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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
Thanks, Tiegan, for this great soup!I made at christmas for my family and they loved it and insisted I give them the recipe! Making again tomorrow for Souper Sunday at my church! Definitely in my recipe collection!
January 16, 2026
Hey Carolyn,
Love to hear this! Thanks for giving this recipe a go, so glad it was enjoyed!
Have a great weekend!☃️
I made this soup yesterday and it is so good and filling. I didn’t add any cream just because I didn’t think it needed it. The addition of rosemary at the end really adds to the flavour of the dish. I’ve already forwarded the recipe to friends. Thank you for sharing!
Hey Linda,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, love to hear it turned out well for you!
I really enjoyed cooking and putting this dish together! It was delicious in the end. It’s hearty, rich, and filling. Normally I’m not a fan of bell peppers but they added to this dish in a milder way than tomatoes, adding texture. The creaminess of the cheese along with the can of crushed tomatoes made for a good balance of fat and sweet, and was a good meal at the end of the day with my friends.
Hey Saiara,
Happy Friday!! Thrilled to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and taking the time to comment!
Very good soup and it freezes well – was even better 2nd day or after freezing it.
I used coconut milk instead of milk / cream & also left out the cheeses as my son is dairy intolerant. It was still very good!
Definitely a keeper.
Thanks so much, Sharon! I appreciate you making this soup and sharing your notes, so glad it was enjoyed!
This soup is amazing! Full of flavor, easy to make, and ingredients I usually have on hand. I used a Tuscan herb blend for the italian seasoning, a couple shakes of crushed red pepper, a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper. I’ll definitely be making it again!
Hey Kathy,
Fantastic! I appreciate you trying this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well for you!
Have the best weekend!
Been following this website for years and have made several of your recipes successfully, but don’t normally comment. We had a cold spell here in southern Florida and I got the nasty flu going around and decided I needed a warm, comforting soup. This really hit the spot! I make things as written the first time and it was really wonderful. Next time I think I’ll skip the bacon and cook the veggies in the sun dried tomato oil. Gave some to my neighbor who was also under the weather and she raved about it, too. Cudo’s! And Happy New Year!
Hey Jane,
Awesome! Thanks for making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was a hit!
Happy New Year!🥂🎆
This hearty soup is outstanding!!! I used 1/2# chicken breast and 1/2# thighs. Cut back just a bit on the 3 tablespoons of Italian seasoning. Used a cup of shredded Italian blend cheese. Common ingredients and cooking equipment. It’s one of the things we love about Half Baked Harvest. We will make this again and again and again…
Thanks so much, Jeff:) I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback! Love to hear it turned out well!
Happy New Year!
I tried out this soup and it is 10/10! Super easy to make, easy to find ingredients, and just the perfect combination of flavors. I omitted the bacon and it was still amazing. Will make again!
Hey Nicole,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a very Happy New Year!🥂🎆
This was delicious and even better the next day! I added a dollop of ricotta to my bowl and that was just extra yummy. What a great recipe!
Thanks so much, Tara!! So glad to hear this soup turned out well for you, I appreciate you making it!
This was so good and perfect for our cold weather in the PNW. This one will definitely be added to the recipe box!
Hey Lisa,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a very Happy New Year!🥂🎆
This soup is a new fav! Sooooo delicious. Made lots so will freeze some for another meal. Love when that happens! Thanks, Teigan!
Hey Kathy,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it was enjoyed!
Have a very Happy New Year!🥂🎆
Lovely! Just so yummy! The soup came together even faster since I used leftover roasted chicken. It was the perfect comfort bowl of perfection after a day of prepping for our big family meal, and there’s enough soup left for tonight!
Cheers to another year of cooking with HBH and wishing all of you a wonderful Holiday Season.
Hey Kym,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win!
Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
Made this tonight. Such a delicious and filling soup! Will definitely be making again. Yum!
Hey Stacy,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win!
Happy Holidays!🎄🎁
Could this be a “make ahead”? I need a meal for this week but need to cook up the chicken today before it expires. Excited to try this!!
Hey Suni,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! I would just keep the gnocchi separate:)
I hope you love this recipe! Happy Holidays!
Super easy, cozy and delicious! We subbed hot Italian sausage for the bacon and it added just a little extra spice and worked great. We had to switch pots in the middle because I didn’t anticipate how much soup this would make, but so excited to have soup again tonight!
Thanks so much, Caitlin! I am so glad this soup turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing your notes!
This soup was so delicious! The only thing we did different from the recipe was pan fry the gnocchi in butter then added it in after for a crispier texture. Thanks for another great weeknight meal Tieghan!
Hey Christine,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m happy to hear it was a win!
Happy Holidays!🎄🎁