Pasta Soup Recipes

Pasta soup is a hit in our family for many reasons. First, pasta soups are often good substantial soups (although there are light versions too) which make an ideal lunch or dinner when served with crusty bread and perhaps a side salad. But secondly, pasta soup is so versatile. We’ll often use left over pasta to create pasta soup, and simply create a yummy tomato soup or vegetable soup and add pasta to that.

However, like many different types of soup, pasta soup has a rich and varied heritage with many cultures around the world numbering pasta soup as part of their traditional diet. Most people know the Italian minestrone soup and of course the popular Asian noodle soups.

There are many other types of pasta soup for us to explore.

We’ve shared some great pasta soup recipes with you below. Many of these can be varied and adapted, depending on what you have in your store cupboard and what type of meal you are after. Increase the volume of pasta to make a more substantial meal or add some extra seasoning to give your soup a kick!

Here are some of our favourite pasta soup recipes from around the world 🙂

Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe

We absolutely cannot have a page talking about pasta soup recipes without leading with a great Italian minestrone soup recipe. This is an easy to follow step by step video and we love the end result 🙂 The Parmesan sprinkled over the top helps create an even richer flavour.

Creamy Chicken Soup Recipe

This is a step by step recipe to make creamy chicken soup. This will make a substantial main meal if served with crusty bread and perhaps a salad.

Jamie Oliver’s Homemade Minestrone Soup Recipe

This is Jamie Oliver’s homemade minestrone soup recipe which he informs us he makes at least once a month for his family! The cool thing about Jamie’s videos is he clearly demonstrates each step, making this great for even the most nervous of cooks!

Turkish Tomato and Orzo Soup Recipe

This is a simple and traditional Turkish orzo soup with tomato. It is commonly made in Turkish homes, has simple ingredients like tomato, tomato paste, orzo pasta, and parsley. Orzo pasta is a small rice shaped pasta and is commonly used in many Turkish and Mediterranean recipes.

More Pasta Soup Recipes

And there are plenty more pasta soup recipes we enjoy including:

Rich Pasta Tortellini Soup Recipe

This is a hearty and substantial soup made with tortellini. The type of tortellini you use will of course affect the end result. We have made this with a cheese filled tortellini and the end result, to quote my husband, was ‘lush’!

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Image credit: BBC GoodFoo d

Cheesy Pasta-Vegetable Soup

This substantial cheesey soup is made using chicken broth, however swap this for vegetable broth and this soup will be ideal for vegetarians too. This rich soup is packed full of vegetables too, making it a great meal choice for colder winter nights.

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Image credit: Pillsbury.com

Pasta and Vegetable Soup Recipe

This pasta and vegetable soup recipe is made using a slow cooker – so it’s a great option to put on before work to create a lovely warming and satisfying soup to come home to. This uses frozen sweetcorn and beans, as well as carrots and courgettes, however these could be substituted for other vegetables with ease.

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Image credit: BHG

What Types of Pasta Are Best for Soup?

Almost any type of pasta is great for using in soup – although small pasta such as orzo pasta works best. Obviously you’re not going to want great sheets of lasagna pasta floating round in your soup!

Small pasta can be added directly to the soup broth and it will absorb the flavours as it cooks. Of course, you can also use pasta leftover from other meals.

Here are some of the best types of pasta to use in soup:

Orzo pasta – Orzo pasta is ideal for soups and it cooks quickly when added to the soup broth. Orzo pasta is traditionally cooked in a similar way to risotto, with its consistency and cooking time mainly dependent on the cooking method used. Though it is commonly thought of as a rice substitute, or a pasta substitute, many chefs are now using it as a more versatile alternative to rice.
Gnocchi – Gnocchi is an Italian rice and potato mixture cooked in milk, butter and Parmesan cheese. It is a traditional dish in Italian cuisine and will work well with Mediterranean style dishes.
Tortellini – Tortellini is a filled pasta and is often stuffed with cheese, meat or fish. This will add bulk as well as different flavours to your soup. Remember to match the style of the tortellini to the soup. A cheese filled tortellini might not work well when added to a curry seasoned soup, for example 🙂
Noodles and small pasta – these are perfect for soup and can be added to the soup broth 5 minutes or so before serving (check cooking instructions for the pasta you are using). Spanish pasta, Maravilla, is ideal for soup and will quickly turn a light broth into something more substantial.

Want to know more? This video demonstrates 45 different types of pasta!