Sausage Gnocchi Soup

This sausage gnocchi soup is hearty and comforting. It’s spicy, soothing, and healthy, and only takes 45 minutes to make.

There are few things in life that I love as much as a warm bowl of hearty soup during the fall or winter. And this sausage gnocchi soup recipe is as good as it gets when it’s cold out. This soup has everything I’m looking for in the winter. The gnocchi, kale, and sausage make the soup filling and hearty, while chili flakes give it a nice kick. Fennel seeds, garlic, and tomato give the recipe some winter flavors, and fresh parmesan cheese makes the dish rich and creamy. 

It’s also a very healthy recipe to make. It’s packed with vegetables and protein, and I always feel great after eating a bowl of it. And it only takes 45 minutes to make, so it’s a great weekday option. 

Recipe Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients that you need for sausage gnocchi soup. Make sure you check out the recipe card at the bottom of the article for the exact amounts of each ingredient.

• Butter – You can replace this with oil if you want a healthy option.
• Pork sausage – I recommend using spicy Italian sausage, but you can use any kind as long as the flavors go with this soup. You can also use chicken sausage to make the dish more healthy.
• Yellow onion – A white or red onion will work in a pinch, but a yellow onion is best.
• Garlic
• Fennel seeds
• Red pepper flakes
• Italian seasoning
• Salt
• Canned tomatoes
• Chicken broth
• Gnocchi – You can use fresh or frozen gnocchi. 
• Kale – If you don’t have kale, you can substitute spinach.
• Parmesan cheese – Since the cheese is for topping the soup with, it’s definitely recommended that you use freshly-grated parmesan. 

What is Italian Seasoning? 

Italian seasoning is a common spice blend that you should be able to find in any grocery store. It usually consists of basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary, but sometimes some other herbs are included as well. Basil and oregano are the primary flavors, so if you don’t have any Italian seasoning you can just use some of those dried herbs instead. 

How to Make Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Here’s how to make this easy, filling, healthy soup.

• Cook the onions. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and stir until soft, which should take about 5 minutes.
• Cook the sausage. Add the sausage to the pot, and break it up with a spoon or spatula. Cook until the sausage has browned, which will take around 5 more minutes. 

• Make the soup. Add in the fennel, garlic, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, and salt, and stir to combine. Then pour the chicken broth and diced, canned tomatoes into the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat, and simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
• Add the final ingredients. Put the gnocchi and kale in the pot, and stir to combine.

• Finish. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, then serve hot. Garnish with grated parmesan cheese. 

Tips for Success

Here are a few of my favorite tricks for making this sausage gnocchi soup. 

• Use homemade stock. Don’t get me wrong, this recipe is fantastic with a store bought chicken stock, or even chicken bouillon. But it gets taken to a whole new level if you make your own broth. Here’s my recipe for chicken stock. 
• Go low and slow. One of the best things about this soup is that it comes together in just 45 minutes, so you almost always have time to make it. But if you have more than 45 minutes? You can make the recipe even better. Soup always tastes better when given more time to stew together. If you start this recipe well before you plan on eating it, then turn the heat to low after the 10-minute simmer. Let it cook slowly for an hour or two, then add the gnocchi and kale when it’s almost time to eat. 
• Add a parmesan rind. Here’s a fun tip for making Italian soups: if you have a leftover parmesan rind, toss it in. Parmesan rinds won’t melt when added to soups, but they will give off a cheesy, hearty richness. Just throw the rind in with the liquid, and let it cook with the rest of the ingredients. Remove the rind before serving, just as you would with a bay leaf. 
• Taste to season. I recommend going very light when salting this dish, because different sausages and chicken broths have different sodium levels. Wait until the sausage gnocchi soup is nearly ready to serve, then taste it and adjust the seasonings. 

Serving Suggestions 

There are two things that I love to serve with this sausage gnocchi soup: bread and salad. What could be more Italian than that? Here are some of my favorite dishes for making alongside this hearty, cozy soup.

• Garlic herb parker house rolls
• Kiss me if you dare extra garlicky and cheesy bread
• Buffalo cauliflower pizza flatbread
• Vegan caesar salad
• Chopped endive and romaine salad
• Best summer tomato salad

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

This sausage gnocchi soup will last for 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. To reheat, add the soup to a pot and cook on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. This could take 1-5 minutes, depending on how much you’re reheating. You can also reheat the soup in the microwave on medium heat. 

Can You Freeze Sausage Gnocchi Soup?

Yes, this is a great recipe to freeze. Place the soup in an airtight container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, or defrost in the microwave before reheating.

More Cozy Soup Recipes

It’s the season for warm and comforting soups. If you liked this sausage gnocchi soup, then here are a few of my other favorite soup recipes.

• Instant pot jalapeño lime chicken soup
• Beef ramen noodle soup
• Cozy vegan white bean soup
• Turkey vegetable soup
• Slow cooker chicken enchilada soup