Description
Creamy Italian Chicken Soup with Pastina is a warm, comforting bowl featuring tender smoked turkey, delicate pastina pasta, and a luscious plant-based cream base. This Italian-inspired soup combines vibrant herbs and savory flavors to create a rich and silky texture, making it perfect for any season. Easy to prepare and customizable to suit various dietary preferences, this soup offers a nostalgic taste of Italian home cooking, bringing cozy, hearty warmth to your table.
Ingredients
Proteins
- Smoked turkey breast, diced – 1 cup
Pasta
- Pastina pasta – 3/4 cup
Vegetables
- Carrots, finely chopped – 1/2 cup
- Celery stalks, finely chopped – 1/2 cup
- Yellow onion, finely chopped – 1 medium
- Garlic cloves, minced – 3
Liquids & Broth
- Vegetable broth – 4 cups
- Plant-based cream – 1 cup
- Vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural) – 1 tablespoon
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
Herbs & Seasonings
- Fresh basil leaves, chopped – 2 tablespoons
- Fresh thyme leaves – 1 teaspoon
- Salt – to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- Natural gelling agent – 1 teaspoon
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables and Smoked Turkey: Finely chop the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Dice the smoked turkey breast into bite-sized pieces to ensure even cooking and flavor infusion.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes or until tender and fragrant, developing a rich and savory base.
- Add Broth and Smoked Turkey: Pour in the vegetable broth, add the diced smoked turkey pieces, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, allowing the broth to absorb smoky flavors.
- Cook the Pastina: Once the broth is simmering, stir in the pastina pasta. Keep an eye on the cooking time to achieve a tender but slightly al dente texture.
- Stir in Plant-Based Cream and Seasonings: Lower the heat and gently fold in the plant-based cream, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (natural), fresh basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle in the natural gelling agent gradually while stirring to create a silky, cohesive soup consistency.
- Simmer and Serve: Let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes to blend the flavors fully. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving hot.
Notes
- Do not overcook the pastina; add it toward the end to keep a tender texture without it becoming mushy.
- Sauté vegetables slowly to enhance their natural sweetness and deepen the soup’s flavor base.
- Use fresh herbs added at the end to preserve bright and aromatic notes.
- Add plant-based cream gradually and use the natural gelling agent carefully to control the soup’s thickness.
- Use smoked turkey slices that are not overly salty to maintain balance in flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Italian chicken soup, creamy soup, pastina soup, smoked turkey soup, plant-based cream soup, comforting soup, quick soup recipe, gluten free soup
