Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

This is the soup I make when someone in our house is having a rough day. It's warm and creamy and honestly just feels like a hug in a bowl. My kids ask for it by name and that tells you everything you need to know.

This is a bowl of sautéed Italian sausage with onions and garlic, spiced up and simmered in bone broth with gnocchi cooked directly in the pan. Then, you add heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese to make everything into a very tasty and creamy soup. The spinach is added last of all. Ten more minutes on low heat, and it's ready. It's a soup that will fill your kitchen with its amazing aroma and will taste even better.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Everything cooks in one pot. The sausage, the broth, the gnocchi, the cream - all in the same pot and minimal cleanup afterward.

The gnocchi cooks right in the soup and soaks up all that Italian sausage and Parmesan flavor while it cooks. No separate pot of water needed.

It's incredibly creamy and rich but the bone broth and tomato paste underneath keep it from being one-dimensionally heavy. There's actual depth to this soup.

It feeds six people and tastes even better the next day. This is a meal prep soup if you've ever seen one.

Ingredients Needed To Make Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

The Base

Mild Italian sausage seasons the entire soup as it cooks and releases its fat into the broth which adds incredible flavor. Yellow onion and minced garlic build the aromatic foundation. Tomato paste adds a concentrated depth that makes the broth richer without tasting like tomato soup.

The Broth and Cream

Bone broth adds more body and nutritional depth than regular broth. Heavy cream stirred in after the gnocchi cooks turns the whole thing into a creamy, silky soup. Freshly grated Parmesan melts in and adds a salty, nutty finish throughout.

The Gnocchi and Greens

Dry potato gnocchi goes straight into the simmering broth and cooks in 2 to 3 minutes. Fresh spinach chopped and folded in at the very end wilts quickly and adds color and nutrients without turning army green and sad.

How to Make Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Step 1: Build the Base

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the Italian sausage and break it apart as it browns.

Step 2: Season and Add Broth

Once the sausage is cooked through, add the tomato paste and all the seasonings (salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, parsley, garlic and onion powder, and crushed red pepper if using). Stir until everything is evenly coated. Pour in the bone broth and bring to a boil.

Step 3: Cook the Gnocchi

Add the dry gnocchi directly to the boiling soup. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until just cooked through.

Step 4: Add the Cream and Cheese

Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream then add the grated Parmesan and stir until fully melted and the soup is smooth and creamy.

Step 5: Add Spinach and Simmer

Fold in the chopped fresh spinach. Let the soup simmer on low for 10 minutes to thicken slightly and let all the flavors come together. Serve immediately.

Storing and Reheating

Store in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The gnocchi absorbs the broth as it sits and the soup will be thicker the next day. Just add a splash of broth or cream when reheating to loosen it back up. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat stirring occasionally or in the microwave on medium power in 60-second intervals.

How to Serve Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

Serve in big bowls with extra Parmesan grated over the top and a good piece of crusty bread alongside for dunking. A sprinkle of fresh parsley or red pepper flakes on top makes it look like you really finished the dish. This soup is a complete meal on its own but a simple green salad alongside is never a bad idea.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gnocchi Soup

Can I use spicy Italian sausage instead of mild?

Absolutely. Spicy Italian sausage adds a kick that works really well with the creamy broth. The cream actually helps balance the heat so it's not overwhelming, it just adds a nice warmth throughout the soup. If you want the heat but not too much of it, do half mild and half spicy.

Can I use fresh gnocchi instead of dry?

Yes but adjust the timing. Fresh gnocchi cooks even faster than dry (usually just 1 to 2 minutes). Watch it closely because overcooked gnocchi turns soft and falls apart in the soup. Dry gnocchi holds up a little better through the simmering time at the end which is why it's specifically recommended here.

Why use bone broth instead of regular broth?

Bone broth has more protein, collagen, and a richer, more complex flavor than regular chicken or beef broth. The collagen also helps the soup develop a slightly thicker, more luxurious texture as it simmers. Regular broth works fine if that's what you have, the soup will just be slightly less rich.