This chicken gnocchi soup is one of the best hearty soup recipes to make on a lazy, chilly day. It’s an Olive Garden copycat recipe that’s easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and loved by the whole family!
Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
So what makes this copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup so special?
If you enjoy pillowy gnocchi and tender chicken combined with a rich, creamy broth, you are in for a real treat! This comforting soup is the ideal weeknight dinner and the leftovers are even better!
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe:
- Comfort Food: There’s something about creamy chicken gnocchi soup that just warms the soul. The flavors of creamy broth, fresh veggies, juicy chicken, and potato gnocchi will make you wish for a rainy day wrapped up in a blanket.
- Leftover-Friendly: Believe it or not, leftover chicken gnocchi soup tastes even better when reheated! With each reheating, more evaporation occurs, which means more concentration of flavor!
Trademark Note: In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that this is a copycat recipe for an existing product. Olive Garden is a proprietary brand that I want to acknowledge and give credit to.
How to Make Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Cook carrots in a saucepan until soft, then add shallots and sauté.
- Next, add hot water, chicken, cream of celery, and Italian seasoning, and bring to a boil.
- Add in potato Gnocchi and spinach, then reduce to a simmer and let it cook.
- Remove from the heat and stir in heavy cream.
- Pour into bowls and serve with black pepper. Enjoy!
Ingredient Notes
- Salted Butter: You can use unsalted butter and a pinch of salt instead, or use your favorite cooking oil and a bit of salt.
- Frozen Carrots: You can use canned carrots instead, but they will be softer and not add as much texture. You can also use fresh chopped carrots but they will take longer to cook through.
- Shallots: You can substitute white, red, or yellow onion instead if you wish. Use a small-to-medium-sized onion.
- Hot Water: Hot water just makes the recipe go a little faster.
- Pre-cooked Chicken: You can also use pre-cooked turkey, ham, or beef for a different soup. I don’t recommend using raw meat in this recipe as it may not cook through in the time the rest of the soup needs to cook.
- Condensed Cream of Celery Soup: You can also use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, though the overall flavor will be different.
- Italian Seasoning: Adds rich, herby flavor.
- Potato Gnocchi: You can use shelf-stable, refrigerated, or homemade gnocchi.
- Fresh Spinach: You can use frozen spinach instead but it may give the soup a slightly green color.
- Heavy Cream: Thickens the soup and makes it creamy. Use room temperature heavy cream for the best results.
Any pre-cooked chicken will work for this soup. I like to use store-bought rotisserie chicken, but you can use chopped chicken breasts or thighs.
Gnocchi is a type of pasta that resembles a dumpling and is made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. You can find shelf-stable gnocchi in the pasta aisle at most grocery stores or in the refrigerated section with other fresh pastas.
Store-bought gnocchi is perfect for this recipe, but you can make your own if you like.
You sure can! Add all of the ingredients except for the gnocchi, spinach, and heavy cream to a crockpot and cook on low for 3-4 hours. Add the gnocchi in the last hour of cooking and stir in the spinach and heavy cream just before serving. Top with ground black pepper, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
To store your chicken gnocchi soup for leftovers, let it cool to room temperature, then place it in an airtight container. It can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Be sure to reheat it thoroughly before serving.
You can also freeze this soup for 4-6 months. However, the Gnocchi tends to lose its texture when frozen if it has been cooked.
Make Ahead Instructions
Although I recommend enjoying this soup on the day it is made, you can make it up to 1 day in advance and store it in an airtight container until ready to reheat.
You can precook the chicken 1 day in advance to have it ready for the soup, or use leftover frozen chicken and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover chicken gnocchi soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions
While this soup can be frozen, keep in mind that the dairy will change the texture of the soup once thawed. If you’re planning to freeze this soup, I recommend omitting the heavy cream until after the soup has been defrosted.
Freeze soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight before reheating.
Substitutions
- You can chop up carrots, celery, and shallots and even add other fresh vegetables if you wish, such as squash, peas, green beans or corn.
- You can also substitute the spinach for kale if you want but it needs more time to cook so I recommend adding it to the soup with the water, cream of celery and chicken so that it can cook through.
- You can make this a vegetarian soup by omitting the chicken or substituting tofu instead. If you would like to substitute another type of meat you can do so. Or you can add a bit of texture by garnishing the soup with some crumbled bacon.
- If you don’t have Gnocchi, you can substitute another type of noodle such as egg noodles, shells or macaroni. Be sure to cook as directed on the box or until al dente. Most noodles will need more time to cook through than the Gnocchi does.
Tips for the Best Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- The longer you simmer the soup for, the thicker it will get.
- Bring the heavy cream to room temperature to avoid curdling it when stirred into the soup.
There you have it! A delicious Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup copycat. I hope you enjoy this creamy, rich soup! This great recipe makes getting relaxed and cozy effortless on busy weeknights — and it’s something the entire family can enjoy.
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
This chicken gnocchi soup is the best soup recipe to make on a chilly day. It’s an Olive Garden copycat recipe that everyone can enjoy!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total Time : 40 minutes
Instructions
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Add the salted butter and frozen carrots to a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Cook until the carrots begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
2 tablespoons salted butter, 12 ounces sliced frozen carrots
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Once the carrots have softened, add in the shallots and sauté for another 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
2 shallots
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Add the hot water, chicken, cream of celery and Italian seasoning and heat to a boil, stirring frequently.
3 cups water, 3 cups pre-cooked chicken, 20 ounces condensed cream of celery soup, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
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Once boiling, add in the potato Gnocchi and spinach and then reduce to a simmer.
16 ounces potato Gnocchi, 2½ cups chopped fresh spinach
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Simmer covered for 4-7 minutes or until the gnocchi is heated through and the spinach is wilted. Depending on how thick your soup is, you may see that the Gnocchi floats to the top, that is a sign it is finished. Otherwise, you can take one out, cut it in half and check that the inside is heated through and soft.
-
Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream.
1½ cups heavy cream
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Pour into bowls and serve warm with some coarse ground black pepper to top it off, optional.
Coarse ground black pepper
Notes
- You can chop up carrots, celery, and shallots and even add other fresh vegetables if you wish, such as squash, peas, green beans or corn.
- You can also substitute the spinach for kale if you want but it needs more time to cook so I recommend adding it to the soup with the water, cream of celery and chicken so that it can cook through.
- You can make this a vegetarian soup by omitting the chicken or substituting tofu instead. If you would like to substitute another type of meat you can do so. Or you can add a bit of texture by garnishing the soup with some crumbled bacon.
- If you don’t have Gnocchi, you can substitute another type of noodle such as egg noodles, shells or macaroni. Be sure to cook as directed on the box or until al dente. Most noodles will need more time to cook through than the Gnocchi does.
- The longer you simmer the soup for, the thicker it will get.
- Bring the heavy cream to room temperature to avoid curdling it when stirred into the soup.
Storage: Store chicken gnocchi soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 bowl)
Calories 422
Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 112mg37%
Sodium 813mg35%
Potassium 481mg14%
Carbohydrates 32g11%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 21g42%
Vitamin A 8940IU179%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 104mg10%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.