This chicken gnocchi soup recipe is quick, easy to make in your own kitchen, and comforting. The pillowy gnocchi melt in your mouth, there's tender veggies, and the creamy broth is addictive!
Love making restaurant-quality Italian soups at home? You have to try this Zuppa Toscana recipe, Minestrone, or this Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli!
Why you'll love it
Now, I know you adore the chicken gnocchi soup from a certain beloved Italian-American restaurant, but I wouldn't say that this is a straight-up Olive Garden copycat recipe. It's actually even better. That's right. Your tastebuds are going to do a happy dance after trying it!
This ridiculously tasty creamy chicken gnocchi soup is straightforward and pretty quick to make when all is said and done. It takes about 35-40 minutes to re-create this mouthwatering meal, and you can feel good knowing exactly what goes into it.
Ingredients for it
- Olive oil and butter - a classic combo to cook the aromatics with to start this soup off right!
- Celery, onion, and carrots - this sautéed trio creates a classic flavorful base. Did you know the fancy term for it is soffritto in Italian and mirepoix in French?
- Garlic - I can't resist adding garlic to soups
- Mushrooms - cremini are my choice for their texture, but you could sub with white mushrooms if in a pinch
- Chicken broth - a wonderful foundation for the soup broth. You can also use chicken stock.
- Italian seasoning - find this blend in the spice aisle at your grocery store. It's a jar of mixed dried herbs like rosemary and thyme, and it's a favorite for so many of my recipes.
- Chicken - use up any leftover chicken you have, or grab a rotisserie chicken from the store as a time saver
- Gnocchi - I buy the shelf-stable gnocchi that you can find in the pasta aisle in most major grocery stores
- Cream - heavy cream tops off the irresistible broth! We're not using enough to overpower the soup. It's the perfect amount for ideal creaminess.
- Fresh spinach - a handful of baby spinach adds a burst of freshness and even more veggie goodness
Pro tip
- The potato gnocchi cooks right in the soup, and the starch released from the potatoes helps to thicken up the creamy broth beautifully!
How to make chicken gnocchi soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in a soup pot for 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
Add the chicken broth, water, seasoning, chicken, and gnocchi, then bring the soup to a boil. Simmer the soup for 10 minutes. Finally, stir in the cream and spinach and cook for a few more minutes.
Substitutions and variations
- You can use half-and-half or even milk, but in my opinion you can't beat the taste and consistency of heavy cream.
- If mushrooms aren't your thing, you can leave them out.
- You could use matchstick carrots if desired. Simply add them in step 4 since they will cook faster than sliced carrots.
- Want to throw in extra veggies? Go for it! Peas would work great.
- Some freshly grated parmesan would take this soup to the next level.
What to serve this soup with
- Breadsticks, garlic bread, or a slice of your favorite crusty bread would be a fantastic complement to this soup.
- You can't go wrong with a side salad. Try this homemade balsamic dressing or this easy Italian dressing with mixed greens!
Leftovers and storage
- This gnocchi soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container, but keep in mind that the gnocchi will continue to release starch. If the soup gets too thick, add another splash of broth or cream to thin it out when reheating over a low heat.
- You could try to freeze leftovers, but dairy can separate when reheating after it's been frozen, and the texture of the gnocchi may change. It's best to just eat it within a few days.
I hope you'll agree that this is the best chicken gnocchi soup recipe! Questions? Let me know in the comments below. Tag me on Instagram and show me your creations!
Easy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 3 medium carrots sliced or chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 7 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups cooked chicken I used rotisserie
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups fresh baby spinach (packed)
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a large soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté for 8-10 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. Stir once or twice during this time.
- Add the garlic and mushrooms to the pot and cook for a few minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, water, Italian seasoning, chicken, and gnocchi. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the cream and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes until the spinach is wilted and the soup is heated through. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve.
Notes
- You can use milk or half-and-half instead of cream if you prefer.
- The longer you cook/leave the soup to sit, the more it'll thicken up because the gnocchi will release starch.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on December 18, 2018. It's been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
Wendy says
Made with my own chicken stock and was delish!!! Thanks so much for this one to save, quick and easy easy , everyone loved it.
