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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 or Parmesan, Mushroom, and Spinach Gnocchi Soup next.
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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Which brand of gnocchi do you use? I’ve used store-bought ones in the past and they taste so bad I end up throwing them away because they taste like plastic.
Hi! DeLallo is my fave, but I do find they’re all fairly similar. It’s possible you just don’t like the taste, which is totally understandable. It is definitely different from fresh/homemade gnocchi.
really good!and so easy .
Thank you!!
Such a delicious, easy and versatile recipe. It’s perfect as is but subs are no problem. No basil? No worries. Still great. Use whatever greens you have on hand. I’m not always a big rotisserie chicken person, so I just take three or four boneless skinless chicken thighs and cook them in the pan, pull them out and cut them up and use those in the soup. I use the same pan and follow the recipe after cooking the chicken. This exact recipe and variations on it happen at least once a month in our house. It’s a keeper!
Thanks so much, Melissa!
This was delish! Definitely adding it to my soup rotation.
Wonderful!! Thanks, Rachel! 😀