Description
Italian Penicillin Soup is a comforting and hearty pasta soup featuring tender vegetables blended into a flavorful broth, enriched with eggs and Parmesan cheese. This classic Italian-inspired dish uses acini di pepe pasta for a delightful texture and is perfect for a cozy meal that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Broth
- 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1/4″ rounds (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 3 celery ribs, cut into 1/4″ pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
Dairy and Herbs
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 3 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
Other
- 2 large eggs
- 8 oz acini di pepe or other pastina pasta
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook Vegetables: In a large pot over medium heat, combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, 6 cups of the chicken broth, and 2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Blend Soup Base: Using an immersion blender (or by carefully transferring the mixture to a standard blender), blend the soup until it becomes a light orange color but still contains small pieces of vegetables for texture.
- Enrich Soup: Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth to the soup pot. Stir in 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter and season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring the soup back to a simmer over medium heat. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, finely grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped parsley. While continuously stirring the hot broth, slowly add the egg mixture to temper it, cooking until small strands and bits of cooked eggs rise to the top.
- Cook Pasta: Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil and cook the acini di pepe pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of unsalted butter and toss gently to coat.
- Serve: Divide the cooked acini di pepe evenly into serving bowls. Ladle the broth with the cooked eggs and vegetables over the pasta. Garnish each bowl with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the saltiness of the soup.
- For a vegetarian alternative, substitute vegetable broth and omit the eggs or use an egg substitute.
- The acini di pepe pasta can be replaced with any small pasta shapes like orzo or pastina if not available.
- Be sure to add the egg mixture slowly while stirring to prevent scrambling and create the signature silky egg ribbons in the broth.
- This soup pairs wonderfully with crusty Italian bread for a complete meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Italian soup, Penicillin soup, acini di pepe, chicken broth soup, Parmesan soup, comforting soup
