Sausage and Gnocchi Soup
Our sausage and gnocchi soup is a low carb Italian recipe. This healthy comfort food for families is easy to throw together for a simple weeknight meal, and would make a delicious addition to a fall party menu for a crowd. Either way, it’s sure to please both young and old.
Servings: 9 cups
Calories: 390kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 cup yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- ¼ cup diced pimentos
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 4 cups fresh kale packed, ribs removed and torn
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream or full fat coconut milk
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated (garnish)
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley minced (garnish)
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and brown the sausage, stirring frequently. It should take about 4 minutes. Drain in a colander set over a bowl. Wipe out the Dutch oven.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the Dutch oven and heat it up for two minutes then add the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant,
- Add the spices and let them bloom for about 1 minute, constantly stirring.
- Deglaze the pot with ⅓ cup of chicken broth by scraping the brown bits off with a wooden turner.
- Stir in the chicken broth, pimentos, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked, drained sausage to the aromatics. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium high.
- Add the gnocchi and cook until it floats, about 4 minutes then reduce the heat to medium low and let the soup simmer for 13 minutes so the soup will thicken from the potato starch.
- Stir in the kale and cook until it is wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Remove the 2 bay leaves and stir in the cream or coconut milk. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. If you want, skim the extra fat off the top with a large spoon. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese (1 tablespoon per bowl).
Crockpot Instructions
- In a bit of oil, saute the sausage, onion, and garlic in a skillet. Drain the grease, then place in the crockpot with the stock, pimentos, bay leaves, and spices. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Skim fat off the top. Add gnocchi and cook for 30 minutes or until they float on top. Add kale and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until wilted.
- Shut off the heat, then stir in the cream or the full fat coconut milk. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.
Notes
- For a creamy colored soup, drain the sausage in a metal sieve over a bowl, and skim excess fat off the top of the soup near the end of cooking.
- Leave out the cream if you plan on freezing it. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge, then add the cream after reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 865mg | Potassium: 433mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 3264IU | Vitamin C: 40mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 3mg
