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Similar to a spicy lasagna soup and a creamy gnocchi Alfredo. It’s the perfect combination of Italian flavors, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and crispy bacon—all simmered together in one pot for easy prep and cleanup. Best served with crusty bread and maybe a big winter salad, this is truly the yummiest kind of dinner for cold winter nights.
The countdown to Christmas is officially on. The decorations are up (kind of—I still have a few more things I want to do!), and my menu is roughly planned. The week leading up to Christmas Eve is always one of the busiest of the year.
The whole family is home for the holidays, and while it’s a little chaotic, it’s the very best kind of chaos. I’m so looking forward to the days ahead filled with family time, especially Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Until then, I’ve been on the hunt for easy dinners that can feed everyone—and let me tell you, it’s not simple. My brothers want meat, my mom prefers the most basic flavors, my dad wants everything spicy, and one brother has suddenly decided he’s not eating dairy. It’s a lot to juggle.
I’m basically playing short-order cook, but honestly, cooking for my family is my favorite thing.
Gnocchi soup is on the menu tonight. It’s always a hit with my mom and little sister, usually my dad too—and if my cousins were here, they’d absolutely be enjoying a bowl as well.
I have plenty of gnocchi soup recipes, but this one feels special. I made it lasagna-style, swapping the noodles for pillowy gnocchi and finishing everything with crispy rosemary bacon.
It turned out so delicious. I served it with my garlic bread—which I’ll be sharing with you all very soon!
These are the details
Ingredients
- thick-cut bacon
- a yellow onion
- red bell peppers
- Italian seasoning
- chili flakes
- crushed tomatoes
- broth
- chicken breasts or thighs
- baby spinach
- sun-dried tomatoes
- potato gnocchi
- whole milk or heavy cream
- mozzarella or provolone cheese – I like a mix
- fresh parmesan
- chopped fresh rosemary – for topping
Kitchen Tools Needed
To make this recipe, you need a large Dutch oven. That’s pretty much it, nothing fancy or complicated today!
Steps
Step 1: Cook the Bacon
Start by cooking the bacon in a large Dutch oven until crisp. Once cooked, remove the bacon and set it aside to use as a topping.
That salty, crispy bacon is the perfect finishing touch for a cozy winter soup.
Step 2: Build the Soup Base
Using the bacon drippings in the pot, add the onions, bell peppers, Italian seasoning, and chili flakes. Cook until fragrant and softened.
Pour in the broth and canned tomatoes, then bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Step 3: Cook the Chicken
Add the chicken directly to the simmering soup. Let it cook until tender and cooked through, then shred the chicken right in the pot using two forks.
Step 4: Finish the Soup
Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and gnocchi. Add about one cup of water to help the gnocchi cook, then simmer until the gnocchi floats to the top.
Mix in the milk and both cheeses, stirring until melted and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serving
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crispy bacon and fresh rosemary. I usually serve this with a simple salad (it changes nightly!) or roasted broccoli on the side.
And of course—garlic bread is always a good idea!
Looking for soup recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup
Pesto Tortellini Zuppa Toscana
Lastly, if you make this Italian Chicken Gnocchi Soup, 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!
Italian Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 559 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon chopped (optional)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped
- 3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning
- chili flakes
- sea salt and pepper
- 1 can (28 ounce) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups broth
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cups chopped baby spinach
- 1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 pound fresh potato gnocchi
- 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella or provolone
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- chopped rosemary, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 2 tablespoons. Add the onion, bell pepper, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until fragrant.2. Add the broth, canned tomatoes, and chicken. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken. 3. Stir in the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and gnocchi. Add 1 cup of water. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the milk and both cheeses. 4. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top with bacon and rosemary. Enjoy, preferably with a crusty piece of bread.
This post was originally published on December 17, 2025
Fantastic flavours, complete comfort soup. Thank you again for another wonderful recipe!
Hey Genevieve,
Fantastic! I appreciate you making this recipe and your notes, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a great holiday week!🎄🎁
Is this the same recipe that is on your super simple book?
Hi Cindy,
It’s a bit different:) Please let me know if you give it a try! I hope you love the recipe!
Happy Holidays!
This was so good Tieghan!!! Really easy to make and packed a punch with flavor! I even had to omit the cheese for allergy reasons and it was still delish. Thank you!
Hey Audrey,
Love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it and your comment!
Happy Holidays!🎄
I’ve already bought all ingredients to make over Xmas. I got the recipe online. I’m not including the dairy due to allergies I’ll let you know!! I have 3 of your books. Love them! I just cook very clean as I pursue athletics and need to stay very lean and light!!
Thanks so much, Cindy:)
Made for dinner tonight and felt it was delicious. The bacon topping convinced my hubby to try it 🙂
Thanks so much, Amanda! I am so glad you enjoyed this soup, thanks for trying it out! Have a great weekend!
Just made this and it was fantastic! I didn’t have the gnocchi, but did have a package of italian tortellini and it was perfect. No other substitutions, and we all loved it. BTW, the bacon is NOT optional!! This will be a winter favorite!
Hi Susan,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you!
Have a great holiday!🎄🎁
Not good.
Hi Carol,
Sorry to hear you felt this recipe was not good. Is there anything specific that I can help with? Please let me know!
Carol, do you just not enjoy these flavors? I’m curious to know what was “not good” as I am preparing to make this recipe. It sounds delicious to me!!!!
I just made this and I love it! I added fresh rosemary and basil! Added the chili flakes to my preference. Used grated provolone as you suggested. Sooo good! I will be making this one again!
Hi Nanette,
Perfect! Love to hear this recipe turned out nicely for you, thanks for making it! Happy Holidays!🎁🎄
I noticed that you removed the word spicy from the recipe, but then I see an addition of chili flakes. There is no mention for amount of chili flakes, it just says “chili flakes.” Additionally is 3 TBSP of Italian seasoning correct? I love gnocchi but want to confirm that this recipe is done being updated before I try it. Hoping to try it tonight for dinner possibly if my comment gets approved in time!! Thank you!!
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for asking! You can use as much or as little of the chili flakes as you like. The 3T of Italian seasoning is correct. I hope you love this recipe!
Happy Holidays!
The flavor was mediocre but this was really greasy for me.
Hi Olivia,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback, very sorry to hear it was not enjoyed!
You have multiple of chicken gnocchi recipes with Italian seasoning on your site. What makes this one a different variation than the others? Unsure which recipe to follow…
Hi Karen,
All of the recipes are different in their own way. I would read through each one to see which flavors you enjoy the most.
Happy Holidays!
I did read through them, but they all seem very similar to me. Thanks anyway!!
I am not sure I’ve seen “grated” mozzarella or provolone and they seem too soft to hand grate. Is shredded ok?
Hi Tammy,
Yes, shredded is perfectly okay! I hope you love this recipe!
Happy Holidays!
TY! Shopping for it now!
Happy, merry✨
Can we use tortellini for this recipe?
Hey Carissa,
Totally, tortellini would also work nicely here!
Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays!
Can this be made as crockpot version?
Hi Gail,
Sure! I would just add the gnocchi during the last 20 minutes of cooking.
Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!
Drain the sun-dried or add the oil to the soup?
Hi Amber,
You can go ahead and drain the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try!
Love this. My mom and I devoured in this busy season so nice to have on hand to warm and nourish the soul! Keep these classics coming! thank you <3
Thanks so much, Regina! Love to hear you enjoyed this soup, I appreciate you making it!
Happy Holidays!