegetables because the pureed soffritto looks and tastes like a rich, buttery golden broth!
• Keep Leftover Pastina From Swelling: If you know you will have leftovers for the next few days, keep the cooked pastina in a separate container in the fridge and ladle the hot golden broth over each portion of pasta right when serving.
• Adjust Broth Consistency Anytime: If your soup becomes thicker than you like after adding the pasta, simply stir in an extra ½ to 1 cup of warm vegetable broth or water.

Variations and Add-Ins

Want to customize your vegan Italian penicillin soup? Try these cozy upgrades:

• Cheesy Vegan Parmesan & Lemon Finish: Stir 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast (“nooch”) or grated vegan parmesan cheese and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice into the pureed broth for an ultra-savory umami boost!
• White Bean Protein Boost: Toss 1 can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans (white kidney beans) into the pot during the last 5 minutes of simmering and blend them right in with the vegetables for a high-protein, extra-creamy broth!
• Turmeric & Fresh Ginger Immune Shot: Add ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric and 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger along with the garlic in Step 2 for an extra cold-fighting golden glow.

Scaling for Family Dinners & Meal Prep

• Double the Golden Base: Making soup for a crowd or stocking the freezer for winter? Double the vegetables and broth in an 8-quart stockpot, blend until smooth, and freeze half the golden base before adding pasta!

Storage, Freezing & Reheating Tips

• Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Note that tiny pastina continues to absorb broth as it chills—just add a splash of water or broth when reheating!
• Freezer Friendly (Broth Base): Freeze the blended golden vegetable soup without the pasta in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and add freshly boiled pastina when warming on the stove.

What to Serve With Vegan Pastina Soup

Pair your cozy bowl of golden star soup with:

• 15-Minute Vegan Garlic Bread
• 10-Minute Garlic Sautéed Kale
• Simple Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
• Vegan Mushroom Potato Patties

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the ingredients for pastina soup?

Traditional Italian pastina soup (also known as Italian penicillin soup) requires just carrots, celery, onion, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, broth (vegetable broth for vegan), tiny pastina pasta, salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley.

What is pastina called now?

In most grocery stores today, tiny star-shaped pastina is labeled as Stelline (Italian for “little stars”)! Other tiny soup pasta shapes that belong to the pastina family include Acini di Pepe (tiny beads), Orzo / Risi (rice-shaped pasta), Ditalini (tiny tubes), and Anellini (tiny rings).

How much pastina for 4 cups of broth?

For a classic, brothy pastina soup, use 1 cup of dry pastina for every 4 cups of broth (or 1½ cups of pastina for 6 cups of broth, as in our recipe). If you prefer a lighter soup with more broth, use ¾ cup of pastina per 4 cups of broth.

What is the ideal cooking ratio for pastina?

The ideal cooking ratio depends on how you serve it! For pastina soup, use a 1:4 ratio (1 cup pastina to 4 cups broth). For thick, creamy comfort-bowl pastina (where the tiny stars absorb almost all the liquid like risotto or porridge), use a 1:3 ratio (1 cup pastina simmered in 3 cups liquid).

What is penicillin soup?

Italian Penicillin Soup is the affectionate nickname for homemade Pastina Soup made by simmering carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in broth, blending the cooked vegetables into a silky golden puree, and stirring in tiny star-shaped pastina. Just like classic chicken noodle soup, its warm hydrating broth, garlic allicin, and Vitamin A-rich carrots make it the ultimate natural comfort remedy when you have a cold!

More Cozy & Soothing Vegan Soup Recipes

• Cozy Buckwheat Soup Recipe
• Potato Celery Soup Recipe
• Lebanese Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe
• Authentic Turkish Lentil Soup Recipe

Let’s Connect!

Did you make this Vegan Pastina Soup? Leave a comment and a 5-star rating below—I love hearing what tiny pasta shape you used in your bowl! If you snap a photo of your cozy golden soup, tag me on Instagram at @healthy.living.enthusiast.

📌 Pin this recipe to your Italian Soup Recipes, Vegan Comfort Food, or Feel-Better Cold Remedies board on Pinterest so you can find it anytime!

Cozy Vegan Pastina Soup (Italian Penicillin Soup)

Warm up with this easy and comforting Vegan Pastina Soup—affectionately known as Italian Penicillin Soup! Made with a flavorful blend of carrots, celery, onion, and garlic simmered in vegetable broth and blended into a velvety golden base with tender tiny pastina stars and fresh parsley.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Soup

Cuisine: american-italian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium Carrots peeled and diced
• 1 medium Onion diced
• 2 ribs Celery diced
• 2 cloves Garlic minced
• 6 cups Vegetable broth low-sodium works best
• 1 1/2 cups Pastina such as Stelline stars, Acini di Pepe, or Orzo
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Method

 

1. Step 1 (Prep Vegetables): Wash, peel, and dice the carrots into small pieces. Wash and dice the celery ribs. Peel and dice the onion, and mince the garlic cloves.
2. Step 2 (Sauté Soffritto): In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Step 3 (Boil Broth): Pour in the 6 cups of vegetable broth, stirring to combine with the sautéed vegetables. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Step 4 (Simmer Until Tender): Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer for 15–20 minutes until all the vegetables are completely fork-tender.
5. Step 5 (Cook Pastina Separately): While the soup simmers, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pastina (or any tiny pasta) and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
6. Step 6 (Blend the Soup Base): Using an immersion blender, blend the cooked vegetables and broth directly in the soup pot until smooth, golden, and creamy. (Alternatively, blend carefully in batches in a countertop blender and return to the pot).
7. Step 7 (Combine Pastina & Warm Through): Add the cooked, drained pastina to the blended golden soup pot. Stir well to combine and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes over low heat until heated through.
8. Step 8 (Season & Serve): Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, and serve warm!

Notes

• Adjust Consistency: If the soup thickens too much as the pastina sits, simply stir in an extra splash of warm vegetable broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
• Storage & Freezing Tip: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For meal prep or freezing (up to 3 months), store or freeze the blended golden soup base without the pasta, and stir in freshly boiled pastina when reheating!