Fall Soup Series: Pastina

Pastina soup is a traditional Italian peasant dish which truly almost makes something out of nothing. The most minimal ingredients come together in this pastina recipe to make a delicious soup both children and adults will love.

Pastina is a staple in my house in the fall and winter season. This recipe has been in the family for years, it something that we make after every Thanksgiving using the turkey carcass to make the stock and leftover shredded turkey. You can make this using chicken breast as well.

In this recipe I use bone-in skinless chicken. You can use any kind of chicken you choose or if you don't want to make the stock, replace the water with chicken stock and add in shredded chicken. This is a great meal prep recipe to have on hand for a quick and easy dinner. I also like to pack this for winter hiking. It is great to heat this up after a long day of hiking. For me, eating soup is like a hug from the inside.

Pastina Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, smashed

• Salt, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

• 6 cups water

• 1 lb bone-in chicken

• 1 cup orzo pasta

• Parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. Start by chopping the onions, carrots, celery and garlic.

2. In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the veggies.

3. Add in the chicken and brown slightly

4. Add in water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low for 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked

5. Remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool

6. Remove the chicken from the bone and shred. Put shredded chicken back into the pot

7. Season with salt and pepper

8. In a separate pot, cook orzo according to directions on the package

9. To serve, place cooked orzo in the bottom of a bowl and ladle soup on top

10. Garnish with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

This soup is a classic recipe and can be modified to your liking. Add in some extra veggies if you like or swap the chicken for turkey. It is totally up to you. Cooking should be fun, so enjoy what your doing and cozy up with a nice hot bowl of Pastina on a chilly day!

If you make this recipe, be sure to tag me on social media! For video instructions, head over to my instagram @fitness_adventures_with_liz to check out the reel!

Happy Cooking 👩‍🍳

Love, Liz