Cook up this cozy Alphabet Soup recipe the next time you want an easy meal that’s also fun! ABC pasta is a perfect addition to this kid-friendly soup—and you can tailor the veggies to the likes (or dislikes!) of your own kiddos. It’s so versatile!
Alphabet Soup
My kids are huge fans of buttered pasta and while we do have that regularly (comfort food for the win!), I do also like to make sure I’m offering them veggies too. (At least some of the time!)
This kid-friendly soup is easy, straight forward in flavor, and is a fun way to change up their plain pasta.
It reminds me of the pastina that my mom made for me as a kid (with tiny star pasta!) and so it makes me happy to serve it to my kids.
I kept the veggies simple in this recipe so that the kids can clearly see what’s in it and also so it’s easier for you to swap them out for other veggies if you prefer.
Ingredients You Need
To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- Butter: I like unsalted so I can season to taste with salt as needed.
- Diced carrots: Dicing them fairly smalls helps ensure that they cook quickly.
- Reduced sodium vegetable or chicken broth: Either one works here.
- ABC pasta: This is such a fun shape and it cooks really fast.
- Frozen peas: If you want to save a step, you can start with a frozen pea and carrots mixture.
- Salt, marinara sauce, and Parmesan: These are optional to add more flavor.
TIP: We like to add the marinara and Parmesan for a little extra flavor, but it’s also good without them!
Ingredient Swaps
- Use olive oil in place of the butter to make this dairy-free.
- You can use another small pasta shape if you like.
- If your kids don’t like peas, you can skip adding them.
- The marinara and Parmesan add really nice extra flavor, but they are optional if you want this simpler.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in making this recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Heat a pot over medium heat. Add the butter or oil to melt and warm.
- Add the carrots and stir to coat. Cook until just softening. (You can skip these two first steps if using all frozen veggies.)
- Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the pasta to cook.
- Stir in the peas and marinara sauce, if using.
- Season to taste with salt and serve with Parmesan, if desired.
TIP: The soup thickens as it sits and absorbs the broth, which we don’t mind (and it’s easier to serve to little kids when there’s less broth). You may want to add a little more broth if you’re reheating leftovers to return it to a more soup-like consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you can’t find ABC pasta, orzo, pastina, or ditalini (or any other very small pasta shape) work. Smaller shapes cook quickly and are easier to eat with a spoon than larger pieces of pasta.
I can find it at one of my regular small town grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can order it from La Moderna. Target also sells little star pasta from their store brand in a blue package that it’s a good option too!
You can make this with just carrots (just double the amount) or frozen veggie medley to save some time on chopping. You could add some corn, diced zucchini, diced green beans or diced tomatoes if desired, too.
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days. Warm to serve for 1-2 minutes in the microwave.
If the pasta has absorbed all of the broth, add a little more (or use water) when reheating to return it to a more soup-like consistency. (My kids like it without much broth, so they don’t mind it though!)
Best Tips for Success
- If using any other pasta shape, check the cooking time on the package.
- Use just carrots and double the amount.
- You could add some corn, diced zucchini, diced green beans or diced tomatoes if desired, too.
- Use frozen veggie medley with carrots and peas and skip Steps 1 and 2.
- The marinara sauce adds nice extra flavor, but you can skip it if you don’t have it.
- The pasta continues to absorb the liquid as it sits, so the soup will continue to thicken. You can add more broth if desired, though the thicker soup does make it easier for the kids to eat.
- Find Alphabet Pasta on Amazon, or look in the pasta aisle in your store or in the “ethnic” foods aisle—one of the larger brands who makes it is Mexican, La Moderna, so sometimes it is shelved with other Mexican-made products.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so please comment below to share.
Favorite Alphabet Soup
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot over medium heat. Add the butter or oil to melt and warm.
- Add the carrots and stir to coat. Cook for 4 minutes.
- (To make this with frozen carrots and peas, skip Steps 1 and 2 and start with Step 3.)
- Add the broth and turn the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat back to medium so it’s a simmer with regular small bubbles.
- Add the pasta and cook for 5-6 minutes or until tender.
- Stir in the peas and marinara sauce, if using.
- Season to taste with salt and serve with Parmesan, if desired.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm to serve, adding more broth or water as you like (the pasta will likely absorb all of the broth in the storage container).
- If using any other pasta shape, check the cooking time on the package and adjust accordingly.
- Use just carrots and double the amount.
- Use frozen carrots and peas and skip Steps 1 and 2.
- The marinara sauce adds nice extra flavor, but you can skip it if you don’t have it.
- The pasta continues to absorb the liquid as it sits, so the soup will continue to thicken. You can add more broth if desired, though the thicker soup does make it easier for the kids to eat.
- Find Alphabet Pasta here or look in the pasta aisle in your supermarket.
Nutrition
This post was first published November 2020.
made this today and added a cup of your veggie broth I had in the freezer. extra veggies for the win and it was so yum
Made this with your homemade vegetable broth today. It was was easy and looks great. 3yo liked it when I made it with store bought broth, fingers crossed he’ll like this too 🤞