I am completely besotted with this Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup! Soft plump gnocchi floating in a creamy soup broth with tasty bits of Italian sausage, sweet carrot, celery and baby spinach. The first spoonful is an awesome soup moment! The last is so sad….
Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup
I used to be a real snob about store bought gnocchi, having experienced dense, rubbery specimens that tasted like doughy instant mash back in my uni days. So for a long while I steered clear of them until a friend convinced me I was being unfair and I was roped back into the convenience gnocchi world (this was the first recipe that brought me back!).
So I’m here today waving the pro-packet-gnocchi flag again, except this time I’m using it in soup like one would pasta or potato. It’s made with sausage meat (either Monday’s homemade one or regular shop bought), cooked to break it up like mince so it releases a stack of tasty flavour into the soup broth. And to make this a meal-in-a-bowl, I’ve also added carrots, celery and baby spinach.
It comes together in just 30 minutes, and it’s just so cosy and hearty. I love the way gnocchi looks, floating in the soup like soft pillows. Edible ones!
Ingredients in Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Here’s what you need to make bowl of extreme cosiness!
1. SAUSAGE MEAT
Use your favourite Italian or pork sausages. Excellent flavour shortcut because they’re pre-seasoned with flavour, and this soup relies on those flavours to flavour the broth. Just squeeze the meat out from the casings, or if you’re in the States, you can just use Bulk Italian Sausage Meat so you don’t have to do this (sweet, unless you want spicy). Otherwise, make your own Italian Sausage Meat! It’s just pork mince and basic spices. 🙂
In today’s recipe, I show both sausage options then I cook using the homemade Italian sausage meat.
2. FOR THE SOUP
And here’s everything else you need for the soup.
Gnocchi – The fresh gnocchi in the fridge is my preference because it’s made with real potato. However, the gnocchi from the pasta aisle works in this recipe too, though it does taste a little different as it’s made with reconstituted or dehydrated potato.
You could also make this with homemade ricotta gnocchi! Much easier and faster than the potato version (JB will share it one day, I promise).
Whichever you use, you just put it straight into the soup broth and simmer for a couple of minutes to cook. Faster than pasta, easier than peeling and chopping potatoes!!
Carrot, celery and baby spinach – These are the vegetables I use in this soup, classic soup choices with subtle flavour so they won’t flavour the broth – which is what I want. This broth is all about the sausage flavour!
Other options – Feel free to use whatever vegetables you want. Zucchini would be great (courgette). I could also see this with corn, peas, or chopped green beans. Capsicum/bell peppers and fennel would also be lovely but they will flavour the soup a bit. As for the baby spinach, any wilt-able greens will work in a pinch – kale is my first choice.
Onion and garlic – These are sautéed first to form the flavour base for the broth.
Chicken stock/broth and cream – The broth liquids. To cut down on calories, the cream can be substituted with milk or evaporated milk.
Flour – This is what thickens the soup to make it thick and creamy. For gluten-free, a cornflour/cornstarch slurry can be used instead but you’d also need to use gluten-free gnocchi (it does exist).
White wine – Wine always adds extra depth of flavour into anything you use it for. Use any dry white wine that’s not overly sweet or oaky. Chardonnay is my default these days, and no need to use an expensive one either. I use discounted bottles for cooking purposes (~$5 each). For non-alcoholic, use non-alcoholic wine or more chicken stock instead.
Parmesan – This adds a bump of extra tasty flavour into the broth. Unlike some recipes (like creamy pasta sauces), you can get away with using pre-grated parmesan here (from the fridge though please, no pasta aisle!) though freshly grated is a little step up. 🙂
Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes – I really like the tiniest hint of warmth in this soup, barely there spiciness. I also like the look of little red bits in the white soup. But feel free to leave it out!
How to make Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Once you start cooking, this comes together in around 20 minutes as the soup only needs 10 minutes simmering time and gnocchi cooks in 2 minutes. It’s surprisingly fast!
Cook sausage then remove – Heat the oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the sausage meat and cooking, breaking it up as you go, until cooked. Then use a slotted spoon to remove into a bowl, leaving the fat behind in the pot.
