About This Pastina Soup

This Pastina Soup is the ultimate comfort food — like Campbell’s Chicken & Stars, but richer, silkier, and seriously upgraded. A whole chicken simmers with carrots, leeks, celery, fennel, and aromatics to create a deeply flavorful broth, and all the vegetables are puréed for a velvety, nostalgic base packed with nutrients. You can keep it classic and brothy with just the stars, or shred the chicken and add it back in for a heartier meal. Finished with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and cracked pepper… it’s cozy perfection.

Why You’ll Love This Pastina Soup

Silky, nostalgic Chicken & Stars–style broth
Whole-chicken flavor without being heavy
Veggies are puréed — picky-eater friendly
Cozy, kid-approved, and freezer friendly
Add shredded chicken or keep it simple
Perfect for cold days, sick days, or meal prep

Ingredients You’ll Need

Produce & Aromatics:

Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Leeks
Onion
Fennel (optional)
Lemon (juice + zest)
Thyme

Protein:

Whole chicken

Pantry:

Chicken stock
Olive oil
Salt + black pepper
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Parmigiano Reggiano rinds (optional)

Pasta:

Pastina (or orzo)

How to Make Pastina Soup

Brown a whole chicken in a heavy pot for deep flavor. Sauté the vegetables until golden, then add lemon, herbs, and stock. Add the chicken back in and braise in the oven until tender. Purée the veggies into the broth for a silky base, then cook the Pastina right in the soup — or separately to keep it brothy. Finish with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and cracked black pepper.

Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Tips for Success

Brown the chicken well — this builds major flavor
Purée thoroughly for the creamiest texture
Cook the Pastina separately if you want to prevent broth absorption
Add extra stock when reheating — Pastina thickens as it sits
Parmesan rinds deepen the flavor but are optional

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead?
Yes — it reheats beautifully. Just add extra stock when reheating.

Can I freeze it?
Yes, but freeze without the Pastina. Add cooked Pastina when serving.

Do I have to use a whole chicken?
No — you can use thighs instead, but a whole chicken gives the richest broth.

Can I skip the fennel?
Absolutely — the soup is still delicious.

What to Serve With Pastina Soup

Crusty bread
Simple green salad
Roasted vegetables
Grated Parmesan + black pepper

More Cozy Recipes

French Onion Soup

Chili

Lasagna Soup

White Chicken Chili

Cheesy Tortellini Soup

Pastina Soup

Yield: 8-10

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (5.5 lbs is what I used)
8 oz Pastina pasta, you can use orzo as well
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, diced (smaller if using immersion)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 leeks, sliced & cleaned (white & light green parts only)
1 large onion, diced
Juice of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
4-5 springs of thyme
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (optional)
2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
Pepper to taste
Parmigiano Reggiano to serve
8 cups chicken stock

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350°F
Pat the chicken dry and generously season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in large pot with a tight-fitting lid on high heat. Place the chicken in the pot breast-side down for about 5-7 minutes to brown it nicely. Flip chicken so that other side is browned as well. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.
Turn the heat down to medium and add the vegetables. Cook until vegetables are starting to brown- about 15 minutes. Add in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper, chili flakes, and thyme.
Add chicken back to pot and then pour chicken stock around the chicken. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover with lid and put into oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Take out of oven and remove the chicken. Note: I shredded the chicken and added back into the soup to serve at the end. You can also skip this step and use chicken for sandwiches or salads.
Remove the thyme from the pot.
Use immersion blender to purée the vegetables and broth. If you do not have an immersion blender, remove vegetables from pot and place them into a blender with 2 cups of broth and blend, then add the purée back to pot. Salt to taste. Note: If your soup/purée consistency is too thick, you can add some chicken stock in at this step to thin it out a little bit
Bring soup back to a boil and add the Pastina- cook for about 8 minutes until Pastina is cooked. Note: An alternative method would be to cook the Pastina pasta separately and then ladle the soup onto the pasta to serve- this will help to not have the pasta soak up all of the liquid. If you cook it all together, you can add in chicken stock when reheating per serving!
Ladle into bowl and top with fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano and freshly cracked pepper. You can also add back in some of the shredded chicken as well for a little protein.