Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup is an easy and comforting soup recipe that has Italian sausage, Italian diced tomatoes, onion, red bell pepper, spinach, broth, Italian seasonings, and gnocchi! It is ready in 30 minutes and is a soup the entire family will devour.

Craving something comforting and warm, yet still a little healthy? This Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup is the perfect combination of those things and is super easy to whip up.

Even though it took a little convincing for our boys to try the soup (they're in a bit of a defiant stage at the dinner table), they both loved it once they tried it. Soren insisted he didn't like gnocchi and, lo and behold, once he tried it he was a fan. In fact, he picked out the gnocchi in my bowl, too!

With how much everyone loved this cozy soup and how fast and easy it is to make, I would say this is a perfect weeknight meal during soup season!

Ingredients in Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Mild Italian Sausage - you can use hot spicy Italian sausage if you like things on the spicier side.

Onion, Red Bell Pepper, Italian Diced Tomatoes, and Spinach - this soup is not lacking vegetables! The onion and bell pepper add flavor and color.

Dried Italian Seasoning and Garlic - for a boost of flavor.

Chicken Broth - chicken stock, low sodium broth, or vegetable broth would also work.

Potato Gnocchi - I use shelf-stable gnocchi which is easy to find in the pasta section of the grocery store.

Half and Half or Heavy Cream - I've used both in this recipe and they both work well!

Parmesan Cheese

How to Make Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Cook the sausage. This recipe instructions start by cooking the Italian sausage until browned, breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. I like to make this soup in a large dutch oven but any large pot will work.

Cook the vegetables. Next, add a little olive oil, along with the onion and red bell pepper over medium-high heat, to cook along with the sausage until they are softened. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Add the spices, broth, and gnocchi. After the veggies are softened, add the garlic and Italian seasoning, followed by the broth. Once the broth comes to a gentle boil, reduce to medium heat and add the gnocchi and simmer, cooking according to package directions. Typically, you should cook gnocchi until the gnocchi floats. Be careful not to overcook. You want them to have the perfect pillowy texture that gnocchi is known for.

Add spinach and cream. Finally, add the spinach and cream, and cook until the spinach is wilted. This doesn't take long as spinach will wilt in 1-2 minutes. If you do add kale, as suggested below, it will take a few extra minutes since kale is a bit tougher.

Serve. Serve this hearty soup topped with Parmesan cheese and ENJOY! We love having this soup with a side of fresh warm Italian bread, which is delicious to sop up the extra liquid with. Serve it with a side salad too, if you'd like!

Looking for an Instant Pot Sausage and Gnocchi Soup? Check out this post!

There are so many great things going on in this soup, from the fluffy gnocchi to the spicy sausage and basil flavored cream broth which has amazing flavor.  Be sure to store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge! Our whole family really enjoyed this soup and I know yours will, too.

Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup Variations

You can play around with the recipe to use pantry staples that you have on hand or to adapt it to your preferences.

• Use chopped fresh kale instead of fresh baby spinach.
• Use whatever ground sausage you prefer: chicken sausage, Italian pork sausage, turkey sausage, soy chorizo, whatever floats your boat.  Ground beef or ground turkey would also work in a pinch, but you won't get the extra flavor from the sausage.
• Add extra veggies. If you want to boost the nutrients in this soup, you could add chopped bell pepper, diced mushrooms, or chopped zucchini.
• Play around with the spices and herbs - use fresh herbs like rosemary, basil, parsley, thyme, or oregano if you have it!
• Vegetable or beef broth instead of chicken. If that's what you have in your pantry, use it!
• Add some red pepper flakes to give the soup a bit of spice
• Use a different pasta instead of gnocchi. I absolutely love the gnocchi in this soup but if you can't find it at the grocery store or don't prefer it, a small pasta such as ditalini or orzo would work well.

Like this recipe? check these out, too!

Instant Pot Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Instant Pot Sausage Rigatoni

Tomato Soup with Gnocchi