Sauté – In the same pot, add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Then add the celery, carrot, Italian herb mix and chilli flakes and cook for another 2 minutes.
Deglaze – Add wine and simmer rapidly, scraping the base of the pot, until it has mostly evaporated.
Flour – Add the flour and stir until you can no longer see any. All the vegetables will have a pasty coating.
Make soup broth – Add half the stock and stir to dissolve the flour into it, the stock will become cloudy. Then add the remaining stock, salt and pepper.
Simmer 10 minutes – Stir, bring to a simmer (increase to high to speed this up), then lower the heat to medium or medium high so it’s simmering gently. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the cream, simmer for another 5 minutes.
Gnocchi and parmesan – Add the parmesan and gnocchi. Cook per gnocchi packet directions (usually 2 minutes).
Spinach – Add spinach and stir until wilted, only 30 seconds or so.
Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with extra parmesan!
There you go! A big bowl of flavourful, cosy and comforting soup that’s actually got a good amount of veg in it too, and the only other thing I’d urge you to add is some hot crusty bread because hello! You can see this heading straight into your mouth, right??!
I very much hope there’s a bowl of this soup in your near future. I know how happy it made me when I was eating it – and I wish that same happiness upon everyone! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Creamy Sausage Italian Soup
Ingredients
- 500g/ 1 lb potato gnocchi , preferably from fridge rather than aisle (tastes better! Note 1) – or homemade Ricotta Gnocchi
- 500g/ 1 lb Italian pork sausage meat (homemade or store-bought) or good sausages with meat removed from casings (Note 2)
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion , diced
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 3/4 tsp Italian herb mix (just the standard mix from grocery stores)
- 1/4 tsp red chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), optional
- 2 celery sticks , cut into small pieces (think – soup spoon eating size)
- 1 large carrot , peeled and cut into small pieces
- 1/3 cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine, substitute water (for non-alcoholic)
- 1/3 cup flour , plain / all-purpose
- 4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup thickened cream / heavy cream
- 1/2 cup parmesan , finely grated, plus more for serving
- 1 1/2 cups baby spinach , or torn kale leaves
- Hot crusty bread for dunking
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE:
- Brown sausage, remove. Cook onion and garlic, then carrot, celery, herbs and chilli flakes for 2 min. Deglaze with wine. Stir in flour, then stock, salt, pepper and sausage. Simmer 5 min. Add cream, simmer 5 min. Add gnocchi and parmesan, simmer 2 min (or per packet). Stir in spinach, serve.
FULL RECIPE:
- Heat oil in a large heavy based pot over high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl, leaving the fat in the pot. (If the pot looks dry, add a bit more oil)
- Sauté – Lower the heat to medium high. Add the onion and garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Then add the carrot, celery, Italian herb mix and chilli flakes, and stir for another 2 minutes.
- Deglaze with wine – Add the wine and let it simmer until mostly evaporated.
- Make broth – Stir in the flour, it will form a light paste coating everything. Add half the stock and stir to dissolve the paste into the liquid, it will turn a milky colour. Add the remaining stock, salt and pepper. Then add the sausage along with any juices pooled in the bowl.
- Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add cream, simmer for another 5 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add parmesan and gnocchi, stir, simmer for 2 minutes (or whatever time is on the gnocchi packet).
- Stir in spinach, then ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkle of parmesan. Crusty bread for dunking feels essential for this one. 🙂
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More cosy soups
I have quite a few!!
Life of Jaffle
Snap soup, swing camera slightly, snap Jaffle. How does it sit with you knowing that there’s a Jaffle under every plate of food you see?? 😆
Oh, and payment for services rendered. (ie drooling, hovering, being exactly where I want the tripod to be).
I made this for dinner last night and it was exceptionally good. I will definitely be making this for my family again.
Sooo, good! I guessed it was going to be good and it is beyond good. And thank you for the tip about getting refrigerated or frozen gnocchi. I previously bought one from the shelf and was not impressed, thought I’d never buy gnocci (which is a problem because I love them but making it seems daunting)
Besotted I am as well M’Lady! 😆
Thank you, Nagi, for creating this fabulous soup recipe! It is – was! – delicious.
