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This sausage gnocchi soup is what you look for in a soup — hearty and comforting. Pillowy gnocchi is cooked in a tomato soup base along with spicy Italian sausage and kale. It’s spicy and soothing and so simple to make!
There are few things in life that I love as much as a warm bowl of hearty soup. Soup for me is for any time of year and this sausage gnocchi soup recipe is just what you expect when you’re looking for a cozy, flavorful soup.
Sausage gnocchi soup has just about everything I’m looking for — the pillowy 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 earthy flavors, and fresh parmesan cheese makes the dish rich and creamy. Packed with vegetables and protein, it is a well-balanced soup! It only takes 45 minutes to make, so it’s a great weekday option.
How to Make Sausage Gnocchi 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.
- 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?
Pro Tips from Julie
- 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.
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.
To freeze this soup, allow soup to come to room temperature then put into 1 or 2 cup Souper Cube trays. To reheat, pop out a cube and reheat on the stovetop until defrosted and warmed through. You may need to add a little more liquid. Also, please be aware that the gnocchi will likely be really soft and gummy due to it sitting in liquid for a bit.
Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, (can replace with oil)
- 1 pound (454 g) pork sausage, (spicy Italian is best)
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces (425 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
- 1 pound (454 g) gnocchi
- 2 cups (134 g) chopped kale, (you can also use spinach)
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until soft. Then add the sausage and cook until browned.
- Add in the garlic, fennel, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and salt and stir well. Add in diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add in the gnocchi and kale and continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with parmesan cheese.
So simple, and absolutely delicious! I let it simmer for several hours, then as instructed put the kale and gnocchi in about 10 minutes before serving. We ate it with some crusty bread to sop up leftover broth. Wonderful! I will be making this again!