WATCH: How to Make Gnocchi Soup
This gnocchi soup recipe is based off of my creamy Italian basil soup which has long been a reader’s favorite. This gnocchi soup version still boasts everything you love about the original including the aromatic Italian garlic, parsley, oregano, basil flavors with sautéed onions, carrots, and celery but in this gnocchi soup version, I’ve swapped the chicken for Italian sausage and the macaroni for gnocchi to create a version I like even more. You simply can’t beat, tender, gnocchi and juicy Italian sausage!
Why You’ll Love this Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
Gnocchi: are potato dumplings that cook directly in the soup. You can use fresh, frozen or dried. Italian sausage: I prefer hot Italian Sausage – it will not make your gnocchi soup spicy, just flavorful. Italian sausage comes seasoned with Italian seasonings, primarily fennel. Fennel is crucial for authentic Italian flavor so if you swap the sausage for beef or turkey, make sure you add some Italian seasonings, fennel and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Parmesan cheese: adds a salty richness. Only use finely, freshly grated – no pre-grated or powdered stuff in this recipe! Onion: one diced yellow onion. Garlic: 4-6 garlic cloves depending on your garlic love. Carrots: chop the carrots small, about ¼-inch cubes. Celery: should also be chopped small, about ¼-inch. Red bell pepper: adds a subtle sweetness. Don’t chop the bell peppers too small or they’ll get lost. Fire roasted diced tomatoes: are tomatoes that have been roasted which gives them a complex smokiness and removes the acidic bite. Fire roasted tomatoes are located next to the traditional diced tomatoes – just make sure you purchase the ones without any added seasonings. You can use plain diced tomatoes if you can’t locate fire roasted. Chicken Broth: take care your chicken broth is low sodium otherwise your gnocchi soup will be too salty. Using low sodium broth also allows us to use chicken bouillon which amps up the flavor. Chicken bouillon: use bouillon powder, bouillon cubes or better than bouillon. Add to the soup without dissolving in liquid first. If using cubes, you will need 3 which you crush up and then add directly to the broth. Half and Half: I often don’t keep half and half on hand, but keep heavy cream on hand. If you’re like me, you can substitute the half and half with half cream and half milk. For a healthier alternative you may substitute the half and half with evaporated milk mixed with 1 additional tablespoon cornstarch. Flour: helps thicken the gnocchi soup by creating a roux. You may substitute with gluten free all-purpose flour. Cornstarch: also helps thicken the soup which allows us to use lower calorie half and half as opposed to heavy cream. Basil: fresh basil infuses the soup with complex notes of sweet and savory, with hints of mint, anise, and pepper. Seasonings: dried parsley, dried oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper season our soup to perfection. Red pepper flakes: ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes enliven the gnocchi soup. It does not make the soup spicy, but does add a kick. If you know you are sensitive to spice, then start with a pinch and add more to taste.
- Cook flour: Sprinkle in flour and cook two additional minutes. The mixture will become quite thick so it’s important to constantly stir so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- Add remaining ingredients: Whisk cornstarch with ½ cup chicken broth then gradually stir into the soup followed by remaining broth, tomatoes, bouillon, seasonings and bay leaves. When adding the cornstarch, you can whisk it with as little or as much broth as you like, just so it dissolves.
- Simmer until the vegetables are tender. Bring to a boil; cover leaving about a 1-inch opening, and reduce to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and replacing the lid.
- Add Parmesan, half and half and gnocchi. Stir in Parmesan cheese until smooth followed by half and half. Bring the soup to a simmer then stir in gnocchi and fresh basil. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or just until the gnocchi are cooked.
- Adjust to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste (I like more salt) and add additional half and half or milk if desired for a less “chunky” soup and warm through.
CAN I USE ALL FRESH HERBS or all dried herbs?
This gnocchi soup recipe boasts a custom blend of Italian herbs. I used a combination of dried herbs and fresh herbs for convenience and to infuse the broth with flavor while really highlighting the fresh basil. You can, however, use all fresh herbs or all dried herbs, whatever is most convenient for you, but please try and use fresh basil one of these times!
To use fresh herbs, you will need 3x the amount. Always add fresh herbs towards the end of cooking so they stay fresh and flavorful. To use dried basil, it’s trickier to convert the loosely packed basil to dried, so I would start with 1 teaspoon then add more to taste. Add dried herbs with the broth so they can simmer and unlock their flavor.
Can I use vegetable broth for gnocchi soup?
