Description
Creamy, savory and so satisfying! This quick and easy Sausage and Gnocchi Soup will become one of your family’s favorite Fall and Winter meals.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage
- 1 lg. Red Onion, finely minced
- 3 Carrots, grated or minced
- 2 stalks Celery, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
- optional, Parmesan rind
- 2 lbs. (16 oz) potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped kale
Instructions
- Brown the Italian sausage in a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. You can add a little oil or butter if you want. I typically don’t. You want the sausage to get a deep caramelization on part of it. So, I like to break it up in the pan over medium-high heat and just let it brown without stirring for two or three minutes. Then, I stir it. You will notice brown bits (called fond) stuck to the bottom of your pot, and the sausage won’t be fully cooked yet. That’s just what you want. That fond is maximum flavor. And we’re going to build as much as we can into your soup in a short amount of time.
- Add minced vegetables to the pot, stirring and scraping the bottom as the veggies begin to release liquid. The fond will release with the moisture and mix into the flavor base you’re building for the soup. Allow the vegetables to cook down for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom of the pot is clean. Because the veggies are finely minced, they will break down quickly and release delicious flavor for your broth.
- Pour in the chicken broth and vinegar, and add garlic, Italian seasoning, and a bay leaf. Bring to a boil. This is the point to add your Parmesan rind, if you’re using one.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling broth. If it’s cold from the fridge, it will briefly lower the temperature of the broth. Stir to separate the gnocchi, then bring the soup back to a boil before reducing the heat.
- Reduce the heat to a simmering boil (just tiny bubbles) and allow the soup to cook down for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream and kale. The residual heat will cook the kale perfectly.
- Serve with your favorite crusty bread and a salad. (I garnish my bowl with a pinch of red pepper flakes for a mild spicy kick.)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish, Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American-Italian