Creamy Pastina

Name: Creamy Pastina With Butter and Cheese
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 6 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth; 1 1/2 cups pastina pasta; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 cup parmesan cheese (, freshly grated); 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt; freshly ground black pepper to taste

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Creamy pastina is a simple Italian comfort dish made by simmering tiny pasta in broth and finishing with butter and parmesan cheese. It comes together in under 10 minutes and requires minimal ingredients.

🌍Italian 🏷️Italian pastina 🏷️Pastina pasta 🏷️Pastina recipe

Total

6 min

Servings

2

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Savoryexperiments · by Jessica Formicola

Ingredients

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3 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups pastina pasta
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup parmesan cheese (, freshly grated)
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

6 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
In a medium saucepan, bring the 3 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth to a low boil.
2
Stir in the 1 1/2 cups pastina pasta and simmer for an additional 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Stir after adding to prevent clumps.
3
Immediately add the 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 cup parmesan cheese, stirring until combined. Add the 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, if desired.
4
Serve while hot.
5
If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Stir the pastina immediately after adding it to the broth to prevent clumping and ensure even cooking.
Use low sodium broth to control the saltiness, since parmesan cheese adds significant salt to the dish.
Remove from heat before adding butter and cheese to preserve their creamy texture and prevent overcooking.
Freshly grate the parmesan rather than using pre-grated for smoother melting and better flavor.

Substitutions

Chicken broth → vegetable broth (maintains flavor, makes dish vegetarian)
Parmesan cheese → Pecorino Romano (sharper flavor, similar melting qualities)
Unsalted butter → salted butter (reduce added salt to 1/8 teaspoon)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring in additional broth to restore creaminess.