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 don’t eat pork what can I substitute for the pork.
Use chicken or beef sausages!
I haven’t made this yet, but it’s very similar to sausage and tortellini soup that is a favorite with my crew. I know they enjoy gnocchi in other recipes, I bet this will go over well too.
YUM!!!
Made this tonight and loved it – will definitely enter the normal rotation especially as temps are dropping! I forgot to buy heavy cream so used about 1/2 or 3/4 of a cup of plain yogurt in its place and it worked really well.
I love hearing that Joyce! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know – N xx
Another winner🥰, every dish of yours that I cook never fails to please🤩, you make my a better cook, thank you🫶
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Patricia! Thank you for letting me know! – N x
Absolutely divine. As my partner chowed down, he asked, “Nagi?” and I slow nodded in response. Your recipes are a mainstay at our house. Thank you for another amazing soup!!! XOXOXO to you, Jaffle, & JB!
So glad you both enjoyed it Reb! Thank you for letting me know!! – N xx
Would this be suitable to freeze?
Actually, yes, it should freeze fine as long as you’re not using the gluten free cornflour/cornstarch option. Flour based sauces freeze well! – N x
Jaffle is gorgeous. Just mentioning …a guy on reddit is cooking through your whole DINNER book. It really is fantastic to see when you get time. He’s hoping for a “like” Nagi.
What!!! I will go and have a look!!
I found him!! And I liked multiple posts and left some comments!! What a legend – N x
Haha I found the comment!
I’m the guy in question. Thanks so much for the thoughtful comments on Reddit Nagi! I has absolutely made my entire month!!
I’m Maxinbxl on Reddit but you can also find me on InstaGram (I’m a huge fan of your page) as @recipetineater
I’m absolutely fangirling right now!
Aww I LOVE THIS MAX!!! Thank you for popping in to say hello!! – N xx
Sounds delicous and absolutely perfect for the cold nights we’re still having in the Blue Mountains.
I figured what to do for gluten-free meals but what can I use as a substitute to make is lactose-free? Coconut milk or cream will do?
Do you have lactose free cream where you are?? We do!
This recipe arrived in my inbox this morning. It’s starting to feel very fall like here in Ontario, Canada. I thought, wow what a great cozy soup this looks like so I rushed out, bought the ingredients and made the soup. The only thing I did different was instead of oil, I used bacon grease but I’m not sure that made any difference to the flavour. It was a really good soup and I served it with a ciabatta stick. Thanks, Nagi! This is another winner, keeper.
This sounds delicious. I am not certain it is gluten free, though, UNLESS you use GF gnocchi!
Going to make as soon as it cools down in California!
Just had an idea for a vegetarian version…use sundried tomatoes in place of sausage and their oil as the fat in the recipe! Should be good. Not that I am against sausage actually. I want to try this as written. I have never had gnocchi in a soup dish but why not?
Yum! That’s a great idea Didina, I’d just not use the exact same ratio and reduce quantity as sun-dried tomatoes flavour is quite concentrated and could easily dominate the soup. Please let us know how it goes!
Honestly Nagi, I love your recipes, I do, but the dog (s) are the real deal…..I tuned just to see Dozer, (I have a Dozer too – he’s 14) and now Jaffle……the recipes are just the cherry on the Sundae!
It’s the case for so many readers Kathleen 🙂 Jaffle is so loved and so was Dozer ♥️
I love it – yes to the recipe and YES to see Jaffle’s face with EVERY plate of food! Keep ’em coming Nagi! oxoxox
We will! Thank you Lina!
I cant believe how much Jaffle is growing ! I absolutely loved Dozer but I know for sure that he had a good paw at sending you Jaffle ! I adore Goldies, malting and all !
Oh….. Nagi, a big thank you for your recipes too, all the way from New Zealand !!
Thanks for your kind message Dominique. Jaffle is sure getting really big now!
Yessss, there will definitively be a bowl of this soup in our very near future. 😋👍! Thank you Nagi !
Thanks Adeline, I know it’s about to get a little more chilly where you live 🙂
Jaffle is so cute and smart too.
He is a quick learner he’s right in there
Could you use a chopped up bbq instead of the Italian sausage?
I think that would be too crunchy, Lee but you do you!
Aussie in Florida, I usually use BBQ Chicken breast but love Italian Sausage, so will add this to my soups.
Hi Lee, do you mean bbq meat? What kind?
No just rotisserie chicken chopped up and thrown in at the end as I don’t like Italian sausage
Thank you for another great recipe. I wonder if you are “allowed” to tell us the brand of gnocchi you prefer to use? Sometimes I just find if a brand is mentioned I feel more confident of the results.
Hi Kerry the one used here is “Rana” and we were happy with the quality. 🙂
Awww he’s such a good boy (today) 🧡💛 he wants to be anywhere you are Nagi x