Beefy Tomato Pastina Soup

When it starts to cool down, I start craving soups and stews and casseroles. Basically anything hearty, warm and comforting. Like this beefy tomato pastina soup! Packed with lean protein, colorful vegetables, and teeny-tiny pasta (aka “pastina“), this one pot recipe will help you hit your cravings AND your nutritional goals. It’s also a great kid-friendly recipe!

I love using pastina in soups. A little goes a long way, which means you can add less pasta and still get plenty in each bite. Plus, pastina is playful and fun!

I used acini di pepe (which translates to “seeds of peppercorn”) but you can use orzo, or other fun shapes like this star-shaped pastina!

This beefy tomato pastina soup cooks in one pot, which means you don’t have to bother with a ton of dishes. Plus, you can save even more time by buying a frozen mirepoix mix at the grocery store.

I like to cook my pastina right in the pot so it soaks up all that delicious beefy tomato soup flavor, but if you plan on having leftovers, you can also cook the pastina separately and add it to your bowl for serving. Otherwise the pasta may soak up some of the broth once you refrigerate.

Beefy Tomato Pastina Soup Ingredients

Lean ground beef: I used a 90% grass fed beef for this pastina soup. I love to get my meat from Butcher Box! They ship high-quality meat and seafood right to your door, and I always stock up during sales and it ends up being way cheaper than getting grass fed beef from my local grocery store. Win, win!

If you’d like to try Butcher Box, you can use my referral link for $30 off your first box and a fun freebie or two (they rotate throughout the year)! Right now it’s free NY strip steaks and lobster. Try Butcher Box.

I like to cook the beef on one side for about 3 minutes to give it time to caramelize and sear before flipping it and breaking up. I think this adds a ton of flavor to this pastina soup.

Carrots, Celery, and Onion: This classic mix of aromatic veggies is a necessity for any tasty soup in my opinion. I diced my veggies by hand, but if you want to save time, look in your grocer’s freezer section for frozen “mirepoix” mix. It’s the same thing and will save you a step.

Beef Broth: I prefer using a lower-sodium beef broth so I can control the flavor.

Pastina: Pastina basically refers to teeny-tiny pasta. I used Acini di Pepe, but you can also use star-shaped pastina, orzo, or any other small-shaped pasta.

Spices: I used a simple mix of salt, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, bay leaves and crushed red pepper flakes.

Crushed Tomatoes: This adds a delicious tomato flavor to the soup. You can also use diced tomatoes if that’s what you have on hand.

Spinach: I added in some spinach for an added boost of nutrients and color.

This beefy tomato pastina soup will make 6 hearty servings. It’s also great for meal prep lunches, and if you decide to do this, I’d recommend cooking your pastina separately, and adding it to your pastina soup when you reheat it. Otherwise, the pasta will soak up all the liquid in your soup.

If you like this beefy tomato pastina soup, you’ll also love my easy ground beef and spinach soup! And for a lighter recipe, try my ground turkey soup with vegetables!