I do not recommend vegetable broth because it’s not as flavorful as chicken broth. That doesn’t mean you can’t use vegetable broth, but it does mean the soup will not taste as flavorful.
gnocchi VARIATIONS
You can swap the gnocchi for other starchy alternative such as rice or go low carb with cauliflower. Here are some ideas:
Swap gnocchi for rice. Add 3/4 cup uncooked long-grain white rice and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until rice is cooked. Note that the cooking time may vary depending on how long it takes to bring your soup to a boil so I suggest checking the rice occasionally until done. You can also stir in 2 ½ cups cooked rice at the end of cooking and warm through. Swap potatoes for quinoa. For a higher protein option, you can add about ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed and drained and simmer for about 25 minutes. Swap potatoes for low carb cauliflower. Use 2 ½ cups cauliflower chopped into bite size pieces. Cauliflower doesn’t take long to cook, so and add the last 5 minutes of cooking. Canned beans. Cannellini beans add a slight sweetness, creaminess and meaty texture.
PROTEIN VARIATIONS
Although I am obsessed with Italian sausage in this recipe and don’t think it will be same without it, you can still use other proteins:
Rotisserie chicken. Rotisserie chicken comes lightly seasoned for an added depth of flavor and is a mix of both light and dark meat. It also comes perfectly tender and ready to slurp up. You will need about 2 ½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken. Add the chicken to the gnocchi soup at the same time as the half and half and heat through. Leftover chicken. Add about 2 ½ cups shredded or chopped leftover chicken to the gnocchi soup with the half and half. Chicken thighs or breasts. Chop chicken into bite size pieces, cook just until the outsides are browned and remove from the pot. Sauté the mirepoix and add the chicken back with the broth. Ground beef or ground turkey. Season with Italian seasonings, fennel and a pinch of red pepper flakes to mimic the Italian sausage. Meatballs: Add mini meatballs to cook directly in the broth like in Italian wedding soup.
VEGETABLE VARIATIONS
I recommend sticking with the carrots and celery but you can also add any other vegetables such as:
Mushrooms. Cremini/baby bella mushrooms will have the most flavor. Butternut squash. Peel, chop into ½-inch pieces. Broccoli. Chop into bite size pieces and add the last 10 minutes of cooking. Zucchini. Slice and quarter zucchini and the last 10 minutes of cooking. Slice zucchini on the thick side, about ¼-inch so it doesn’t get too soft. Green beans. Fresh green beans taste far superior than canned. Chop into 2” pieces and add the last 10 minutes of cooking. Greens. Add spinach or cabbage at the very end of cooking and cover the pot for 1-2 minutes to wilt.
Use hot Italian sausage. This gnocchi soup recipe will work with beef, turkey or chicken, but it doesn’t get any better than juicy, flavorful sausage. Alternate ground protein. You can swap the sausage for lean ground beef or turkey seasoned with Italian seasonings, fennel and a pinch of red pepper flakes to mimic Italian sausage. Don’t skip mirepoix. This recipe boasts the combination of carrots, onions and celery sautéed in flavorful drippings. They are known as the holy trinity of cooking and provide a richness and depth of flavor that can’t be achieved any other way. Please don’t skip unless you can’t get your hands on these ingredients. Customize vegetables. In addition to the mirepoix, you can add whatever veggies you have on hand or mix it up just for fun! Green beans, zucchini, cabbage, bell peppers etc. Just be aware most vegetables only need 10 minutes to cook – see my detailed instructions in the Variations section. Red pepper flakes. I only suggest using red pepper flakes if you want a spicier soup because the sausage already will have a little kick. We love heat at our house, so we use both. You may also use mild Italian sausage and add red pepper flakes to taste. Scale recipe. You can halve this recipe if you don’t have a large family and don’t want leftovers. If you do love leftovers (raising my hand high), then you will love leftover gnocchi soup for an easy lunch or dinner! Consistency. You can make this gnocchi soup more or less “chunky” or more or less creamy. For a less chunky soup, simply add additional broth or half and half at the end of cooking.
Bread: Mopping up soup with bread is always a win! Serve gnocchi soup with a big loaf of crusty bread, softy and fluffy Dinner Rolls, Parmesan Breadsticks, Garlic Bread or Pesto Pull Apart Bread. Salad: This gnocchi soup recipe pairs beautifully with a fresh, crunchy salad such as Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Ranch, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Apple Salad, Fall Salad, Roasted Butternut Squash Salad or Green Bean Salad. Fruit: Bright, fresh fruit is always a welcome side to creamy soups. Go as simple as grapes, melon, etc. or you’ll love Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Vinaigrette, Winter Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Poppy Seed Vinaigrette, or Berry Salad in Honey Mascarpone.
Omit the half and half and Parmesan if you plan to freeze the gnocchi soup so it won’t become grainy. Once thawed, add the half and half and Parmesan and warm through. Regular (not low fat) evaporated milk, or heavy cream freeze much better than half and half – the higher the fat content, the better it freezes. If you think you might freeze this gnocchi soup, then plan on using either of these alternatives. If freezing with half and half, reheat the thawed soup very gently over low heat to help incorporate the cream back into the soup. If freezing with half and half, add some fresh cream or softened cream cheese to improve the grainy texture
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