Description
A cozy, creamy soup loaded with pillowy gnocchi, savory Italian sausage, and fresh spinach. This comforting one-pot meal is perfect for chilly nights and comes together in under 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) Italian sausage, casings removed if using links
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups (950 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
- 1 package (16 oz/450g) potato gnocchi
- 3 cups (90g) baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (45g) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains (5-7 minutes). Spoon off excess fat if needed, leaving a little for flavor.
- Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth. Stir in Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes (if using), and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
- Add potato gnocchi to the simmering soup. Cook, stirring occasionally, until gnocchi float to the top and are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Lower heat to low. Stir in heavy cream and chopped baby spinach. Simmer gently until spinach wilts and soup thickens slightly, about 3-4 minutes. Do not let it boil after adding cream.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra Parmesan and a sprinkle of black pepper. Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread.
Notes
Brown the sausage well for extra flavor. Don’t overcook the gnocchi—add them at the end and cook just until they float. Add cream off the heat to prevent curdling. For a thicker soup, mash a few gnocchi before serving. Leftovers thicken as they sit; add broth when reheating. For gluten-free, use gluten-free gnocchi. For dairy-free, use coconut cream or oat creamer and nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 1.5 cups
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 1100
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 11
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 18
Keywords: gnocchi soup, creamy sausage soup, Italian soup, comfort food, easy dinner, one pot meal, cozy soup, spinach gnocchi soup