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Nothing beats a steaming bowl of Italian Star Soup for comfort and warmth during your mealtime. This traditional favorite blends soft veggies with miniature star-shaped pasta in a tasty, uncomplicated broth.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED- Star-Shaped Pasta (pastina): These itty-bitty pasta stars make the soup hearty and soak up all the broth flavors while cooking fast.
- Yellow Onion (coarsely diced): Onions bring a lovely sweetness and boost the broth's background flavor.
- Diced Carrots: Carrots give the soup a touch of natural sweetness and bright color that works against the savory notes.
- Chopped Celery: Celery contributes a subtle bitter note that makes all the other flavors pop.
- Minced Garlic: Garlic fills the soup with wonderful smell and a bit of zing that makes the broth taste richer.
- Veggie Stock (or chicken broth with less salt): This forms your soup foundation. Going with lower sodium lets you control how salty it turns out.
- Black Pepper and Salt: These basic seasonings help bring out what's already good in your ingredients.
- Bay Leaf (if you want): Gives your broth an herby smell and deeper taste.
- Parmesan Cheese Rind (optional): Adds a savory, rich taste for a true Italian feel. Just take it out before you eat.
- Topping ideas: Fresh parsley, grated Parmesan, and a little olive oil drizzled on top make it look fancy and taste even better.
- First:
- Coarsely chop your onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Don't worry about making them perfect since they'll get blended anyway.
- Second:
- Get a big pot and pour in your veggie stock, then add all your chopped veggies, the bay leaf, and Parmesan rind if you're using it. Throw in a good amount of salt and black pepper.
- Third:
- Put the lid on and let everything bubble away at medium-high for about 20 minutes. This softens your veggies and lets them flavor the broth.
- Fourth:
- Poke the veggies with a fork to make sure they're soft enough. Once they're done, fish out the bay leaf and cheese rind so they don't make the soup too strong.
- Fifth:
- Grab a slotted spoon or strainer to take out the veggies and put them in your blender. Add about ½ cup water and blend them until they're smooth.
- Sixth:
- Put the blended veggie mix back into the pot with the broth and stir it all together. Take a taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Seventh:
- Get the soup boiling again and toss in your star pasta. Keep stirring so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom. Let it cook for around 5-6 minutes until the pasta feels tender.
- Eighth:
- Pour into bowls and top with some chopped parsley, Parmesan cheese, and a bit of olive oil if you want.
- Dish it up piping hot with a sprinkle of parsley, some grated Parmesan, and olive oil dribbled on top for extra yumminess.
- This soup tastes great with some crunchy bread or a simple side salad.
- Keep what's left in a sealed container in your fridge for up to 3 days.
- When you want to enjoy it again, warm it slowly on the stove at medium heat, adding a splash of water if it's gotten too thick.
- For a plant-based version, skip the cheese rind and stick with veggie broth.
- If you don't want your soup totally smooth, just partly blend the veggies.
- Feel free to toss in other herbs like rosemary or thyme for different flavors.
Pro Cooking Advice
- Lidia Bastianich says using saved-up Parmesan rinds gives you that real Italian taste.
- Mario Batali thinks you should keep stirring soup with pasta so it doesn't clump up at the bottom.
- Giada De Laurentiis likes putting black pepper in veggie soups for a tiny bit of heat.
- It's a quick, one-pot meal that's perfect when you're short on time.
- The soup feels like a warm hug, especially when it's cold outside.
- You can change it up easily to make it vegan or add different toppings.
- Try orzo or ditalini pasta if you can't find the star-shaped kind.
- Pour in some cream to make it richer and smoother.
- Throw in some chopped spinach or kale to get more greens in your diet.