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This creamy Tuscan chicken gnocchi soup recipe has all your favorite Italian-inspired flavors in a cozy and warming soup! The pillowy gnocchi is hard to resist.
Try my Chicken Gnocchi Soup next for another restaurant-quality soup.
Why you’ll love it
Since I know you guys can’t get enough of my Creamy Tuscan Chicken, I decided to get a little creative and channel those irresistible flavors into a comforting soup. You’re welcome. But seriously, I even impressed myself with the results here!
You get all the classic Tuscan-inspired flavors of sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and basil paired with gnocchi and chicken in a creamy broth. It’s basically everything you could want in a single soup recipe, and it only takes 40 minutes to make.
Ingredients for it
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Onion, celery, and garlic – our tasty base for starting this soup off right. I like using sweet (Vidalia) onions, and this garlic press makes mincing it easy since you don’t need to peel the cloves.
- Sun-dried tomatoes – I use the kind packed in oil and drain it
- Italian seasoning – it comes in a single convenient jar, and it has dried herbs like rosemary and thyme
- Chicken broth and water – for the liquid of the broth
- Chicken – use rotisserie or leftover chicken to save time
- Gnocchi – we’re using the shelf-stable kind found in the pasta aisle
- Heavy cream – for that luxurious aspect of the broth
- Spinach and basil – classic fresh ingredients to get that signature Tuscan flavor
Pro tip
- This isn’t a super thick soup, but the gnocchi does release starch as it cooks, which helps to thicken the broth to a nice consistency.
How to make Tuscan chicken gnocchi soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, sauté the oil, butter, onion, and celery, stirring occasionally until softened. Add in the garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.
Stir in the chicken broth, water, chicken, and gnocchi, and bring to a boil and simmer. Add the cream and spinach, and cook until it wilts. Season with salt & pepper and enjoy.
Substitutions and variations
- You could try subbing the cream for half-and-half, but I do recommend using heavy cream if possible. It’ll taste richer and make the broth luxurious.
- I know not everyone is a fan of sun-dried tomatoes, so you could leave them out if you prefer, or chop a couple of small tomatoes and use those instead for a pop of freshness and color.
What to serve with this soup
- This Tuscan chicken soup pairs well with breadsticks, garlic knots, or a big slice of Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- For a lighter option, try serving a side salad with it that’s dressed up in this homemade Olive Garden Salad Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store this soup in the fridge for 3-4 days, but definitely keep in mind that the gnocchi will continue to release starch over time, making the broth thicker.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat, giving it the occasional stir, until it’s warmed through. Add in a splash of broth or cream to thin it out if desired.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one. The texture of the gnocchi will change, and creamy soups normally don’t freeze well.
If you make this chicken gnocchi soup, I’d love it if you tagged me #saltandlavender on Instagram or leave me a review below!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes see note
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups cooked chicken I used rotisserie
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2-3 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup (loosely packed) fresh basil torn/sliced
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil, butter, onion, and celery to a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and Italian seasoning to the pot and cook for about a minute.
- Stir in the chicken broth, water, chicken, and gnocchi. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach wilts. Add in the basil, season with salt & pepper as needed, and serve.
Notes
- I drain the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes and loosely pack them in the measuring cup. If they’re not already chopped, it’s a good idea to chop them into small pieces.
- The longer you cook/leave the soup to sit, the more it’ll thicken up as the gnocchi releases its starch.
- Serves 4-6 depending on portion size/what else you serve it with.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I can’t begin to tell you how good this was! I made this for a huge group of people and wow it did not disappoint. I didn’t add salt and pepper and honestly I don’t think it was missing anything. I did add some better than bouillon “Italian herb” and oh my gooodness it was delicious. This is going in my cookbook permanently. Also, this is better than olive gardens version, this is lighter and more flavorful.
I’m thrilled it was a hit!! 😀 Thanks so much for your review!
I have made this too many times to count. It’s so easy and it’s absolutely delicious. I use whatever greens I have growing in the garden, not just spinach. A little arugula is nice. Sometimes I add mushrooms. I’ve used rotisserie chicken but prefer to roast up some of my own chicken breast for it in the air fryer. I find the rotisserie chicken a little too salty for this recipe, but we like less salt than most people and I rarely use it for any meals. Good, quality sun dried tomatoes are a must. Try it! It comes together so quickly and tastes like it took longer
I love that!! I’m so happy it’s a favorite!
So yummy!
Thank you!!
Very tasty!!! Will make again!!!
Wonderful!! Appreciate your 5-star review, Melanie!
At first, I wondered whether the soup would be good. I usually like cheese in most of my soups. So I made it and thought it was OK. The next day, however, my my, it was super delicious! So rich and creamy. I love all of the flavor combinations. My soup wasn’t quite as light colored as the picture but I don’t think it needs any extra cream. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe!
I’ve glad you liked it, Judy!! 🙂
It was delicious
Thank you!!
This soup is a family favorite! I’ve made this recipe about 3 times now and each time I fall a little more in love with it. It’s creamy without being too heavy and the flavors are out of this world. I’m an avid follower and love all of Natasha’s recipes but this one is by far my favorite! I added 1 extra cup of water to the soup when cooking because I like more of the broth in my soup but otherwise, I follow her recipes to a T because she truly has a gift. This soup makes me feel like I’m a real cook and gives me so much confidence in the kitchen! You will be adding this into your dinner rotation, guaranteed!
I’m so happy to hear that!! You’re too kind, Tori!! I appreciate you taking the time to write me this review. 😀
As an avid follower it blows my mind how fantastic these recipes are! This one rates much much higher than a 5! Never thought I’d be making homemade soups like this. WOW is this one good. It barely lasted through the taste-test as we just kept eating it. I found the gnocchi at the italian market in Calgary (straight from Italy) however if you need a substitute I think cubed potatos would be fantastic as well. I let this simmer on low for a while til it thickened up. Also, I added one chopped deboned chicken breast in with the celery til brown and it worked fine. (Instead of the pre-cooked). This would also make for an interesting appetizer in small ramekins. Your guests would be blown away.
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Made this last night after a torrentially down pouring, chilly day and was pleasantly surprised at how yummy and hearty it was! I’m usually not a fan of sundried tomatoes so I didn’t use quite as much and I chopped them small – this was the right way to go for me. The tomatoes add a nice burst of acidity and brightness to a spoonful, the gnocchi and chicken make it filling and give it good bite, which I like. I made a few small changes: chopped the spinach and put it in at the same time as the chicken to wilt longer; added a bit more Italian seasoning; added a heaping tablespoon of grated parmesan right after adding broth & water as I found it helped round out the broth flavor. Boyfriend liked it, too! This is the 4th or 5th Salt & Lavender recipe I’ve made in the last month and I’ll absolutely continue to scour the archives for our dinners.
I’m so happy it was a hit for you, Chelle! 🙂 That’s so nice to hear that you’ve been making my recipes. 😀 Let me know what else you try!