Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Hearty chicken gnocchi soup is filled with veggies and on the table in only 30 minutes. It’s a favorite copycat recipe!

If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden, you may have had their chicken gnocchi soup. This copycat soup recipe pairs perfectly with our recipe for Olive Garden Breadsticks!

Always Soup Season

I LOVE soups during the winter. There is just something so wonderful about eating something warm and hearty when it’s cold outside.

The recipe for today is one my mom wanted to try out for chicken gnocchi soup. Looking at the ingredients you can just tell it will be good since it has chunks of chicken, carrots, spinach, broccoli, and potato gnocchi!

It’s like a copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup. It’s delicious!

What is Gnocchi?

Are you wondering, “What in the world is gnocchi??”

Gnocchi looks like pasta, but gnocchi is actually mashed potatoes mixed with flour or semolina, eggs as well as different seasonings. Like pasta, they can be incorporated into a variety of different dishes.

Before this recipe, we had never tried gnocchi before, and I can’t believe we’d been missing out this whole time. Not sure why it was a little intimidating to us beforehand, but it’s delicious!

You can find gnocchi in most pasta sections at the grocery store, and it’s worth finding because it added SO much to this recipe. You can find store-bought gnocchi that is gluten-free as well as dairy free.

Ready in 30 Minutes!

Gnocchi soup is on the table in no time for a perfect weeknight dinner any time of the year!

VEGGIES. Warm olive oil in a large pot, over medium heat. When the oil is hot, toss carrots, broccoli, and garlic, stirring for about 5-8 minutes. When your veggies are done cooking, pour the 7 cups of hot water into the pot and add 8 chicken bullion cubes. Stir thoroughly.

CHICKEN. Add the chopped chicken and bring to a boil.

GNOCCHI. Pour gnocchi into the soup and let it come to a boil again, allowing the gnocchi to cook for about 3-4 minutes. The gnocchi will be cooked through when they float to the top.

REMAINING INGREDIENTS. Chop and toss 1 cup of spinach into the pot. Pour in the Half and Half, dried thyme, a teaspoon of nutmeg, sugar, and butter. Stir and let it come to a boil.

THICKEN. In a small bowl combine cold water and cornstarch. Mix well and pour into the soup. Stir as you let it come to a boil. Soup will thicken as it reaches a boil.

SERVE. Season with salt and pepper, and serve hot. ENJOY!

Crockpot & Instant Pot Instructions

Crockpot. Put the chicken, veggies, and soup base in the pot on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8. After the time is up, shred the chicken while it’s still in the pot. Add the gnocchi and cornstarch mixture and let it sit on low for another hour, or until the gnocchi is softened and the soup has thickened. 

Instant Pot: Sauté the veggies with all of the seasonings on the sauté function for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken water and bouillon cubes. Close the lid, turn off the sauté function, and turn on the high-pressure function for 9 minutes. After the timer has run out, let the pot sit undisturbed for 10 minutes before manually letting out the rest of the pressure.

Turn on the sauté function, and add the gnocchi. Close the lid, but turn it to venting, and allow the gnocchi to cook for a couple of minutes (let them float to the top). Add the spinach and the thickening mixture. Mix well and serve hot!

Recipe Tips

Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup is simple and tasty but can be made even quicker with a few substitutions.

A cornstarch slurry is added to help thicken the soup. For an even thicker texture, mix up another slurry by adding 1 tablespoon of cold water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a bowl. Once it has been mixed stir it into the soup and simmer. 

Substitutions. Here are a few substitution options if you are short on time:

• Bouillon cube. This represents about 1 cup of broth. So instead of using the cubes substitute the 7 cups of water with broth. I would suggest using the low-sodium chicken broth!
• Half and half. Instead of half and half, use whole milk for a thinner soup or add heavy cream for a creamier soup.
• Veggies. Add chopped celery, a diced small onion, or mushrooms to sauté. You can also use cauliflower instead of broccoli.
• Cheese. Top with grated parmesan cheese or add some spice with red pepper flakes.

Serving + Storing Tips

Serving suggestions. Serve your chicken gnocchi soup recipe with:

• Olive Garden Breadsticks
• Caesar Salad Dressing with Homemade Croutons
• Creamy Pesto Dressing
• Homemade Dinner Rolls

Make ahead of time. To make potato gnocchi soup ahead of time to store in the fridge or freezer, follow the directions as written, but do not add the gnocchi, the half and half, or the cornstarch slurry.

When you are ready to reheat the soup bring it to a boil, then turn down the heat. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in a separate pot according to the package instructions and drain. When the soup is simmering, add the gnocchi, and half and half. Then mix the cornstarch and water in a bowl and add it to the soup.

STORE. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days.

FREEZE leftovers by placing the cooled soup in an airtight container and popping it in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge all day or overnight. Place in a pot and warm slowly over low heat on the stovetop. Add in more half and half if the soup has separated from being in the freezer. If you’re in a hurry or on the go, you can just microwave individual portions until hot.

Recipe FAQ

For More Italian Soups, Try:

• Chicken Florentine Soup
• Cheesy Chicken Parmesan Soup
• Sausage Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Italian Wedding Soup
• Zuppa Toscana
• Italian Chicken Vegetable Soup

Recipe adapted from HERE.