This easy recipe for Cheesy Gnocchi Soup features a creamy broth, soft potato gnocchi, and an irresistible cheesy flavor. It's all made in one pot, meaning clean-up is just as simple as the recipe itself.
If you love creamy soup, crusty bread, and nights by the fire, you'll fall head-over-heels for this one.
This recipe was inspired by my Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup, which is a dupe for the Olive Garden classic. I started to wonder what it would be like to have a creamy cheddar soup with tender pieces of potato gnocchi floating around, and I immediately started testing different variations.
This Cheddar Gnocchi Soup is reminiscent of the original recipe, and largely inspired by my Mom's homemade cheese sauce. Unlike the cheese sauce, this one does not use roux as a thickener. Instead, we skip thickening altogether in favor of high-quality ingredients like heavy cream and melted cheese.
The results are worth it - and I just know you'll love it as much as we do!
Why You'll Love It:
- Ready in less than 30 minutes. When it comes to quick and easy dinners, everyone has been sleeping on gnocchi; It's soft, satisfying, and cooks up in mere minutes!
- Comfort food. Featuring a creamy broth, melted cheddar cheese, and pillowy gnocchi. It just doesn't get any cozier than this!
- One pot recipe. This creamy gnocchi soup recipe is easy to prep and everything is made in a single pot. No boiling the pasta separately or preparing a roux - it's all about keeping things simple (yet delicious).
Ingredients:
- Gnocchi: For this recipe, you will need 1 pound of gnocchi. Gnocchi is a potato-based pasta that has a dumpling-like appearance and texture. It can easily be found in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. If you're feeling ambitious, you could even make homemade gnocchi!
- Cheese: Use 2 cups of freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Shredding the cheese yourself off the block will give you the creamiest results.
- Parmesan: A small amount of finely shredded parmesan cheese enhances the cheesiness and adds more complexity. It's optional - but highly recommended.
- Aromatic vegetables: Onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. I like to finely dice the celery (so the pieces are undetectable) and shred the carrot - it adds to the "cheesy" aesthetic since the pieces resemble unmelted cheese.
- Broth: I recommend using a low-sodium chicken stock, but you can use vegetable broth, bouillon, or whatever you have on hand. Adjust the salt as needed.
- Milk and cream: A blend of heavy cream and milk is used for this recipe. It creates the perfect silky and smooth texture without being too heavy - or too light.
- Dry mustard: Also known as mustard powder, this enhances the cheesy flavor and is a secret ingredient in my homemade cheese sauce and baked macaroni and cheese.
- Spinach (optional): I like to add 2 cups of chopped spinach at the very end to wilt. It adds a touch of green and pairs well with the soft potato gnocchi and creamy cheddar. Feel free to leave it out if you don't have any on hand.
- Other: Salt, butter, and 1 tablespoon of butter (or olive oil) for softening the veggies.
Check the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and the quantities needed.
How to Make Cheesy Gnocchi Soup
This comforting soup is the best way to celebrate cold weather, falling leaves - or falling snow. It's super cozy, and has all the makings of true comfort food.
- Add 1 tablespoon of butter (or oil) to the bottom of a large pot or dutch oven and melt it over medium heat. Add in the onion, shredded carrot, celery, and minced garlic and saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and increase to medium-high heat. Once a boil is reached, add 1 pound of gnocchi and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the milk, heavy cream, salt, pepper, and mustard powder and stir well. Once it starts to bubble reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the soup thickens slightly.
- Sprinkle in the cheddar cheese and stir just until it melts, then immediately remove it from the heat.
- Add the chopped spinach (if using), and stir it into the hot soup. The residual heat will "cook" the spinach, and it will wilt down perfectly within 1-2 minutes.
- Finish the soup by sprinkling in ⅓ cup of finely shredded parmesan cheese, then tasting and adjusting salt and pepper to your liking.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with additional shredded cheddar (or parmesan) if desired.
Next Level Tip: Add your favorite wintery fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary.
