Tomato Pastina
This cozy tomato pastina soup is a classic Italian comfort food made with tiny pasta, rich broth, and simple ingredients. A quick and easy recipe perfect for chilly nights!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 carrots diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 2 cups pastina pasta see notes
- Grated parmesan cheese for serving, optional
Instructions
- Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot and place the pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped carrots and onion and stir to combine. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and stir it in. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes to deepen the tomato flavor. The mixture will become quite fragrant.
- Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, salt and pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine the vegetables and broth. Bring the chicken stock to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium low so you can simmer it for 10 minutes.
- Add the pastina to the broth and stir. Cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the pasta has become nice and tender. You will want to stir it very frequently to avoid the pasta sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Serve the pastina with a sprinkle of parmesan over the top as desired.
- Any leftover pasta will continue to absorb the broth as it sits in a refrigerator. To reheat it, you may want to add a bit more chicken stock to restore the proper consistency.