Natasha says
You're very welcome!! So glad it was a hit, Wendy! 🙂
LindaD says
Hey, thanks for this recipe! My first time using gnocchi in a dish and it was a success! The whole family loved it. I was missing garlic, mushrooms and celeri though and instead of heavy cream I used ceam of chicken. 🙂
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
Awesome to hear, Linda! Glad you're a gnocchi fan now 🙂
Jen says
Could
You possibly substitute coconut milk as a dairy free alternative?
Natasha says
Sure! It won't taste quite the same, but I think it'll work. 🙂 Let me know!
Lori Jiroch says
YUMMY!! Thanks so much for sharing! God bless you ❤️
Miranda @ Salt & Lavender says
You're very welcome, Lori! 🙂
Amy says
LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! My family ate this twice in one weeks time! I added red peppers so as to have another vegetable and used leftover grilled chicken leg meat. Was a huge success, even with my husband who claims he doesn’t like soup!
Natasha says
Yay!! That makes me so happy, Amy!! Thanks for taking the time to write me a review. XO
Teresia says
Would I be able to freeze this?
Natasha says
Hi! You can try and see if you like the results, but cream notoriously doesn't freeze great, and the gnocchi may go a bit gloopy.
Samantha says
I love your recipes! Usually I can. See the calorie counts, do you happen to have one for this recipe?
Natasha says
I'm glad to hear that... thank you! Yes, I've been adding nutrition info to most new recipes, but I only add it to older ones when I have time/if people request it. I just added it for you. Do keep in mind it's just an estimate (ingredients vary), and you'd have to divide the portions up pretty accurately if you really wanted it to reflect those calories. I hope you enjoy the soup! Let me know if you make it. 🙂
Savannah says
If I am using raw chicken breasts do I cook the chicken fully through before adding it with the chicken broth?
Natasha says
Are you planning on cutting them into smaller/bite-size pieces first? If so, it shouldn't take long to cook (the 10 minutes or a bit longer should do it if you're adding it in at step 4).
Lori says
Sooooo delicious and comforting!! Used gluten free gnocchi.
Natasha says
So happy you liked it, Lori! 🙂
Leslie says
Just made this amazing soup for dinner. I love making soups all year round. This recipe I will definitely keep. Thank you for sharing
Natasha says
Me too! so glad you enjoyed it!
Dawn says
I really enjoyed this recipe! So easy and a fantastic weeknight dinner. Will make again and again for sure!
Natasha says
Great!! Thanks for taking the time to comment Dawn!
Michelle Reynolds says
Hi! I made this soup on the stove top and it was so good! I was wondering what I would do/change if I wanted to pressure cook this in my instant pot? Thank you
Natasha says
Hi! I haven’t tested cooking gnocchi in the Instant Pot yet. Maybe cook the soup on high pressure for 8 mins if you use raw chicken breasts (the already cooked chicken will dry out). I’d then probably stir in the gnocchi and cream once the pressure has released and then just put it on sauté and close the lid and just let it cook normally.
Irina says
We Russians love any soups. This recipe I tried for the first time and absolutely loved it! Perfect for rainy night! 🍲😋
Natasha says
Excellent! So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jenny says
Made this for dinner and we loved it! Definitely saving this recipe. I ommited the mushrooms but followed the recipe exact besides that.
Natasha says
So happy to hear it, Jenny! Thanks for letting me know!
Stacy says
SO amazing! Made this tonight and even my pickiest child finished every bit of it. Made it with some breadsticks. In my opinion this is even better than Olive Garden. Thanks for this wonderful recipe. It will be added to the seasonal favorites!
Natasha says
Aww!! I am so happy it was a hit! Thanks for letting me know! 😀
Mary Thomas says
Made this for dinner it was delicious paired with a ceasar salad oh my
Natasha says
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Yolanda says
Love love love all your recipes!
Natasha says
So happy to hear it, Yolanda! Thank you 🙂
Marie says
Hi! I’m going to make this for Sunday family dinner tomorrow and was just curious about the gnocchi. I’ve never cooked with it and the shelf stable one I got says it’s ready in two minutes! Should I just add it at the very end if I want it piping hot when guests come so it doesn’t get soggy? I usually let soup cook for a few hours but it’s nice that this one doesn’t have too! I bought an extra packetof gnocchi to make the sausage and kale recipe too 🙂
Natasha says
Hi Marie! I’d cook it longer than that, because it releases starch and helps thicken the soup. I wouldn’t say the shelf stable stuff goes soggy per se - it’s pretty dense. It’s not quite like pasta since it’s made of potatoes. Let me know if you like the recipes! ❤️
Lindsey says
I’m planning on trying this recipe out this week! I would like to add those baby gold potatoes to it. Would you suggest I boil the potatoes in water on their own and then transferring it in with the rest?
