Italian Penicillin Soup

This Italian Penicillin soup is the viral pastina soup made with tender vegetables, chicken broth, shredded chicken, tiny pasta, and Parmesan. The vegetables get blended into the broth for a silky, creamy texture without any cream, making it an easy, comforting soup for chilly nights or whenever you want a warm bowl of chicken soup.

Why You’ll Love This Italian Penicillin Soup

Italian penicillin soup, also known as chicken pastina soup or “Nonna’s penicillin,” is a simple Italian chicken soup made with vegetables, shredded chicken, Parmesan, and tiny pastina. It’s especially popular as a sick-day soup, and that’s actually one of the main reasons I make it. I’ve made this more times than I can count when I’ve had a cold, and a hot bowl of broth, chicken, vegetables, and soft pastina always makes me feel a little better when I’m run down.

This version gets its creamy texture without adding any cream. The cooked vegetables are blended directly into the chicken broth, giving it a smooth, silky consistency while keeping the soup fairly light. I also simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth, which adds a deeper savory flavor as everything cooks.

Once the shredded chicken and pastina go in, it becomes a filling bowl of soup without being overly heavy. I make it when someone in the house isn’t feeling well, but it’s just as good for an easy fall or winter dinner when you want something warm and comforting.

What Is Italian Penicillin Soup?

Italian penicillin soup is a comforting Italian-style chicken soup made with broth, vegetables, shredded chicken, Parmesan, and tiny pasta such as pastina. It gets its nickname from being a go-to soup when someone is feeling under the weather, similar to how chicken noodle soup is often used in American households.

Most versions are simple and brothy, but this one blends part of the cooked vegetables into the broth for a smoother, creamier texture without adding any cream. Pastina is stirred in at the end, giving the soup its signature small pasta shape and making it a little more filling.

Ingredients You'll Need

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 4 stalks celery, diced small
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 2 large carrots, finely diced
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional but recommended)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ⅓ cup uncooked pastina (double if you like lots of pasta)
• 2 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie or leftover), shredded
• Grated Parmesan, for serving
• Finely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Ingredient Notes That Make This Chicken Pastina Soup Better

• Pastina: Pastina is the tiny pasta that gives Italian penicillin soup its signature texture. You can use stelline, acini di pepe, or another very small pasta shape if you can’t find traditional pastina.
• Chicken: I usually use shredded rotisserie chicken because it makes this soup much easier to throw together. Leftover cooked chicken works just as well, and either chicken breast or thighs are fine.
• Chicken broth: I recommend starting with low-sodium chicken broth since the Parmesan rind and grated Parmesan both add salt. You can always season the soup more at the end.
• Parmesan rind: If you have one, don’t skip it. Simmering a Parmesan rind in the broth adds a deeper savory flavor without needing extra seasonings. I keep leftover rinds in the freezer specifically for soups like this.
• Carrots, celery, and onion: These make up the vegetable base of the soup. Since most of the vegetables are eventually blended into the broth, they also help create that smooth, creamy texture without adding any actual cream.
• Garlic: Four cloves might sound like a lot, but once it simmers with the broth and vegetables, the flavor mellows out and blends into the soup.
• Olive oil and butter: I like using both to start the vegetables. The olive oil handles the heat well, while the butter adds a little extra richness to the broth.
• Parmesan and parsley: I add these right before serving. Freshly grated Parmesan gives each bowl another savory boost, while parsley adds a little freshness to balance the rich broth.

How to Make Italian Penicillin Soup

Step 1: Sauté the vegetables

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent it from browning.

Step 2: Simmer the soup

Pour in the chicken broth, add the Parmesan rind (if using), and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

Step 3: Blend for a silky broth

Remove and discard the Parmesan rind. Use a slotted spoon to transfer about 2 cups of the cooked vegetables to a plate and set them aside. Use an immersion blender to puree the remaining soup in the pot until smooth. If you're using a blender, let the soup cool slightly, blend in batches, and vent steam safely by removing the center cap and covering the opening with a kitchen towel.

