Easy Pastina Recipe (Italy’s Comfort food)
Feb 03, 2025, Updated Nov 18, 2025
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Growing up in a Spanish and Italian family, a warm bowl of pastina was the cure for just about everything. This comforting childhood dish comes together in under 8 minutes and is made with simple pantry staples you’ll almost always have on hand. It’s silky, cosy and so easy to make and feels like the perfect big warm hug in a bowl for busy or days or anytime you need something soothing with minimal effort.
Why you’ll love pastina!
Pastina is a big warm hug in a bowl and the ultimate comfort food. It’s known as Italian penicillin and for good reason. It’s believed a bowl of pastina will cure any cold, mend any broken heart and bring a smile to your face on those busy days. This classic pastina is creamy, silky and buttery but it can be made into more of soup if you follow my pastina in chicken broth recipe.
I cannot tell you how many times I turn to pastina when I have nothing else in the house to make! It uses ingredients you will most likely always have on hand and can be made in under 8 minutes. My daughters absolutely love it making it perfect for busy parents!
Ingredients Needed for Pastina
This pastina recipe is made with simple, everyday ingredients you’ll almost always have in your fridge and pantry.
- Pastina: Pastina is an Italian word that translates to tiny pasta. It can come in a variety of shapes from little circles to little stars. The pastina I use is called Stelline.
- Chicken broth: Makes the pastina rich and flavourful, but you can swap for vegetable broth. I like to use my homemade chicken broth!
- Butter: Adds creaminess and gives the pastina that soft, glossy finish.
- Egg: Whisked in at the end to create a natural creaminess and extra nutrition (which is great when making this for young kids!) This is an optional ingredient.
- Parmesan: For that salty, cheesy finish that brings everything together. You could also use pecorino romano!
A full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card below.
Easy to make and quick! Followed the recipe exactly as written my only enhancement was a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end. 5 stars all the way!
HOW TO MAKE PASTINA
Pastina is a very simple dish to make that can be ready in under 8 minutes!
Step 1: In a medium sized pot on a high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the pastina to the pot.
Step 2: Add the butter to the pot with the pastina and continuously stir the pastina until it’s plump and has absorbed 80% of the liquid.
Step 3: Take the pastina off the heat, season to taste with salt and stir through the cheese.
Step 4: Finish off with a sprinkling of extra cheese and drizzle of olive oil.
FAQ’s
Stelline (little stars) are classic, but any tiny pasta shape works — alphabet pasta, ditalini, orzo / risoni or acini di pepe will all do the trick.
Absolutely! Simply swap the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
Stir it frequently while cooking. Because it’s so small, it likes to settle at the bottom.
Yes, you can! Simply leave out the butter or use olive oil instead. You can also skip the parmesan or use a dairy-free alternative.
Absolutely!! This is the best meal you can make when introducing food to your baby. Both my kids love pastina! If serving to babies under 12 month old, just skip the salt and use a low-sodium broth.
How To Serve
- Serve it warm straight from the pot while creamy and silky.
- Add an extra knob of butter or drizzle of olive oil right before serving.
- Finish with freshly grated parmesan.
- Stir through peas or finely chopped spinach for extra veggies.
- Add shredded chicken if you want more protein.
how To Store
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Pastina thickens as it sits, so add warm broth or water when reheating to loosen it.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until creamy again.
More Comfort Dishes To Love!
If you make easy pastina recipe, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!
If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes
Easy Pastina Recipe (Italy’s Comfort food)
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup pastina
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmeson, grated + extra to serve
- pinch of salt
- drizzle of olive oil
Instructions
- Cook pasta: In a medium sized pot on a high heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the pastina and butter to the chicken stock and immediately turn the heat down to medium or until the stock is at a gently simmer. Continuously stir the pastina until it’s plump and has absorbed 80% of the liquid. Add more chicken stock if needed!
- Season & serve: Take the pastina off the heat, season to taste with salt and stir through the cheese . Finish off with a sprinkling of extra cheese and drizzle of olive oil.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
My pastina seems much smaller 🤔 it doesn’t have a little hole in the middle
Pastina just means tiny pasta and the type I use is called “Stelline” which means stars!
Your recipe isn’t written correctly. It says in step one to bring broth to a boil and then add the pasta and bring to low. Your video has you add the pasta with the broth at the beginning. I just followed the written instructions, and now my pastina has absorbed the liquid, but it is still very hard. Please correct it.
Hello. The recipe is written correctly where the broth should be boiling before the pastina is added. If your pasta needed a little more cook time you can always add some hot broth 🙂
Great recipe! Follow the steps but made this vegan with Massel veggie stock, Nuttelex buttery, and grated Biocheese parmasano block. Even with the substitutes this was such a warm and comforting meal.
Sounds lovely!
My daughter had her wisdom teeth out and I was running out of things that were easy for her to eat. This was so good and will be made again for sure. Delicious!
So glad to hear that!
Loved this recipe, sharing with all my friends.
Thank you for the lovely feedback!
How would you go about using fresh pastina? Would I follow the same steps?
The cook time would be much shorter and I don’t think it would work out as the pasta needs time to absorb the stock and butter.
I actually tried using fresh pastina today and it worked out fine. Although it takes two minutes to cook the fresh pastina, I did cook it for longer because I added 3c broth and needed to reduce everything. I think moving forward, 1-2c would suffice.
Reminds me of my childhood. Thank you. Perfect
Thank you! I am so glad you liked it.
Thank you! Such an easy recipe and always turns out PERFECT. I always have these ingredients in the pantry so when the weather chills and I get a sniffle I immediately make some pastina.
Thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this the other day, and is was DELICIOUS!!!
So happy to hear that! Thank you for leaving such lovely feedback.
This was absolutely delicious, and super easy to make. Perfect for this chilly weather here in Philly. Thanks!
Thank you for the lovely feedback!