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Pastina Soup

Recipe from Mediterranean Food & Diet | Easy Recipes | Suzy Karadsheh · original post · full recipe on themediterraneandish.com

Cozy one-pot pastina soup: chicken broth simmered with onion, carrots, celery and a Parmesan rind, the vegetables blended back in, then tiny pasta and a shower of Parmesan.

Serves 4 30 minKid-friendly
pastasoupone-panitalian
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Ingredients

  • low-sodium chicken broth1440 ml
  • yellow onion — cut into large pieces1 ea
  • carrots — peeled and cut into large pieces130 g
  • celery stalks — cut into large pieces2 ea
  • parmesan rind — about 5 cm1 ea
  • pastina280 g
  • fresh parsley — finely chopped15 g
  • parmesan cheese — grated, to serve30 g

Method

  1. In a large pot with a lid, stir together the broth, onion, carrots, celery, Parmesan rind and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and cover. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. Discard the Parmesan rind. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a food processor, add a couple of ladles of broth and blend until smooth. Scrape the purée back into the pot.
  3. Bring the broth back to a boil over high heat and stir in the pastina (or any tiny pasta such as alphabet, orzo or acini di pepe). Cook until tender, about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  4. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if it tastes flat. Ladle into bowls and finish with parsley and grated Parmesan.

Cooking for a different diet?

Swaps that keep this dish what it is. The prices on this page are for the recipe as written.

  • Pescatarian

    • 1440 ml Vegetable broth instead of low-sodium chicken broth

    Simmer the vegetables in the vegetable broth exactly as written; timings are unchanged.

  • Vegetarian

    • 1440 ml Vegetable broth instead of low-sodium chicken broth

    Simmer the vegetables in the vegetable broth exactly as written; timings are unchanged.

  • Vegan

    • 1440 ml Vegetable broth instead of low-sodium chicken broth
    • Leave out the parmesan rind
    • 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan cheese

    Simmer the vegetables in the vegetable broth without a rind, and season a little more boldly before adding the pastina; finish with dairy-free parmesan.

  • Gluten-free

    • 280 g Gluten-free pastina instead of pastina

    Gluten-free pastina softens quickly, so start checking at 2 minutes and serve straight away.

  • Dairy-free

    • Leave out the parmesan rind
    • 30 g Dairy-free parmesan instead of parmesan cheese

    Simmer the vegetables without the rind and season a little more boldly; finish with dairy-free parmesan.

Swaps are suggestions — check labels if you are cooking for an allergy.

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What it costs, and where to buy it

Each item at whichever of your shops sells it cheapest.

Shops to compare

List price at each shop

  • Missing items

    These totals leave part of the list out, so a lower one isn't a cheaper shop.

  • AldiBest choice

    you pay $22.04 · 17% spare

    $18.34

    missing 3 items

  • Woolworths

    you pay $22.23 · 16% spare

    $18.75

    missing 3 items · $0.41 more

  • Coles

    you pay $27.84 · 8% spare

    $25.50

    missing 3 items · $7.16 more

$4.59a serve

from $4.59 a serve at Aldi · 5 of 8 ingredients priced

About $18.34 of ingredients used for 4 serves.

$21.19 across 2 shops · 5 of 8 items priced · $1.26 more for bigger packs, 16% spare for later

AldiBest choice

$18.34

missing 3 items

you'll pay $22.04 · 17% of it spare

Woolworths

$18.75

missing 3 items · $0.41 more

you'll pay $22.23 · 16% of it spare

Coles

$25.50

missing 3 items · $7.16 more

you'll pay $27.84 · 8% of it spare

Buy at Woolworths$5.23

yellow onion

$0.63/1 ea

need 1 itemOnion Brown each$0.63

WoolworthsWoolworths$0.63/1 ea$0.63·AldiAldi$4.99/1kg$1.00·ColesColes$5.50/1kg$1.10

carrots

$1.70/1kg

need 130 gWoolworths Australian Grown Carrots 1kg$1.70

WoolworthsWoolworths$1.70/1kg$1.70·ColesColes$2.60/1kg$0.44·AldiAldi$2.09/1kg$2.09

fresh parsley

$2.90/1 ea

need 15 gWoolworths Fresh Parsley Bunch each$2.90 1 pack assumed, quantity unknown (sold by the item)

WoolworthsWoolworths$2.90/1 ea$2.90·AldiAldi$2.99/1 ea$2.99·ColesColes$2.20/10g$3.30

Buy at Aldi$15.96

low-sodium chicken broth

$0.94/100ml

need 1.44 L3 × Chefs' Cupboard Beef Bone Broth 500ml$4.69closest match

AldiAldi$0.94/100ml$4.69·WoolworthsWoolworths$1.00/100ml$5.00·ColesColes$1.40/100ml$7.00

parmesan cheese

$18.90/1kg

need 30 gRemano Long-life Grated Parmesan Cheese 100g 0.1kg$1.89closest match

AldiAldi$18.90/1kg$1.89·WoolworthsWoolworths$20.00/1kg$2.00·ColesColes$20.00/1kg$2.00

Not priced

  • celery stalks · 2 items
  • parmesan rind · 1 item
  • pastina · 280 g