Step 4: Cook the pastina

Add the pastina to the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for the time listed on the pastina package, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Finish and rest

Stir in the shredded chicken and the reserved vegetables. Cover and let the soup rest for a few minutes to thicken slightly. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Step 6: Serve

Serve the soup warm, topped with grated Parmesan and freshly chopped parsley.

Expert Tips for the Best Italian Penicillin Soup

• Give the vegetables time to soften. Don’t crank up the heat just to speed through the beginning. Letting the onion, carrots, and celery gently cook in the butter and olive oil brings out their natural sweetness and gives the broth more flavor.
• Be careful when blending hot soup. If you’re using a countertop blender instead of an immersion blender, work in batches and leave room for steam to escape. Hot liquid expands quickly when blended.
• Keep the soup a little looser than you think it needs to be. Pastina absorbs a surprising amount of broth as it cooks and continues soaking it up after the soup comes off the heat. If it looks perfectly thick in the pot, it may be much thicker by the time you serve it.
• Use warm broth to adjust the consistency. If the soup gets thicker than you want, stir in a splash of additional chicken broth rather than water. That loosens the pastina without diluting the flavor.
• Wait until the end to make your final salt adjustment. Chicken broth, Parmesan, and rotisserie chicken can all contribute quite a bit of salt, so taste the finished soup before adding more.
• Cook the pastina separately if you’re planning for leftovers. This is my favorite trick for keeping the soup brothy. Store the cooked pastina separately and add it to individual bowls as you reheat them so it doesn’t continue absorbing all the broth overnight.

Italian Penicillin Soup FAQs

Why is it called Italian penicillin soup?

Italian penicillin soup gets its nickname from the tradition of making warm broth and pastina for someone who is sick or feeling run down. It’s essentially the Italian comfort-food equivalent of chicken noodle soup. The name is just a nickname, though. The soup doesn’t actually contain penicillin or cure a cold.

Is Italian penicillin soup the same as pastina soup?

They’re very closely related, but not every pastina soup is exactly the same. Pastina simply refers to very small pasta, and traditional pastina dishes can be as simple as pasta cooked in broth. Italian penicillin soup usually includes broth, vegetables, pastina, and often chicken and Parmesan.

Does Italian penicillin soup have cream in it?

This recipe doesn’t. The creamy-looking broth comes from blending the cooked carrots, celery, and onion directly into the chicken broth. It gives the soup a smooth, silky texture without needing heavy cream.

Is Italian penicillin soup good when you’re sick?

It’s a popular sick-day comfort food because it’s warm, brothy, and easy to eat when you’re not feeling your best. I make it often when I have a cold, but I think of it as comforting food rather than a treatment or cure for illness.

Do I have to blend the vegetables?

No. Blending the vegetables gives this version its smooth, creamy broth, but you can leave them diced if you prefer a more traditional, brothy chicken pastina soup. Just make sure the vegetables simmer until they’re completely tender.

What can I use if I can’t find pastina?

Stelline, acini di pepe, orzo, ditalini, or another very small pasta will all work. Since the cooking times vary between shapes, follow the package directions and start checking the pasta a little early so it doesn’t overcook.

Can I make Italian penicillin soup ahead of time?

Yes. For the best texture, make the broth, blended vegetables, and chicken ahead of time, then cook the pastina when you’re ready to serve. This prevents the tiny pasta from soaking up too much broth while the soup sits.

Can I freeze Italian penicillin soup?

Yes, but I recommend freezing it without the pastina. The pasta can become very soft after freezing and thawing. Freeze the soup base and chicken in an airtight container, then reheat it and add freshly cooked pastina when you’re ready to serve.

Soup Recipes to Try Next

• Senate bean soup
• Creamy Parmesan Italian sausage soup
• Spicy Sicilian chicken soup
• Qdoba chicken tortilla soup
• Sausage and lentil soup