Published: Jan 15, 2025
This gnocchi soup with chicken and spinach is creamy, savory, hearty, comforting, and fast to make on the stove in under 30 minutes.
There’s nothing like a big bowl of homemade chicken soup to fight the winter blues and wrap you up like a big warm hug. I have several recipes on my blog that I’ve accumulated over the years. There’s my tried and true classic chicken noodle, lemony chicken stew with orzo, chicken and wild rice soup, and avgolemono (the Greek version of chicken soup. This gnocchi soup with chicken is similar to my sausage and gnocchi soup, but it trades a tomato base for a white base, sausage for chicken, and is made up of a mirepoix, lots of savory aromatics, and a creamy broth. It’s teeming with so much flavor and is a keeper for sure.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This chicken gnocchi soup comes together easily on the stove, in just under 30 minutes
- It’s made wonderfully creamy without any half-and-half or cream!
- It’s hearty, nourishing, and super adaptable
What’s in This Gnocchi Soup with Chicken
- Butter—for sautéing the veggies
- Extra virgin olive oil—I like using a mix of butter with olive oil for optimal flavor and a lower smoke point than just using olive oil
- Onion—along with celery and carrots (making a mirepoix), onion makes up the flavorful veggie base of our soup
- Celery—makes up part of this soup’s base
- Carrots—get sautéed just until tender, along with onion and celery
- Garlic—I love using a combo of fresh garlic and garlic powder in this soup for extra flavor
- All-purpose flour—for thickening the soup
- Chicken broth—I love using homemade if I have it, but if not, storebought is fine
- Evaporated milk—for creaminess without a greasy or oily mouthfeel
- Dried thyme—or you could use fresh, but if using fresh, double the amount
- Garlic powder—for savory aromatics
- Onion powder—for extra aromatics
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—always, for flavor
- Gnocchi—the star ingredient in our gnocchi soup!
- Cooked chicken—or rotisserie chicken
- Fresh baby spinach—for something green and some added nutrition (you could also use kale)
- Grated Parmesan cheese—for serving (adds some melty cheesy goodness and a salty bite)
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Gnocchi Soup
- Sauté the veggies. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in some butter until tender but not browned.
- Stir in the garlic and flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour loses its raw taste.
- Add the aromatics and bring to a boil to thicken the soup. Whisk in the evaporated milk, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium, and cook until thickened.
- Add the gnocchi, chicken, and spinach. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the gnocchi are cooked, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese.
FAQ
- Should you cook gnocchi before adding to soup? Nope. The gnocchi cooks directly in the soup, so there is no need to pre-cook!
- Is gnocchi pasta or potato? Gnocchi is usually made with cooked potato and makes it light and tender. These are the type I prefer. However, some gnocchi recipes go potato-free and are made with only flour, egg, and water.
- What is the difference between French gnocchi and Italian gnocchi? French gnocchi are typically lighter whereas Italian gnocchi are typically more dense. Additionally, French gnocchi are not made with potatoes.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Swap the spinach for kale
- Instead of chicken, try Italian sausage (either chicken or pork)
- Swap the chicken for cannellini beans and use a veggie base or veggie stock to make this soup vegetarian, or add beans along with the chicken if you’d like an extra dose of protein
- Add some sun-dried tomatoes
- Some quartered yukon gold potatoes would also be delicious in this soup (I’d cook them separately and then add to the soup towards the end of cooking)
- Mushrooms would also be a yummy addition
- Top the soup with some freshly chopped dill and a little lemon zest
- Add some red pepper flakes if you’d like a little heat
Storage Tips
This gnocchi soup will keep stored in an airtight container (or covered pot) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What to Serve With Gnocchi Soup
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Gnocchi Soup with Chicken
This gnocchi soup with chicken and spinach is creamy, savory, hearty, comforting, and fast to make on the stove in under 30 minutes.
Servings 4 -6
Calories 349kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 2 celery ribs , chopped
- 2 carrots , peeled and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves , pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 14-ounce can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme , crushed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 16-ounce package gnocchi
- 2 cups cooked chicken , shredded or chopped
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
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Instructions
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Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until the flour loses its raw taste.
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Whisk in the evaporated milk, dried thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce to medium and cook until thickened. Add the gnocchi, chicken, and spinach. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the gnocchi are cooked, stirring occasionally. Serve topped with the Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1778mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 6840IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 2mg
More Gnocchi Recipes to Try
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