Olive Garden Vegan Gnocchi Soup

This Olive Garden Vegan Gnocchi Soup is the ultimate vegan comfort food! It's loaded with tons of veggies, and pillowy soft gnocchi in a creamy, flavorful broth. It takes just 30 minutes from start to finish with simple ingredients you've likely got in the kitchen already!

You Will Love This

• It tastes just like the Olive Garden gnocchi soup, but is totally meat free and dairy free! You'd never guess this gnocchi soup is totally vegan because it's got the same creamy broth and tender gnocchi of the the restaurant favorite. But this version is made all in one pot which allows the gnocchi to cook right in the broth of coconut milk and veggie broth which makes it even creamier! If you love this creamy vegan soup be sure to check out my Vegan Tomato Soup, Creamy Vegan White Bean Soup, and Vegan Potato Kale Soup.
• It's so quick and easy to throw together! The simple ingredients and quick prep and cook time make this potato gnocchi soup one of our family's favorite weeknight dinners - even on a busy weeknight! You can prep the sliced veggies ahead of time so when it comes time to cook, all you've got to do is dump and stir!
• The best part about this vegan gnocchi soup is that it feels indulgent, but it's also LOADED with vegetables, so it gives you the best of both worlds. I'm all for rich, hearty comfort foods when the temps start to dip, but it's doubly delicious when they also include lots of veggies AND beans. This soup will fill you up, but also fuel you throughout the day.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Olive Oil - This is our family's favorite brand of olive oil. Try to find one that is organic and cold-pressed.
• Yellow Onion - You could also use white onion in place of the yellow onion. I prefer the slight sweetness of the yellow onion.
• Carrot - You could use matchstick carrots in place of chopped carrots to save some prep time!
• Celery - If you don't have celery on hand, just add a bit more carrot in it's place.
• Fresh Garlic - Freshly sliced garlic really is best in this recipe but you could replace it with ½-1 teaspoon garlic powder if you don't have any fresh cloves on hand.
• Dried Thyme, Dried Oregano, Dried Sage - This amazing trio of dried spices could be replaced with Italian seasoning.
• Vegetable Broth - You can use your favorite broth in this recipe. This is the veggie broth that we like.
• Full-Fat Canned Coconut Milk - This is the key to the creamy texture of this soup. Make sure you but full-fat coconut milk in a can.
• Chickpeas - Also called garbanzo beans, chickpeas add great texture to this soup replacing the chicken that's traditionally used in gnocchi soup recipes.
• Frozen Vegan Potato Gnocchi - There are many delicious brands of frozen gnocchi that are vegan; just be sure to check the ingredient list!
• Vegan Parmesan - This is our family's favorite brand of vegan Parmesan. You could replace with regular Parmesan if you're not worried about this soup being vegan.
• Kale or Spinach - You can really add whatever dark leafy green you have on hand. For us, it's usually kale or spinach.
• Apple Cider Vinegar - This might seem like an odd ingredient for a soup, but trust me, the apple cider vinegar at the end boosts all the other flavors. You could also use white wine vinegar or red wine vinegar instead.

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot. Sauté onion, celery, and carrot along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper for about 8 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme, oregano, and sage and cook for another minute.

Add chickpeas and gnocchi.

Add veggie broth and coconut milk, along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Simmer for 6-10 minutes or until the gnocchi is cooked through and tender. Remove from heat and stir in shredded vegan Parmesan until melted. 

Stir in kale and apple cider vinegar.

Then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and vegan Parmesan. 

Tips

• You may need to adjust the simmer time based on the type of gnocchi that you use. I used frozen potato gnocchi and they were cooked through after around 8 minutes of simmering. Start checking the gnocchi (by carefully tasting one after blowing on it) around the 6-7 minute mark and then decide if you think it needs more simmer time or is cooked through.
• You'll know the gnocchi is cooked perfectly when it is soft and tender. The texture on the outside will be smooth and the texture on the inside will be light and similar to that of a dumpling. Gnocchi are basically like potato pillows when they are cooked through.
• Mini gnocchi work great in this soup also - and they're adorable. I'm a real sucker for anything mini especially if it's food! The mini gnocchi will likely need just a bit less time simmering as well. Depending on the list cook time on the package, I'd start checking the mini gnocchi around 3-5 minutes to test for doneness.
• You can use any kind of bean in place of the chickpeas in this recipe. I am OBSESSED with garbanzo beans and just can't get enough of them. Whether it's Sheet Pan Chickpea Fajitas, Simple Chickpea Gyros, or Creamy Chickpea Noodle Soup - I'm a chickpea girl through and through. However, white beans (also called Great Northern beans), cannellini beans, would also be great!

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