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This super simple Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon is the perfect cozy bowl for nights when you’re craving Italian, but want something warming. A mix of vegetables, simmered with Italian seasonings, kale, and potato gnocchi. Finish each bowl off with crispy rosemary bacon and serve with crusty bread. It’s hearty, full of greens, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. And the added bonus? You can make this soup on the stove, in the slow cooker, or even in the instant pot!
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We had a very cold, very snowy, Saturday this weekend. This soup made for the perfect dinner at home. Over here we’ve officially moved on from fall and have entered the winter season. Is it early? Yes, but that’s what you get when you live in the mountains. There are some who would be a little upset, but since our leaves have long been gone, I’m welcoming the snow with open arms. Even the resorts have opened.
It has me so excited for the holiday season and everything that comes along with it. It’s going to be a busy end of November and an even busier December. But I’m looking forward to all the days ahead!
For me, time is always the issue. I’m once again leaning in on the simple but yet still delicious dinner recipes. Which brings me right to this very cozy bowl of creamy gnocchi soup. This is like the warmest bear hug, but so much better. Oh, how I love this soup! Not only is it all made in one pot (or in the slow cooker/instant pot), but it’s really just the most delicious soup. Think creamy…very, very creamy…a little herby, hearty, and swirled throughout with soft potato gnocchi. But what really seals the deal on this soup?
That salty, crispy, rosemary bacon on top. When combined with the creamy soup, everything is so delicious.
The inspiration.
Well, this one was inspired by two things. First, the snow. Snowy days require a warming recipe like soup. The blowing snow and wind this past weekend were the main source of inspiration.
But my second source was what really started it all. A few weeks ago I had the idea to do a gnocchi soup. I’ve heard Olive Garden serves up a delicious bowl of creamy gnocchi soup. At the time it sounded so good so I wrote the idea down for another day. I knew this recipe had a lot of potential, so I saved it for just the right time. With the weekend’s snowy weather, I knew it was time to test this one out.
But something inspired me to switch up the recipe and give the classic bowl of creamy gnocchi soup my own little twist. I drew inspiration from three recipes, my Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana, my Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup, and my Butternut Squash Carbonara with Rosemary Bacon. I stole elements from all three recipes to create this soup.
And the outcome was delicious! This has to be one of my favorite recipes of the month.
Here’s how you make this creamy gnocchi soup…
As mentioned, you can make this one of three ways, on the stove, low and slow in the slow cooker, and fast and speedy in the instant pot. I’m going to walk you through the stovetop directions, but either option works great.
You’ll want to start with that bacon. Crisp it up, then toss in a handful of freshly chopped rosemary. Once the rosemary hits the bacon grease, it begins to fry up and become crisp. It’s delicious with the salty bacon and adds an unexpected special touch to each bowl.
Of course, if you don’t eat meat, you can easily omit the bacon to make this a vegetarian soup. Just add the rosemary to a skillet with some oil.
Once you’ve cooked the bacon, pull it out of the Dutch oven, and put everything else in. Cook up an onion, add the vegetables, herbs, and spices. Then stir in a touch of butter and flour. I debated back and forth about whether or not we needed the flour to create a creamy soup, but in the end, I wanted this gnocchi soup to be incredibly creamy. A bowl fit for some of the coldest night of the year.
So I added the flour!
Stir in a little broth and simmer everything together to allow the vegetables to cook and the flavors to mend together.
At this point, you’ll finish the soup with a splash of creamy milk and Asiago cheese. Add the gnocchi and simmer a few minutes until the gnocchi is soft.
Easy. EASY. A touch indulgent….and so delicious.
I’d highly recommend serving this soup with a side of crusty bread for dipping into that creamy broth. Add a nice side salad for color and you’ll have the perfect easy dinner.
If you’re planning to enjoy this soup leftover, be sure to first remove the gnocchi from the broth before refrigerating. That way the gnocchi won’t soak up all the broth. Then just add the gnocchi back in before serving.
And guys, that’s really about it. A simple recipe for a busy November Monday. If your night needs some warming soup, this should be it. I’m looking forward to making this again tonight on Instagram stories. It’s going to be good!
Looking for other easy Monday night dinners?? Here are my favorites:
Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup
Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup with Salty Lime Chips
One Pot Chicken and Sage Dumplings
Lastly, if you make this Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 6 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2-4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves , (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 tablespoon dried basil, (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds, use to your taste
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4-6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 4-6 cups roughly chopped kale
- 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 pound fresh potato gnocchi
Instructions
Stove-Top
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 5 minutes, until golden. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, fennel, crushed red pepper, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes, until very fragrant. 2. Stir in the butter and flour, cook 1 minute. Add 4 cups broth. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the carrots are tender.3. About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the kale, cream/milk, parmesan, and gnocchi. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth.4. Serve the soup topped with the rosemary bacon and parmesan. Enjoy warm…preferably with a crusty piece of bread.
