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    Home » Recipes » Italian Meals

    Vegan Gnocchi Soup

    Published: Nov 17, 2021 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This vegan gnocchi soup is a total copycat of Olive Garden's famous soup! Without the meat or the dairy, this soup is just as hearty, delicious, and not to mention easy!

    three white bowls of soup with spoons.

    I was a picky eater growing up, which means that I obviously loved Olive Garden. Though my taste buds have since grown and matured past that, I still think their chicken and gnocchi soup is by far the best thing on the menu. It was so good that it got this picky eater to eat vegetables and some weird thing called gnocchi!

    Since this soup is so good, I had to make a healthier vegan version at home! This vegan gnocchi soup is creamy and delicious, packed with sneaky vegetables, and it can be done stovetop or in the Instant Pot!

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • Quick Weeknight Dinner - Make this ahead of time and simply warm it up for a quick and easy dinner or lunch!
    • Simple Ingredients - You can simplify this recipe even more by using store bought gnocchi instead of homemade gnocchi!
    • Full of Flavor - Letting this soup simmer or cook under pressure develops the flavors so well.

    What you need for this recipe

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    ingredients with labels.
    • Gnocchi - Use storebought or Homemade Vegan Gnocchi. For gluten-free use a GF gnocchi alternative!
    • White Onion - Sweet onion, yellow onion, or even a shallot can be used in place of white onion.
    • Kale - The Olive Garden recipe uses spinach, but I prefer kale in my soups. If you want to use spinach, only add it ad the end of the cooking process, at the same time as the gnocchi.
    • Thyme - I used dried French thyme, but I think that fresh thyme would work as well.
    • Coconut Milk - Canned, unsweetened coconut cream replaces heavy cream in this recipe in order to make it thick and creamy. I don't recommend substituting this.

    Equipment

    • Dutch Oven or Pressure Cooker - A dutch oven (or other large, heavy-bottomed pot) is necessary for simmering. An Instant Pot or pressure cooker works in this recipe as well.

    How to make this recipe

    Step 1: Prepare ingredients

    If you are making your own vegan gnocchi, start by making those.

    Next, peel and cut the carrot into coins, slice the celery into small pieces, dice the onion, and roughly chop the kale and remove the stem.

    Mince or slice garlic cloves.

    Step 2: Cook the Soup

    In the Instant Pot or regular pot, heat up olive oil.

    Add diced white onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until onion is slightly translucent.

    Toss in the minced garlic and sauté, but make sure it doesn't burn.

    Add the thyme and mix.

    • onions, celery, and carrot cooking in the instant pot.
    • Sautéed vegetables with thyme in the instant pot.

    Pour in the vegetable broth and the chopped kale, gently stir.

    Place the lid on the Instant Pot in the locked position and set the valve to sealing.

    Pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, then perform a natural pressure release for 5 minutes (set a timer).

    Once the 5 minutes are up, switch the valve to venting and release remaining pressure.

    If using the stovetop method, bring to a low simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and cooked through.

    cooked soup before adding cream.

    Step 3: Finishing Touches

    Stir the cooked soup, then add 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk and stir.

    Turn the Instant Pot to 'sauté' and bring to a low simmer.

    Add in the gnocchi and gently stir.

    finished soup in the instant pot with wooden spoon holding gnocchi.

    Once the gnocchi begin to float in the soup, they are done. Be sure not to over cook the gnocchi.

    If you chose to use spinach instead of kale, add that spinach now and stir until wilted.

    Season with salt to taste.

    Serve vegan gnocchi soup hot, garnish with fresh parsley or chives, and enjoy!

    gnocchi soup in a white bowl with a spoon.

    Expert Tips and Tricks

    • If you aren't a fan of gnocchi, this soup would be just as delicious with regular pasta or just by itself!
    • You can use spinach instead of kale (as they do at Olive Garden). If you do this, don't add the spinach before cooking the soup. Add it after adding the gnocchi at the very end.
    • Feel free to use any sort of gnocchi. Homemade, store-bought, gluten-free, cauliflower, or even sweet potato gnocchi would all work here!

