Under 5 ingredients, amazing flavor, and ample coziness, this creamy Pasta Soup hits all of the right notes. Plus, you can add veggies to the base for more nutrition!
My family is a huge fan of all of the pasta soups, from Pastina Soup to minestrone baby soup and Chicken and Stars Soup. And this creamy Pasta Soup is a great addition to the list because it is so darn simple, and yet somehow, so darn good.
It comes together in a single pot, you can take all of the shortcuts to reduce chopping, and it’s a perfect meal to enjoy right alongside the kids.
The flavors of the soup come from garlic, onion, and broth, and the whole thing gets a hit of cream and Parmesan at the end. You can layer in a dose of veggies if you use my Vegetable Broth and count on the plant-based protein to satisfy.
Why this Recipe Works
A flavorful broth (with extra fiber from beans pureed right in) provides an easy and nutritious cooking liquid for this easy pasta soup. Like my Pastina Soup, it’s satisfying and so good.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients you need to have on hand to make Creamy Pasta Soup so you know what to pick up from the store or have ready.
- Onion and garlic: You can mince this yourself or look for pre-chopped in the produce or freezer aisle of your store. These provide the flavor base, so don’t skimp!
- Low-sodium chicken broth: I like to use broth with less salt so I can control that flavor myself. Feel free to use vegetable broth or beef broth if you prefer. You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth or chicken stock or my Vegetable Broth.
- Ditalini: Look for this in the pasta aisle of your store.
- Parmesan cheese: This adds flavor to the easy soup; I find grated Parmesan to have more flavor than shredded.
- Cream: I like to add heavy cream to this right at the end to add richness. To make this dairy free, you can omit this, add blended white beans, or coconut cream (if you like that flavor).
- Lemon zest (optional): You can top the soup with fresh lemon zest for additional bright flavor.
- White beans (optional): You can blend white beans into the broth to add fiber, protein, and creaminess without changing the taste much.
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Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a preview of how to make this Creamy Pasta Soup so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of this post for the full information, including the amounts and the timing.
Step 1. Chop the garlic and onion, or reach for precut from the store.
Step 2. Add the onion and garlic to a pan and cook in olive oil until just starting to soften.
Step 3. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Add the pasta.
Step 4. Cook until tender. Stir in the cream and Parmesan.
TIP: You can also puree the broth so the onions and garlic are pureed smooth. You can also blend a can of white beans into the broth for more nutrition.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to use Ditalini because it’s a perfect shape to eat with a spoon and it doesn’t soak up all of the broth in a soup like a smaller shape such as pastina can. You can also use small soup shells or mini farfalle.
Use vegetable broth and either skip the cream and cheese, or use pureed white beans, vegan cream, nutritional yeast, and/or coconut cream to add richness at the end.
Add ½ cup frozen peas at the end of cooking (they’ll warm through almost instantly), shredded chicken, white beans, or even mini meatballs to the soup.
How to Store
Store leftover pasta soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Warm in a heat-safe bowl in a small pot or in the microwave, adding additional broth if desired.
Best Tips for Success
- Use my Vegetable Broth to make this vegetarian.
- Make this easier by starting with pre-cut onion from the freezer of your supermarket and jarred or frozen minced garlic.
- Simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth for extra flavor.
- Add peas, shredded chicken, or white beans to add more protein.
- Add minced carrots to the pan with the onion, or stir in baby spinach to wilt at the end.
- You might also like my Spaghettios Recipe, Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, and 3-Ingredient Biscuits.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Creamy Pasta Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup grated onion (about 1 small onion peeled and ends discarded)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 quart reduced-sodium broth (chicken or vegetable broth)
- 14 ounces white beans (rinsed and drained; optional)
- 2½ cups ditalini (or about 8 ounces)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup cream
- salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest (optional)
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a medium pot over medium heat. When warm, add the onion and garlic. Stir to coat and cook for 6 minutes, or until just starting to soften.
- Add the broth and raise the heat to high. When the broth starts to boil, turn down the heat to medium so it simmers. Cook for 4-6 minutes or until the veggies are completely softened.
- Optional: Add the broth, garlic, and onion mixture to a blender. Add the beans and blend to make a smooth, creamy broth. (You can skip this step if you prefer.)
- Add the pasta to the simmering broth. Cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm, topped with lemon zest, if desired.
Notes
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- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. Warm in a heat-safe bowl in a small pot or in the microwave, adding broth if desired.
- Use my Vegetable Broth to make this vegetarian.
- Make this easier by starting with pre-cut onion (available in the freezer aisle of your supermarket) and jarred or frozen minced garlic.
- Simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth for extra flavor.
- Add peas, shredded chicken or white beans to add more protein.
- Add minced carrots to the pan with the onion to add a veggie, or stir in baby spinach to wilt at the end.
- Add more broth to the soup when reheating as needed.
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Really good! A hit with the whole family. However with the beans blended in, it came out more of a mac & cheese consistency (my toddlers probably liked it more that way anyway). Would need more liquid to be a soup.
My grated onion and garlic turned green. Have you experienced this before? 😅
At what point did this happen??
After cooking the onion and garlic for about 4 minutes!!
That is very odd and I don’t know why that would have happened!
So good! I was a little skeptical about the pasta cooking in the blended beans, but you haven’t lead me astray before, so I was willing to try.
This was definitely a winner, and we’ll make this again!