Gnocchi Soup

If you’ve got a package of gnocchi in the pantry just waiting to be used, might I suggest this gnocchi soup recipe?

Instead serving the gnocchi with a creamy sauce like vodka sauce or pesto, I like to add it to a creamy soup with veggies, chicken, and Italian-inspired seasonings. The gnocchi themselves add a heartiness to the soup, and they also absorb the flavors of the broth. Think of this is a creamy Italian spin on chicken noodle soup!

Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Hearty and filling. Gnocchi soup is a satisfying, meal-worthy soup recipe that will leave you feeling full, and not hungry an hour later. The pillowy soft gnocchi, tender chicken, and creamy broth make it a perfect option for a cold winter day when you’re craving a comfort food meal.

Easy to customize. This is a soup that’s easy to adapt to what you have on hand or your family’s ingredient preferences. You can add different vegetables and proteins to put your own spin on your gnocchi soup.

Easy to make. This is not a soup that requires hours on the stovetop to develop flavor! From start to finish, including prep time, it’s done in an hour.

Ingredient Notes

• Mirepoix: Yellow onion, carrots, and celery are known as mirepoix, which form the base of flavor in gnocchi soup and so many other soups and stews. I like to use shredded or matchstick carrots in this soup recipe but diced carrots are fine, too. The vegetable mix is sautéed in a little olive oil to coax out their flavor. Season with salt and pepper.
• Garlic: There’s just enough garlic in this creamy soup to give it a lightly garlic flavor without overdoing it.
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts: Prefer chicken thighs? You can use those instead, just as long as they’re boneless and skinless. Leftover chicken or turkey can work, too, as well as rotisserie chicken.
• Reduced-sodium chicken broth and water: These two ingredients form the base of the soup.
• Seasonings: I like to use easy pantry ingredients like dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. The red pepper flakes provide a slight tingle on the palate but you can leave them out if you prefer.
• Potato gnocchi: Look for gnocchi in the pasta aisle, in the refrigerated section by the fresh pasta, or in the frozen section. Any of these will work for this gnocchi soup recipe!
• Spinach: Because it’s so tender, baby spinach wilts smoothly into the soup. I find that chopping it first, rather than adding whole baby spinach leaves, gives the soup a better texture.
• Half-and-half: This lighter cream (it’s 50% milk and 50% cream) makes the soup rich and creamy without being heavy. If you prefer, heavy cream can be substituted.
• Cornstarch: Combined with the half-and-half, cornstarch will help thicken the soup which means you don’t have to use heavy cream to give the soup a creamy consistency.
• Grated Parmesan cheese: Grate your own Parmesan for the best results but we’ve made the soup with shelf-stable Parmesan and it’s just fine, too.

How to Make Gnocchi Soup

Sweat the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a pot set over medium heat, then add the mirepoix (carrots, onion, celery), and season with salt and pepper. Cook the mixture for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.

Add the garlic. Stir the minced garlic into the mixture and cook it for about a minute, or until it’s fragrant. Again, you don’t want this to get brown! 

Bring to a boil. Stir in the raw chicken, chicken broth, and seasonings. Bring the contents of the pan to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. How long it takes will depend on the thickness of the chicken pieces. If you are in a hurry, cut the chicken into smaller pieces which will cook more quickly.

Remove the chicken. Use tongs to remove the chicken from the broth. Transfer it to a clean cutting board, and once the chicken is cool enough to handle, dice it or shred it with two forks. 

Cook the gnocchi. After you remove the chicken from the pan, you can add the gnocchi to the soup as it simmers. How long you cook the gnocchi depends on whether you chose dry, refrigerated, or frozen gnocchi. Cook it according to the package instructions or until the gnocchi float to the top of the soup.

Add the spinach and chicken. Stir the spinach leaves into the pot, along with the cut-up chicken, and cook until the spinach wilts, just a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low.

Finish and serve. Stir together the cornstarch and half & half, then slowly pour the mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Add the Parmesan cheese and continue to simmer until the soup is hot and thickened. Season to taste and serve with additional cheese. 

Easy Recipe Variations

Use cooked chicken. You can use cooked chicken (like this Instant Pot shredded chicken), leftover chicken, or rotisserie chicken for a faster option. Simply add it to the gnocchi soup after the gnocchi are finished cooking.

Make it richer. Use heavy cream instead of half-and-half for a thicker, creamier soup.

Vegetarian gnocchi soup. Omit the chicken and use vegetable broth for a meatless version of this soup. You can replace the chicken with sliced mushrooms (add them after the mirepoix is softened but before adding the garlic), canned chickpeas, or white beans.

Swap out the greens. Kale makes for a heartier alternative to spinach (it will take longer to cook), or you can use Swiss chard. Add the chard stems to the mirepoix and stir in the leaves at the end of the cooking time.

Serving Ideas

Refrigerator: Leftover gnocchi soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: Creamy soups can separate or turn grainy when frozen and thawed. If you’re planning on freezing the soup, I recommend that you omit the half & half and cornstarch. You can freeze gnocchi soup for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. When you reheat the soup, stir together the cornstarch and half & half, and add it to the soup, if desired.

Reheat: Gently reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, or use the microwave. If needed, you can add a splash of broth to thin it out a bit, as it may thicken during storage.

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

  1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup finely diced yellow onion, 1 cup shredded or matchstick carrots, ½ cup finely diced celery, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

• Add garlic and cook, stirring, for an additional 1 minute or until fragrant.

  2 cloves garlic, minced

• Add the chicken, chicken broth, water, basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Bring soup to a boil over high heat, and then reduce to a simmer (medium-low heat).

  1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

• Simmer, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF. Remove chicken from soup. When it’s cool enough to handle, dice or shred it.

• Meanwhile, while the chicken is cooling, add gnocchi to the simmering soup. Cook according to the package instructions, usually about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the top.

  1 pkg. (16 oz.) potato gnocchi

• Stir in the shredded chicken and spinach leaves; cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Turn heat to low.

  2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach

• Add the cornstarch to the half & half; stir until smooth. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into the soup. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Continue to cook until soup is steaming hot and thickened slightly. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as needed. Keep at a low simmer until ready to serve. Do not boil.

  1 cup half & half, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• Serve garnished with extra Parmesan cheese.

• Using cooked or leftover chicken: You’ll need about 3 cups of cooked or rotisserie chicken. Add the cooked chicken to the soup after the vegetables have simmered. After you add the chicken, bring the soup to a simmer again before you add the gnocchi.
• Heavy cream option: For a richer, thicker soup, use heavy cream in place of the half and half.

Serving: 1.75cups, Calories: 399kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 759mg, Potassium: 813mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 4761IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 145mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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