Serving Suggestions
- Crusty bread
- Dinner rolls
- Crackers
- Breadsticks
- Grissini
- Biscuits
- Pressed sandwiches
- Salad
- Red or white wine
Storing Leftovers
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Can you freeze gnocchi soup?
I don't recommend freezing creamy gnocchi soup because it contains a significant amount of dairy and potato gnocchi. Dairy can sometimes separate during the freezing process, and gnocchi can bloat, causing it to lose its texture and become mushy instead of soft.
That being said, we haven't specifically tested it, so if you freeze this soup with good results - please let us know in the comments!
Substitutions
- Gluten-free: It's very easy to find gluten-free potato gnocchi, which can be used instead of regular gnocchi in the recipe. All of the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- Spinach: You can omit the spinach completely, or use another favorite chopped fresh green like swiss chard, kale, or collards.
- Heavy cream and milk: If desired, you can swap the 2 cups of heavy cream and milk for 2 cups of evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk). This has a similar creamy texture, but it doesn't taste as good (in my opinion). It can be used in a pinch though!
Variations
With chicken: Add 1 ½-2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken breasts to the soup when you add the gnocchi. This is a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken.
With sausage: Add ½ pound of sliced smoked sausage to the soup when you add the gnocchi. Alternatively, you could brown some sweet Italian ground sausage and add that instead.
Cheesy potato soup: Swap 1 pound of gnocchi for 3 cups of cubed potatoes. Simmer the potatoes in the aromatics and broth (covered) for 10-13 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Then add in the remaining ingredients.
Stretchy: If you like your soup to have a cheese pull effect, you can add some shredded mozzarella cheese at the same time that you add the cheddar cheese.
Expert Tips
- Use freshly grated cheese. Cheese that has been freshly grated off the block always melts better than the pre-shredded cheese purchased from the grocery store. This is because it does not contain anti-caking agents, which cause a grainy texture when the cheese is melted.
- Simmer to thicken. This recipe does not use any all purpose flour or cornstarch for thickening. Since heavy cream is used, you can expect a small amount of thickening to occur during the simmering process (about 5-7 minutes). Don't expect to see a very thick result like you would for a classic potato soup, but rather a very subtle change in consistency.
- Don't overcook the spinach. The key to cooking with spinach is to add it at the end. Often the residual heat of the dish you are cooking is enough to wilt it down; this preserves its bright green color - while preventing it from bleeding onto the other ingredients.
More Cozy Dinner Ideas:
If you loved this recipe for cheesy gnocchi soup, let me know by leaving a 5-star review in the recipe card or comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @dashfordinner.
Cheesy Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 ribs celery finely diced
- 1 large carrot peeled and shredded
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 pound potato gnocchi (500 grams) up to 1 ½ pounds (750g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese freshly grated from the block*
- 2 cups chopped fresh spinach optional
- ⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese optional; but encouraged
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the butter to a large saucepan or Dutch oven and melt over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Saute until soft, about 4-5 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the saucepan with a wooden spoon.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the broth to a boil.
- Once a boil is reached, pour in the gnocchi and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the cream, milk, salt, dry mustard powder, and pepper. Stir well.
- Once the soup returns to a low boil reduce the heat to medium. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until the soup thickens ever so slightly.
- Sprinkle in the cheddar cheese and stir until it melts. Turn off the heat and remove the saucepan or Dutch oven from the element.
- Stir in the spinach (if using); the residual heat of the soup will cause it to wilt.
- Finally, sprinkle in the parmesan cheese and stir just until melted.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.
Notes
- Heartier soup: If you want gnocchi in every single bite you can increase the amount from 1 pound (approximately 1 package) to 1 ½ pounds (approximately 1 ½ packages).
- Added protein: Add 1 ½-2 cups of cooked and shredded chicken (like from a rotisserie chicken), or sliced smoked sausage.
- Gluten-free: It's easy to find gluten-free gnocchi, and the instructions remain the same. All of the other ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
- Using evaporated milk: If desired, swap the 2 combined cups of milk and cream for 2 cups of evaporated milk (just don't use condensed milk). The texture is similar, but the flavor is different. That being said, it works great in a pinch!
Nutrition
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