Natasha says
I think since they're small, you could probably cook them right in the soup if you think they'll be done in 10-15 minutes or so (maybe cut them into small-ish pieces). The extra starch should also thicken the soup more, which is a good thing in my opinion. But it's really up to you! Let me know how it goes.
Lindsey says
The recipe was delicious! I couldn’t find gnocchi anywhere though at my grocery store but you were totally right about the potatoes. They cooked quite well in with the soup!
Natasha says
So happy it worked out!
Thuy says
I just made this today for dinner. It is so DELISH! I followed recipe exactly. I used half and half and it was plenty creamy for my taste. I could eat the whole thing myself. Thanks for this recipe! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes!
Natasha says
Aww so glad to hear it!! 🙂
Susan says
Has anyone tried freezing the leftovers? How do you think it would freeze?
Jen says
Just made this and it was amazing! I swapped out the cream for lactose free half and half and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing.
Natasha says
So pleased you enjoyed it, Jen!!
Rachel says
Hi Natasha!
I made this recipe with my girlfriend a couple weeks ago and we loved it! It wad fun and easy to make! It made the whole house smell wonderful. We used half and half instead lf cream and it was super tasty. Topped it off with a bit of parmesan and paired it with salad and garlic bread. I look forward to making more of your recipes, keep up the good work!
p.s. thank you for having such straighforward and easy to understand recipes
Natasha says
I am so glad you two liked it! Straightforward and easy to understand is what I strive for, so thank you for mentioning that! 🙂
Bernadette says
Hi,
Would you recommend a gnocchi brand you like?
Can't wait to make this!
B
Natasha says
Hi! The grocery stores I frequent are usually pretty limited and only carry one brand (I’m in Canada too so I don’t know offhand which brands are sold where you are), so that’s what I end up buying haha. I don’t really have a preference. I think any shelf stable gnocchi should work. I’d tell you the brand I buy but I’m currently on vacation and can’t check in my pantry - the name escapes me. Hope you like the recipe!
Susan says
I made this tonight. I used whole milk. Still delicious. I added dill instead of italian seasoning and sprinkled with parmesan. Delicious, definitely a keeper!
Natasha says
So glad you liked it!! ❤️
Heidi Bliss says
Made this today. Doubled everything and used a whole rotisserie chicken. Subbed half-and-half for the cream and thought it was still very creamy. Maybe even better because it wasn't as heavy as it probably would have been with the heavy cream. Everyone LOVED it! Really, really good. Will make again for sure. Thanks for the recipe!
Natasha says
I'm so glad it was a hit, Heidi! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Cristina says
I just made this! I liked it but I have to give it another go as I feel I put too much garlic and I slightly under seasoned it. As a good italian I added some grated parmigiano reggiano and that helped fixing the the lack of seasoning!
Can’t wait to try other recipes of yours!
Keep it up and thank you for sharing!
Natasha says
Mmmm parm reg makes everything better!! I'm glad you liked it! Yes, give it another try... it's all about tweaking to your tastes 🙂
Cathy says
Can I make this dairy free?
Natasha says
Hi Cathy! I think leaving the cream out should be fine. 😊
Pia says
Made it - and it was a great succes. Tried to increase veggies and added The servings to 9 ;-). Now I am supplied with delicious soup for two days plus ;-).
Thank you for a super recipe - and easy too!
Natasha says
That's great! I'm so happy you have plenty of leftovers too. 🙂
nicole says
I made this last night for a neighborhood New Yeards Day soup party and it was well received. Very easy to make and flavorful. I increased the amount of broth by 1/2 a cup and cut the cream slightly. The next time I make it I will add some tomatoes (perhaps oven roasted and diced). Thanks for the recipe!
Natasha says
I'm very happy it was well received, Nicole! 🙂
Karly says
Looks so delicious!
Natasha says
Thanks, Karly!!
Natasha says
Haha thank you, Jeff! 🙂