Million Dollar Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Million Dollar Sausage Gnocchi Soup is a rich and creamy one-pot dinner filled with savory Italian sausage, tender potato gnocchi, fresh spinach, cream cheese, heavy cream, and Parmesan. This cozy soup tastes restaurant-worthy but is ready in about 40 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: DINNER | SOUP
- Method: STOVETOP
- Cuisine: ITALIAN INSPIRED
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened and cubed
- 1 pound potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it into bite-size crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
- Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Leave approximately 1 tablespoon of sausage drippings in the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Stir in the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook and stir for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the cooked sausage to the pot. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Add the softened cream cheese a few spoonfuls at a time. Stir or whisk after each addition until the cream cheese melts completely into the broth.
- Add the potato gnocchi. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 minutes, or according to the package directions, until the gnocchi are tender and begin floating near the surface.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and baby spinach.
- Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring gently, until the spinach wilts and the Parmesan melts. Do not allow the soup to boil after adding the dairy.
- Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with additional Parmesan, chopped parsley, and crusty bread, if desired.
Notes
- Soften the cream cheese before adding it so it melts smoothly without leaving lumps.
- Full-fat block cream cheese works better than whipped or spreadable cream cheese.
- Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer so the dairy does not separate.
- Do not overcook the gnocchi. They will continue to soften as the soup rests.
- The soup thickens as it cools. Stir in additional chicken broth when reheating if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- Reheat gently over low heat and avoid boiling.
- Freezing the finished soup is not recommended because the dairy can separate and the gnocchi may become mushy.