    Recipe FAQs

    Does gnocchi fall apart in soup?

    If made properly, the gnocchi should not fall apart when cooking. It is very important to NOT add the gnocchi before pressure cooking, or else it will become mushy.

    How long does vegan gnocchi soup last in the fridge?

    If stored properly, this soup should last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. However, the gnocchi may become softer over time.

    What can I use instead of gnocchi?

    Instead of using vegan gnocchi, you can use any type of pasta you like, or regular dumplings for a chicken and dumplings style soup! You could also throw in chopped potatoes.

    • Creamy Vegetable Soup (Vegan)
    • Vegan Tortilla Soup (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
    • Creamy Vegan Miso Ramen Noodles
    • Jalapeño Cheese Grits (Vegan)

    Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook when you try one of my recipes!

    Vegan Gnocchi Soup

    This vegan gnocchi soup is a total copycat of Olive Garden's famous soup! Without the meat or the dairy, this soup is just as hearty, delicious, and not to mention easy!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Soup
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 7 minutes
    Simmer Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 22 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 394kcal
    Author: Emily

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker or Pot
    • Wooden Spoon

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup White onion diced
    • 4 cloves Garlic minced
    • 1 cup Kale chopped, or spinach
    • ½ cup Carrots sliced
    • 1 stalk Celery diced
    • 1 teaspoon Dried thyme
    • 4 cups Vegetable broth
    • 1 can Coconut Milk
    • 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    • 16 ounces Vegan gnocchi

    Instructions

    • If you are making your own vegan gnocchi, start by making those.
    • Next, peel and cut the carrot into coins, slice the celery into small pieces, dice the onion, and roughly chop the kale and remove the stem.
    • Mince or slice garlic cloves.
    • In the Instant Pot or regular pot, heat up olive oil.
    • Add diced white onion, celery, and carrot and sauté until onion is slightly translucent.
    • Toss in the minced garlic and sauté, but make sure it doesn't burn.
    • Add the thyme and mix.
    • Pour in the vegetable broth and the chopped kale, gently stir.
    • Place the lid on the Instant Pot in the locked position and set the valve to sealing.
    • Pressure cook on high pressure for 2 minutes, then perform a natural pressure release for 5 minutes (set a timer).
    • Once the 5 minutes are up, switch the valve to venting and release remaining pressure.
    • If using the stovetop method, bring to a low simmer for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and cooked through.
    • Stir the cooked soup, then add 1 can of unsweetened coconut milk and stir.
    • Turn the Instant Pot to 'sauté' and bring to a low simmer.
    • Add in the gnocchi and gently stir.
    • Once the gnocchi begin to float in the soup, they are done. Be sure not to over cook the gnocchi.
    • If you chose to use spinach instead of kale, add that spinach now and stir until wilted.
    • Season with salt to taste.
    • Serve hot, garnish with fresh parsley or chives, and enjoy!

    Notes

    • If you aren't a fan of gnocchi, this soup would be just as delicious with regular pasta or just by itself!
    • You can use spinach instead of kale (as they do at Olive Garden). If you do this, don't add the spinach before cooking the soup. Add it after adding the gnocchi at the very end.
    • Feel free to use any sort of gnocchi. Homemade, store-bought, gluten-free, cauliflower, or even sweet potato gnocchi would all work here!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 394kcal | Carbohydrates: 22.9g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 27.7g | Saturated Fat: 17.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.9g | Sodium: 855.9mg | Potassium: 173.5mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 6.9g | Vitamin A: 226.3IU | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Calcium: 41.4mg | Iron: 6.5mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @LegallyHealthyBlonde or tag #LegallyHealthyBlonde!

    More Italian Meals

    • Risotto al Limone (Lemony Risotto)
    • Risotto al Tartufo (Black Truffle Risotto)
    • Bucatini Pomodoro (Traditional Italian)
    • Penne al Salmone (with Fresh Salmon)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Alejandro Dalmau

      June 23, 2022 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe! Extremely tasty. This is a keeper.

      Reply

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