Comforting, easy, and filling . . . all perfect qualities for our journey into fall and winter where I live.
Dare I say, even addictive! 😍
I made two small switches: I used Grana Padano in place of Parmesan as that is what I had on hand, and in place of sweet pork Italian sausage, I used sweet chicken Italian sausage. (My first time using the chicken version as pork is always my go-to for Italian sausage. It worked wonderfully – crumbled beautifully and was silky in texture!)
Next time, I will try giving the gnocchi a wee bit of a saute first to slightly crisp up the exterior.
This was the first I used frozen as opposed to homemade or refrigerated, and the taste and brand was lovely, but became a wee bit softer as the soup sat – which wasn’t long! – than I’d like.
One last surprize for me was the addition of the spinach.
I used fresh and at first tasting, I thought it was a wee bit ‘grassy’ for my liking, and thought I perhaps would not include next time.
But, by the next day, it turned out to be a delicious addition! Spinach will definitely be going in the pot too!
There is one wee bowl left, Nagi, and that will be going in my tummy for lunch today!
Jaffle is adorable, Nagi, and I am so happy to see the light back in your life with his arrival. I ‘believe’ Sweet Dozer is watching both of you with love.
Sending Much Love and Hugs,
from
A Lass on the Canadian Prairies
I made exactly to recipe and was my tastiest soup ever made, freezes well too.
This is going to be a comfort food favourite. I love it to bits & put the leftovers in the freezer for easy dinner – it works perfectly (yes froze it then not long after had to eat it it’s that yum)
I will confess that I never eaten gnocchi & although I don’t mind it I think I’ll try to substitute it with my home grown potatoes next time I make it
I made this last night and it was quite tasty. The in-laws and I are reheating today for lunch. The hubby and kids did not want to try it, their loss. It was easy to make as well.
Wow, what a flavour bomb! The carrot/onion/garlic/celery combo is always so comforting, and the fennel from the sausages adds such a good flavour. We tried it on a random cool spring day, but will have this on repeat come winter.
Can I use tortellini? I bought that instead by mistake
Made this tonight and it was really easy and delicious!!
Absoulutely LOVED this soup! Great flavor and easy to make. Another winner in the “comfort foods” category. Don’t be afraid to add more of the red chili flakes.
I made this with pumpkin gnocchi, no wine, and four cups of unsweetened soy milk instead of 1c cream, no cheese. Turned out great, thanks for the recipe!
Loved this recipe! I used pumpkin gnocchi instead of potato gnocchi and it also worked well. It added a touch of extra sweetness that complimented the carrots and onions in the soup. I also added a bit of broccoli to bulk out the veg, and this also worked a treat. I just added it a few minutes after my carrots and celery to give it adequate time to soften. Looking forward to my leftovers tonight!
I just made this last night and I can attest that it was absolutely delicious. Really flavorful and yummy.. I did substitute the pork sausage for Italian chicken sausage ans we don’t eat pork and it was delicious. But somehow between last night and lunch today we don’t have enough for leftovers tonight. It’s that good! ♥️♥️♥️
I just made this last night and I can attest that it was absolutely delicious. Really flavorful and yummy.. I did substitute the pork sausage for Italian chicken sausage ans we don’t eat pork and it was delicious. But somehow between last night and lunch today we don’t have enough for leftovers tonight. It’s that good! ♥️♥️♥️
Easy and Delicious!
Couple of modifications I made:
– Used chicken mince instead of sausage and was still great!
– Used Leonie’s tip of blending the veggies before adding the chicken mince back in (genius!)
– also used a chopper to finely chop the spinach to add at the end.
My 4 year old, my husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this one 😊
Thanks Nagi!
Delightful!! Swapped heavy cream with a can of coconut cream to keep it dairy free and it was incredible. Thank you!
Good first attempt. Should have cut the veg smaller or sauted longer. Kinda crunchy, but still very hearty and filling on a cool fall night. I’ll be making this again for sure.
Very tasty, my kids didn’t eat though, might try Leonies tip next time
No words…….this was the best warming comfort dish on this cool spring evening. This will be a regular for us. Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
This was delicious – even with supermarket sausages