Looking for an easy weeknight soup? This Sausage Gnocchi Soup brings browned sausage, pillowy gnocchi, and rich flavor together in one pot!
Spoon into this sausage gnocchi soup and you get tender potato gnocchi, browned Italian sausage, and silky broth that clings to every bite.
A little sun-dried tomato gives it a savory edge, while Parmesan and spinach finish it off. It tastes like dinner took considerably more effort than one pot and 40 minutes, which is a useful illusion on a busy evening!
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian pork sausage, casings removed if needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, only if needed
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ⅓ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 pound shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3 packed cups baby spinach, about 3 ounces
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Black pepper and salt, to taste
Servings: 6
How to Make Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Set a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat, then add sausage in rough, bite-size pieces.
Let it sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes before stirring so some edges turn deeply golden; if you break it into tiny crumbs immediately, you miss those flavorful browned bits.
Continue cooking for another 5 to 7 minutes, turning and breaking up larger pieces, until sausage is cooked through. Raw pork sausage should reach 160°F in its thickest pieces, so use a food thermometer if any pieces are still large.
Transfer sausage to a plate, leaving about 1 tablespoon of fat in the pot, and add olive oil only if you need it. fsis.usda.gov
Turn heat down to medium and add diced onion. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes, until it looks translucent and begins to soften, scraping at the browned bits as moisture from onion loosens them.
Add garlic, tomato paste, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using, then stir for about 1 minute.
You are looking for fragrant garlic and tomato paste that has darkened slightly; don’t rush this minute, because it makes a noticeable difference to broth that comes together so quickly!
Pour in chicken broth, scraping across the bottom of the pot until any remaining browned bits release, then return sausage and its collected juices. Bring everything to a gentle boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 7 to 8 minutes.
Taste a spoonful now: it should already be savory, though hold off on adding salt because Parmesan is still coming.
Stir in cream, then add gnocchi and bring soup back to a gentle simmer, with small bubbles breaking at the surface. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so gnocchi does not stick to the bottom.
Start testing one at the 3-minute mark: it should feel tender all the way through, with no firm, doughy center. Package directions can vary, and a hard boil can leave you with gnocchi that is soft outside before you have had a chance to check it.
Add spinach in two handfuls, stirring each one into broth before adding more, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until leaves wilt but still look bright green.
Turn off heat and stir in finely grated Parmesan a little at a time, followed by 1 teaspoon lemon juice and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste again before deciding whether to add more lemon or salt.
If broth has thickened more than you like, stir in a splash of warm broth or water; gnocchi keeps soaking up liquid while it sits, because apparently one bowl was not enough for it. Ladle into bowls right away.
One last squeeze of lemon and a snowfall of Parmesan make this sausage gnocchi soup especially good at the table.
Bring the pot over while the gnocchi is still plump and tender, pass around some bread, and let everyone decide for themselves whether they want a second ladleful.
