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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!
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
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1206 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
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.
This post was originally published on November 16, 2020
I made this recipe and it came out beautifully! I made it along with the honey butter rolls! It was delicious and my husband who is from southern Italy LOVED it! Needless to say this is one recipe i will make again and again! I love this site and her instagram page as well! All the recipes that i have made from here have been amazing! Thank you so much Tieghan!
Thank you Jodie!! I am so happy you have been enjoying my recipes and I hope you continue to!! xTieghan
I made this last night for my very picky non-veggie loving family and they absolutely loved it! I used about a bag and a half of the frozen green giant cauliflower & spinach gnocchi (put in the air fryer for about 10 mins on 400 then stirred into the pot), whole milk, and spinach instead of the kale. It was a major hit, and we will be having it again for sure!!
I am so happy to hear that, Kate! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
Looks amazing! Do you think cauliflower gnocchi would work in this instead?
Hey Kate,
I haven’t tested this, but I’m sure it would be fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Delicious and perfect for a cold night. The sweet of the carrots, with the savory soup, and crispy bacon… yum! I used 3/4 cup of whipping cream and 3/4 of skim milk, bc it’s what I had and still turned out great!
Thank you so much Beth! xTieghan
Super tasty and then bacon adds a great textural element. Perfect winter soup. Will definitely make it again soon!
I am really glad you enjoyed these Tarryn! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Excellent recipe just right for November! I used spinach instead of kale. Lovely Taste!
Thank you so much Magdelena! xTieghan
My husband requested I make this as our Thanksgiving appetizer! He loves it! And his mom said that she would buy this soup in a restaurant if they ever had it! So thank you.. I also added Sage to mine since I don’t have any fresh herbs except for Sage. Love this! Thank you happy Thanksgiving
Thank you so much Cari! I hope you had a wonderful thanksgiving! xTieghan
Delicious and very easy to make lactose free! I’ve been requested to add this to our regulars list.
I am really happy this recipe turned out so well for you, Danelle! Thank you! xTieghan
I made this last night! I did it in the crockpot because I had time in the middle of the day to prepare it. I did everything just like you said and used canned coconut milk. It was fabulous!! It was so yummy and hearty and I served it with a crusty rosemary loaf of bread! Thank you so much for all your recipes! My sister and I have started making several a week and all have been absolutely amazing!!
Hi Leah! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for trying it! I hope you and your sister continue to enjoy my recipes!! xTieghan
Perfect! I didn’t have fennel so I’m going to make this again soon 100% as written. Still, so good. So creamy and rich! The kale really is a great contrast to the sweetness of the carrots and cream.
I don’t even like gnocchi that much but now I’ll be willing to try it in more recipes. The IP directions were easy to flow and it came together so fast.
Thank you so much!! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was delicious. I substituted the gnocchi for cauliflower spinach gnocchi. So yummy! Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving to you! I am really glad you enjoyed this soup! xTieghan
We just made this and it was AMAZING! Great fall recipe
Thank you Mary! xTieghan
Delicious!
Thanks Jennifer! xTieghan
Making this recipe as I type! Just wondering, did you mean 1 tablespoon fresh basil or one teaspoon dried? Your recipe says dried twice.
LOVE your blog! Your recipes are always a hit at my house!
Hey Caitlyn,
Sorry for the confusion. You want to use 1 tablespoon of fresh or 1 teaspoon of dried. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
Everyone in my family—from my husband to my 10 month old—lovveeeeed this!!
Amazing! Thank you Caitlin! xTieghan