Pastina Soup

Name: Pastina Soup (Italian Egg Drop Soup)
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock; 1/2 cup pastina pasta (or another small pasta shape, like orzo); 1 egg; 1 tablespoon cold butter; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving); Black pepper, to taste; Salt, to taste; Olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

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Pastina soup is a thick, creamy Italian comfort dish made by simmering tiny star-shaped pasta in stock until porridge-like, then enriched with egg, butter, and Parmesan. Ready in 10 minutes, it's the Italian answer to chicken noodle soup.

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🌍Italian 🥗Vegetarian 🏷️Pastina 🏷️Italian penicillin Comfort food

🏷️

🏷️Sick food

🏷️10 minute meal

Total

10 min

Servings

2

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Tasty

Ingredients

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2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup pastina pasta (or another small pasta shape, like orzo)
1 egg
1 tablespoon cold butter
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (plus more for serving)
Black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste
Olive oil, for drizzling (optional)optional

8 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Add stock to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.
2
Stir in the pastina and reduce the heat to low.
3
Simmer for about 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until most of the stock is absorbed but not all — the pasta should be just showing underneath the surface of the remaining stock.
4
While the pasta simmers, whisk the egg in a small bowl until completely combined.
5
When just a bit of stock remains in the saucepan, turn off the heat completely.
6
Stir in the cold butter until fully melted.
7
Stir in the Parmesan cheese until combined.
8
While vigorously stirring the pastina mixture, pour in the beaten egg in a slow stream. Stir continuously to avoid scrambled eggs and achieve a glossy, clump-free result.
9
Taste and add salt if needed, depending on the saltiness of your stock.
10
Ladle into bowls and top with lots of black pepper and extra Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil if desired.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Stir frequently during the first 5–6 minutes to prevent sticking and ensure even pasta absorption.
Chill the butter before use; it helps temper the mixture gently when added off-heat, reducing egg scramble risk.
Pour the beaten egg in a thin, steady stream while stirring vigorously to achieve a glossy, clump-free texture.
Taste after step 9 and adjust salt carefully, as stock saltiness varies; oversalting is easy to do.

Substitutions

Pastina → orzo or ditalini (pasta will be slightly larger but texture remains creamy)
Egg → omit for a lighter, non-enriched version (soup will be thinner and less velvety)
Butter → olive oil (use same amount, though richness will differ slightly)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat gently over low heat with a splash of stock to restore creamy consistency.

Common Questions

What's the difference between pastina and orzo?

Pastina is smaller, star-shaped pasta; orzo is larger and rice-shaped. Both work in this recipe, though pastina creates a finer, more porridge-like texture.

How do I keep the egg from scrambling?

Remove the saucepan from heat before adding egg, stir vigorously as you pour it in slowly, and keep stirring continuously to distribute the heat evenly.