Italian Penicillin Soup Recipe
Italian Penicillin Soup is a comforting and flavorful pureed vegetable soup featuring a blend of carrots, celery, onion, and garlic simmered with a Parmesan rind for added depth. Finished with lemon juice, tender pastina pasta, and fresh herbs, this soup offers a silky texture and bright, fresh taste perfect for any season.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 3 ribs celery, halved
Seasoning and Broth
- 1 tsp salt, plus black pepper to taste
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Pasta and Garnishes
- 1 ¼ cups pastina or other small pasta
- 1 large lemon, juiced (plus more to taste)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Drizzle of olive oil, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Saute vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened and fragrant.
- Simmer with broth: Add the Parmesan rind if using, and pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 25–30 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
- Blend the soup: Remove the Parmesan rind from the pot. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until it is smooth and silky. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a heat-safe blender and blend until smooth.
- Cook the pasta: Return the puréed soup to a simmer. Stir in the pastina or small pasta and cook for 8–10 minutes until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Finish the soup: Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper if desired.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped fresh parsley for a beautiful and flavorful finish.
Notes
- The Parmesan rind adds a rich umami flavor but is optional if unavailable.
- Pastina is a tiny pasta shape typical in Italian soups; substitute with orzo or another small pasta if desired.
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- You can adjust the amount of lemon juice to taste to balance brightness with the richness of the soup.
- The soup can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
Keywords: Italian Penicillin Soup, pureed vegetable soup, pastina soup, Italian soup recipe, lemon vegetable soup
Find it online: https://spiceupwithsophie.com/italian-penicillin-soup-recipe/
