One of my favorite go to quick meals is gnocchi and this warming, delicious tuscan gnocchi soup is just an extension of that. It is creamy, warm and incredibly filling for a soup.
The soup is full of delicious vegetables, gnocchi and beans for added protein. Although it is a creamy soup, there is no cream or any dairy in it. It is all vegan. Use gluten free gnocchi or whip up some on your own to also make the dish gluten-free.
Why make this tuscan gnocchi soup?
Ease of making - One of the best things about store bought gnocchi is how quickly it cooks and is perfect for quick meals like this gochujang ghee gnocchi. For this soup as well, we are going to take advantage of the quick cooking quality of gnocchi. The gnocchi that I buy is also a shelf stable product which means I always have it on hand especially for those busy weeknights.
Make it your own - There are so many ways to make this soup personalized. You could add any vegetables of your choice, add any beans of your liking. You could even change up the flavors in the soup. I think vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, other varieties of kale will all go great with the soup.
For beans, try great northern beans, navy beans or cannelloni. For the flavors, I chose the sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste and paprika to give it a tangy and umami punch. You can try this with any vegetarian or vegan basil pesto,cacio e pepe style or even use a romesco sauce. For the gnocchi itself, try other versions like cauliflower or sweet potato.
Ease of meal prep - If you choose to use store bought gnocchi, you can try prepping the vegetables and freeze them for use whenever you need it. You can prepare the beans from scratch and keep it frozen for later use. Else you could also use canned beans to cut down on time.
Double the amount of the ingredients and once the soup is made, freeze half of it for later use.
Ingredients list
Gnocchi - I used 24 oz of store bought shelf stable gnocchi. You can also use the refrigerated or frozen version. Use it per directions on the package. You can of course use freshly prepared gnocchi as well. Keep in mind freshly made gnocchi takes shorter time to cook vs store bought or frozen gnocchi.
Produce - You will need mushrooms, celery, kale , bell pepper, onion and garlic. You can replace kale with spinach or chard. Try adding other vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes.
Chickpeas - To add a bit more protein and also to make it even more filling, I chose chickpeas. Other beans that would go great in this soup would be cannelloni, great northern beans, borlotti or even navy beans.
Sun Dried Tomatoes - This is one the star ingredient that adds that punch of delicious tomato flavor. I used the jarred sun dried tomato in oil and chopped it up a little bit before adding to the pan. I also make use of the oil in the jar as the base for sautéing thyme. Because of this, we won't need any other oil to make the dish.
Tomato Paste - The concentrated flavors of the tomato paste really help bring this dish alive similar to the sun dried tomatoes. Use any of your favorite brands that you like. If you are looking for a recommendation, I like using Cento.
Vegetable Broth - Either use clear broth or you can dissolve bouillon paste in warm water before adding to the soup.
Sweet Paprika - Paprika adds color and flavor to the dish.
Vegan Parmesan - Don't forget to top the finished soup with some grated vegan parmesan.
Soy/Oat Milk - I prefer these milks vs other plant based ones since they tend to be creamier. It will add that creaminess and a hint of sweetness to the soup.
Salt and Pepper
Making the tuscan gnocchi soup
Heat a large pan and add the chopped sun dried tomatoes when the pan is hot. Saute for a few seconds and then add the chopped garlic. Cook for 30-45 seconds and add the chopped red onions. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
Now add the bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the celery. Also add 2 tablespoon of tomato paste along with the paprika. Mix and cook for 5 minutes to soften all the vegetables. Season with salt, pepper and add the mushrooms. Mix well.
After a couple of minutes, add the gnocchi. Mix to ensure the gnocchi is well coated. Now add 4 cups of broth. Bring it to a gentle simmer and add the chopped kale. Then add cooked chickpeas and mix well. Cover the pan for 2-3 minutes and let the gnocchi cook.
Season with more salt and dried thyme leaves. Add ½ cup of the plant based milk and mix. Let this simmer for 2 more minutes and add some grated parmesan before serving hot.
Tips for making a great gnocchi soup
Prepping the ingredients - Prepping all the ingredients and keeping them ready to go(mise en place) makes preparing this soup go much smoother. This also ensures that nothing over cooks and dinner is ready quickly, which is what we all want right?
Don't skip the seasonings - The flavors in this soup are mostly due to the thyme, broth, sun dried tomatoes and the tomato paste. It is important that you don't skip any of these since they all come together to make the soup delicious.
How to store and meal prep the soup
Storage
You can store this tuscan gnocchi soup in the refrigerator for a good 4-5 days. It is also easy to reheat either in the microwave oven or in a pan over the stove top. You can also freeze the soup for around 3 months. Make sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep
You can prep all the vegetables and freeze for later use. Add the frozen vegetables directly in to the soup pot. You can also freeze the gnocchi if you are not sure about using it on time. Again add to the pan directly or bake it on a sheet pan before adding to the soup.
Try these other delicious soups to enjoy during this winter season - Vegan Mushroom and Barley Soup, Veg Manchow Soup, Vegan Dumpling Soup, Delicata Squash Soup with Spiced Chickpea Croutons, Black Pepper Rasam.
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Recipe
Tuscan Gnocchi Soup
Equipment
- 1 5-6 quart cooker or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 24 oz Ready to Cook Gnocchi sub with frozen or fresh gnocchi
- 3 tablespoon Sun Dried Tomatoes in Oil sub with "dry" sun dried tomatoes
- 1 ½ tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 2 teaspoon Sweet Paprika Powder
- 1 large Yellow or Red Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large Red or Yellow Bell Pepper seeded and cut in to strips
- 2 stalks Celery washed and finely sliced cross sectionally
- 2 cup Curly Kale washed and finely chopped
- 2 King Oyster Mushrooms cleaned and cut in to thick slices
- 1 can Chickpeas drained and rinsed, sub with 2 cups freshly cooked chickpeas
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme sub with 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
- ½ cup Soy or Oat Milk sub with vegan whipping cream
- ¼ cup Grated Vegan Parmesan
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pan and add the chopped sun dried tomatoes when the pan is hot. If using "dry" sun dried tomatoes, add a couple of tablespoons of avocado or olive oil first to the pan. Saute for a few seconds and then add the chopped garlic. Cook for 30-45 seconds and then add the chopped red onions. Mix and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the bell pepper and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the celery, 2 tablespoon of tomato paste along with the paprika. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes to soften all the vegetables. Season with salt, pepper. Add the mushrooms and mix again.
- After a couple of minutes, add the gnocchi. Mix to ensure the gnocchi is well coated. Now add 4 cups of broth. Bring it to a gentle simmer and add the chopped kale. Then add cooked chickpeas and combine. Cover the pan for 2-3 minutes and let the gnocchi cook.
- Season with more salt and dried thyme leaves. Mix in ½ cup of the plant based milk . Let this simmer for 2 more minutes and add some grated parmesan before serving hot.
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