Gnocchi Soup
This vegan gnocchi soup is a creamy, vegetable-packed bowl that comes together in about 20 minutes, using store-bought gnocchi simmered in a soy-cream broth with carrot, celery, asparagus, and fresh spinach. It is quick, nourishing, and the kind of thing you want when you need comfort food that still feels light. Make it when you want a cozy dinner without a long ingredient list or a long wait.
If you are tired from all the bad news on the internet, this is my idea of returning to your own private sanctuary and nurturing the body with a full bowl of something warm. As I mentioned in the previous recipe, gnocchi is a small Italian dumpling made out of potatoes, and here it soaks up the creamy broth beautifully. The spinach, carrots, and asparagus add an extra layer of color and freshness, so it feels like a hug and a little boost at the same time.
What goes into this gnocchi soup
Everything here is simple and easy to find. A few notes so each ingredient pulls its weight:
- Gnocchi (store-bought): The shortcut that makes this a weeknight soup. If you want it fully plant-based, check the label, as some shelf-stable gnocchi include egg. If you would rather make your own, my guide to gnocchi walks through the basics.
- Soy or rice cooking cream: This is what makes the broth creamy without any dairy. Use an unsweetened variety so the soup stays savory.
- Vegetable broth: The base flavor. A good broth carries the whole pot, so use one you actually like to drink on its own.
- Carrot, celery, onion, garlic: The aromatic foundation. Sauteing them first builds the savory depth before any liquid goes in.
- Asparagus and fresh spinach: The green, springy notes. Spinach goes in last so it wilts gently and keeps its color.
- Flour, olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper: The flour thickens, the oil carries the aromatics, and the basil-thyme-oregano blend ties it all to that Italian feeling.
Why a quick flour roux makes it creamy
The step that does the heavy lifting is cooking the flour for about 30 seconds before you pour in the cream and broth. That brief cook coats the flour in oil and starts to gelatinize the starch, which is what thickens the liquid into a silky, lightly creamy soup instead of a thin, watery one. Cooking it for a moment also takes the raw, pasty taste off the flour. Add your liquids gradually and stir as you go, and you avoid lumps without needing a whisk-heavy technique.
Tips for getting it right
- Do not overcook the gnocchi. They are done the moment they float. Pull the pot off the heat right away, because gnocchi left to bob in hot liquid turns soft and starts to fall apart.
- Add spinach off the heat. The residual warmth wilts it in under a minute and keeps it bright green rather than dull and overcooked.
- Season at the end too. The gnocchi and cream both mute salt, so taste and adjust once everything is in the pot.
- Keep the simmer gentle. Once the cream is in, low and slow for 8 to 10 minutes lets the vegetables soften and the flavors meld without the cream splitting.
What to serve with it
This soup is filling enough to be a meal on its own, but it loves a little something on the side. A slice of crusty bread is the obvious move for swiping up the creamy broth. If you want to lean into the Italian theme, a light pasta such as my lemony pesto farfalle makes a lovely follow-up, and you can browse more ideas in my Italian recipes. If you are in a soup mood and want to plan ahead, the cream of potato soup shares the same cozy spirit.
Storing and making it ahead
Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Keep in mind that gnocchi continues to absorb liquid as it sits, so the soup thickens overnight. When you reheat, warm it gently on the stove and loosen it with a splash of broth or water until it is the consistency you like. I would not freeze this one, since the cream and the soft gnocchi do not hold their texture well after thawing. If you want to make it ahead, you can cook the broth and vegetable base in advance, then add fresh gnocchi and spinach when you reheat for the best texture. For more cozy bowls like this, take a look at my vegan udon soup or the cream of mushroom soup.
If you make this gnocchi soup, I would love to know how it turned out, so please leave a star rating and a comment below. I am super curious whether you keep it savory or play with the creaminess, so tell me your version and any little tweaks you made.
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Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup gnocchi store-bought
- 1 cup soy cream or rice cooking cream, unsweetened – I use Alpro
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 carrot chopped
- ½ cup asparagus chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup fresh spinach
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning basil, thyme, oregano
- 2 Tbsp flour
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- In a pan, sautee the garlic and onion in 2 tsp of olive oil until translucent.
- Add the carrot, asparagus, and celery, season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Add 2 Tbsp of flour and cook for 30 seconds before adding the soy cream and veggie broth.
- Simmer on low for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the gnocchi.
- Once they float remove from heat and add fresh spinach.
- Adjust the seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe is made entirely with plant-based ingredients: soy or rice cooking cream, vegetable broth, olive oil, vegetables, and store-bought gnocchi. The only thing to watch is the gnocchi itself, since some packaged versions contain egg. Check the label and choose an egg-free gnocchi to keep the soup fully vegan.
Use an unsweetened soy cooking cream or rice cooking cream. These plant creams give the soup its silky, creamy texture without any dairy. Make sure it is the unsweetened, savory cooking type rather than a dessert cream, so the flavor stays balanced.
No. You add the gnocchi straight into the simmering soup and cook them right in the broth. They are ready the moment they float to the surface, at which point you take the pot off the heat. Cooking them in the soup also lets them release a little starch that helps the broth feel richer.
The key is timing: remove the soup from the heat as soon as the gnocchi float, since they cook very fast. Leaving them sitting in hot liquid makes them swell, soften, and break apart. If you plan to store leftovers, this is also why the gnocchi keep absorbing broth and the soup thickens as it sits.
Yes, with one tip for best texture. You can prepare the vegetable and cream broth in advance and keep it in the fridge, then add fresh gnocchi and spinach only when you reheat. If you cook the whole soup ahead, it will still taste great but the gnocchi will be softer the next day, and you may need to loosen it with extra broth.
Definitely. The carrot, celery, asparagus, onion, and spinach base is flexible, so you can swap or add seasonal vegetables you have on hand. Just keep heartier vegetables going in early with the carrot and celery so they soften, and add quick-cooking greens near the end.
never tried gnocchi soup before, but this one is super good! xD