Slow Cooker
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 5 minutes, until golden. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, fennel, crushed red pepper, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes, until very fragrant. 2. Stir in the butter and flour, cook 1 minute. Remove from the heat and add to the bowl of your crockpot. To the crockpot, add the broth. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5.4. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the kale, cream/milk, parmesan, and gnocchi. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth.5. Serve the soup topped with the rosemary bacon and parmesan. Enjoy warm
Instant pot
- 1. Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. During the last minute of cooking, add the rosemary. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the olive oil and onion and cook 5 minutes, until golden. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, basil, fennel, crushed red pepper, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes, until very fragrant. 2. Stir in the butter and flour, cook 1 minute. Turn the Instant Pot off. Add the broth. Cover and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.3. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Stir in the kale, cream/milk, parmesan, and gnocchi. If the soup is too thick, add additional broth. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 10 minutes. 4. Serve the soup topped with the rosemary bacon and parmesan. Enjoy warm.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Does the coconut milk make it have a hint of coconut taste?
Hi Kyra,
No, you shouldn’t get any coconut flavor here with everything else in the soup:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
THIS SOUP is DELICIOUS! I read through the ingredients and KNEW it would be AMAZING, and it was! The prep took awhile but it was so worth making. We loved it! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much Mary!! Love to hear that this dish turned out well for you and I appreciate you making it:) xT
Made this tonight (sans bacon) and it was DELICIOUS! Before adding the gnocchi and cream, I used an immersion blender to combine the soup together. A new favorite!
Hi Taylor! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for trying it out and leaving such a kind comment! xT
Delicious! I used my instapot and it was a breeze to make. I also added ham cubes with the bacon to get some extra protein.
Thank you so so much Kara! xT
I’m thinking of making this for a family gathering we are going to travel to. Would you recommend Crockpot then turn it back on once arrival at destination or Stove top, then add it to a crockpot and add then upon arrival add the kale, cream/milk, parmesan, and gnocchi., 15 minutes before serving?
Hi there! Yes, that should work great! 🙂 xT
Absolutely delicious! The hubs and adult son slurped it down. I used my Costco Power Greens instead of kale, and used a mixture of coconut milk and heavy cream. Thanks for all of your yummy recipes!!
Hey Kelly,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
Have had the recipe saved for a few weeks now but had to wait for my gluten free gnocchi to arrive. Was able to use it and Cup4Cup for the flour and it came out great. We happened to have bought a Sams Club rotisserie chicken today and my wife wanted to add some shredded chicken – we did and it was delicious. I only have one suggestion (other than the chicken) – more crushed red pepper. The bites that I had where I could “feel the heat” were markedly better than those where I couldn’t.
Hey Tristan,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it:) xT
Had some leftover homemade gnocchi in my freezer so thought I’d try this one out. 10/10 ! So delicious and perfect for fall/winter meal, comforting and cozy !
Rosemary bacon was such a nice touch !
Thank you Tieghan for all the delicious recipes !
Hey Stacie,
Wonderful!! I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it and your feedback! xT
Hi – my family including a 4 yr old had second helpings – i substituted gnocchi with ravioli – I would use again in spaghetti- they loved the spices !
Hi there! Thank you so much! So glad you loved this recipe 🙂 xT
Hi Tieghan,
I’m planning to make this on Halloween in our slow cooker. 🙂
Would you recommend using coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk?
Thanks so much!
Hi there! You can use whatever you have on hand or whatever works best for you and your family! 🙂 xT
Hi, would you suggest insta pot or slow cooker if doing an alternative cooking method. Thanks!
Hi there! I would probably use the slow cooker! 🙂 xT
Something seems kind of off. 1200 calories per serving? For a bowl of soup?
Hey Josh! So sorry for the confusion! The calorie calculator is sometimes a little off because it’s automated, so I wouldn’t recommend basing if off of this count! xT
This is delish! And so easy. If you were going to add a protein what would you use and how much?
Hi there! I would maybe add some chicken or italian sausage! xT
Can I freeze this soup?
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried freezing this before so I can’t say! xT
So yummy! I used light coconut milk to cut back on a little fat.
Thank you sooo much for giving the recipe a try! I am so glad you enjoyed it! xT