Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup

If you love the cozy, creamy soups from Olive Garden, this Chicken Gnocchi Soup will be your new favorite homemade version. It’s an easy healthy recipe that captures all the restaurant flavor you crave with tender chicken, soft gnocchi, and a rich, garlicky cream base filled with spinach and carrots. Perfect for a fall dinner idea, this soup is hearty, comforting, and ready in under an hour. Whether you’re cooking for the family or prepping meals ahead, it brings that restaurant comfort right to your kitchen table.

Time Breakdown

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 celery stalks, finely sliced
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or leftover roast works perfectly)
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional, adds warmth)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

This comforting soup comes together easily with just a few simple kitchen basics to keep things stress-free.

• Large soup pot or Dutch oven
• Sharp knife
• Cutting board
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Wooden spoon or whisk
• Ladle

Step-by-Step Beginner-Friendly Instructions

1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and fragrant.
2. Add broth and seasoning: Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Add chicken and gnocchi: Stir in shredded chicken and gnocchi. Cook for about 5 minutes until the gnocchi floats to the surface, showing it’s cooked through.
4. Add milk and cream: Lower the heat. Pour in milk and heavy cream, stirring until the soup is smooth and creamy. Let it simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
5. Add spinach: Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
6. Taste and serve: Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm with a sprinkle of black pepper or grated Parmesan on top.

Pro Tips

• Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove and add a splash of milk if it thickens.
• Make it lighter: Substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream to reduce calories while keeping it creamy.
• Substitution: Use turkey or plant-based chicken alternatives for a different flavor or dietary preference.
• Serving idea: Enjoy with warm breadsticks or a crisp salad for a full Olive Garden–style meal at home.

Nutrition Table

Conclusion

This Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup delivers all the creamy comfort and flavor of the restaurant favorite right from your own kitchen. With tender chicken, soft gnocchi, and rich broth, it’s both satisfying and simple to make. Ideal for chilly evenings or when you want something cozy and homemade, this soup turns every meal into a warm and delicious experience.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

A cozy and creamy homemade version of Olive Garden's classic Chicken Gnocchi Soup, featuring tender chicken, soft gnocchi, and a rich garlic cream base filled with spinach and carrots.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 servings

Calories 390 kcal

Ingredients

  

Base Ingredients

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken Rotisserie or leftover roast works perfectly.
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi
• 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (optional) Adds warmth.
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

 

Preparation

• In a large pot, melt butter with olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes until softened and fragrant.

Cooking

• Pour in the chicken broth. Stir in thyme, parsley, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.
• Stir in shredded chicken and gnocchi. Cook for about 5 minutes until the gnocchi floats to the surface, showing it’s cooked through.
• Lower the heat. Pour in milk and heavy cream, stirring until the soup is smooth and creamy. Let it simmer for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Stir in the chopped spinach and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.
• Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm with a sprinkle of black pepper or grated Parmesan on top.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of milk if it thickens. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Keyword Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Comfort Food, Creamy Soup, Healthy Soup, Olive Garden Copycat