Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup 🍲

Ingredients

• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 1 small onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz. cans)
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 package potato gnocchi
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Brown the sausage: Add the Italian sausage to a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook, breaking it into bite-sized crumbles, until browned and cooked through.
2. Cook the onion: Add the diced onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
3. Add the aromatics:  Stir in the garlic and Italian seasoning. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Build the broth: Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Stir well and bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
5. Simmer: Let the soup simmer for 5–10 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
6. Cook the gnocchi: Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package directions, usually about 3–5 minutes, or until the gnocchi are tender and begin floating to the surface.
7. Make it creamy: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the half-and-half and spinach. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, until the spinach has wilted and the soup is heated through. Avoid letting it boil vigorously once the half-and-half is added, since it can separate.
8. Finish and serve: Taste and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

• A little upgrade I'd make: add ¼–½ cup freshly grated Parmesan at the end and serve it with crusty sourdough. That would fit this soup extremely well. 🥖