Creamy Gnocchi Soup Recipe

This creamy gnocchi soup is a pure comfort meal. The flavorful soup base starts with crumbled spicy Italian sausage that renders its fat and a classic mirepoix softened in those drippings. Deglazing with a splash of white wine lifts and disperses the savory brown bits from the bottom of the pot and adds complexity.

The soup is lightly thickened with a roux for a silky broth, then chicken stock and a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind build savory depth. Store-bought potato gnocchi simmer right in the pot so they release just enough starch to enrich the soup while staying tender; a handful of curly kale adds welcome color and a fresh, peppery finish. Heavy cream stirred in off the boil ties everything together without weighing it down, and a final shower of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano underscores the soup’s coziness.

Prepackaged gnocchi cooks in minutes, making this a practical option for busy nights. The dish balances hearty and bright: spice from the sausage, sweetness from carrot and onion, and gentle bitterness from kale. It feeds six generously, comes together in under an hour, and rewards simple, attentive technique — brown the sausage well, scrape the fond, and let the rind do quiet umami work while the broth simmers. Bring the cream to room temperature and stir it in over low heat; keeping the pot below a simmer preserves a velvety, cohesive texture that won’t split.

How to keep gnocchi tender 

With prepackaged fresh potato gnocchi, add them toward the end while keeping the soup at a gentle simmer. Avoid boiling to prevent them from turning mushy. Most package directions say the gnocchi are done when they float; give them about a minute more so the centers are set while the starch lightly thickens the broth. Stir minimally to keep them from breaking, and use a roomy pot to avoid overcrowding. If you plan for leftovers, hold some gnocchi back to add fresh the next day for the best texture.

Why simmer a Parmigiano-Reggiano rind

A Parmesan rind behaves like a built-in flavor sachet: As it simmers, it releases savory, nutty compounds and gentle umami without clouding the broth or adding gritty bits. It’s an easy way to deepen soups and stews, and once it’s softened you can remove it, chop it into tender, cheesy morsels, and add them back to the soup as a bonus (you can also discard the rind, but why would you want to?). If you don’t have a rind, add a small piece of Parmesan to steep, or skip it and finish with extra grated cheese in the bowl.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

• Substitute packaged chopped kale for fresh kale if desired.
• Stirring the cream in over low heat prevents separation. 
• Serve with crusty bread, focaccia, or a simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette to balance richness. 

This recipe was developed by Marianne Williams; the text was written by Andee Gosnell.