Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare Your Flavor Base
- To a large soup pot or Dutch oven, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add your roughly chopped carrots, celery, and shallot or yellow onion. Gently sauté these vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they soften and begin to lightly caramelize, about 7-10 minutes.
- Now, add the chicken stock or bone broth, smashed garlic, fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaf, parmesan cheese rind, a pinch of salt, and a grind of pepper. Place a lid on top, then turn the heat to high to bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low then simmer with the lid on for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are very tender, maintaining a gentle simmer.
Blend for Velvety Smoothness
- Once the vegetables are very tender, carefully remove the thyme stems, bay leaf, and the parmesan cheese rind from the pot. Transfer the cooked vegetables into a blender. Add about a ladleful of the hot broth to the blender. Blend the mixture until the vegetables are very smooth, remembering to crack the lid slightly open to allow steam to escape.
- Pour some or all of the pureed vegetables back into the soup, depending on your desired consistency, then stir to combine. Alternatively, use an immersion blender directly in the pot to puree the vegetables until smooth.
Season and Hold
- Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice—the soup shouldn’t taste lemony, just brightened and more vibrant. Taste the soup and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Place a lid on top to keep the soup warm while you prepare your pasta.
Cook Pasta and Serve
- In a separate pot, cook the gluten free stelline pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and divide it between individual serving bowls.
- Scoop the warm, flavorful soup over the cooked pasta. Serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy your comforting bowl of Italian Penicillin Soup!
Nutrition
Notes
This nourishing Italian Penicillin Soup is best with quality chicken or bone broth and small pasta like gluten-free stelline (Jovial brand recommended). Sautéing mirepoix first builds rich flavor. A parmesan rind adds umami. Cook pasta separately to avoid mushiness. Store broth and pasta separately for best quality. Blend hot liquids safely by cracking the lid or using an immersion blender. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.