Are you looking for the ultimate cozy and comforting vegetable soup? A hearty, one-pot meal that is absolutely packed with wholesome, nourishing vegetables, tender beans, and incredible, rustic flavor? This amazing Gnocchi Minestrone Soup is that perfect dish! We’re taking the classic, beloved Italian vegetable soup and making it even more satisfying and fun with the wonderful addition of soft, pillowy potato gnocchi.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite “clean out the fridge” superstar. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to building a deep, savory, and complex flavor base for a vegetarian broth. This is a wonderfully versatile, budget-friendly, and completely satisfying meal that is as healthy as it is delicious.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Vegetable Soup
What makes this Gnocchi Minestrone so spectacularly delicious is its incredible depth of flavor and its wonderfully hearty, chunky texture. This recipe is a masterpiece of rustic, Italian-style cooking, made simple. The flavor foundation is a classic Italian soffritto—a medley of onion, carrots, and celery, gently sautéed to bring out their natural sweetness. The soup is simmered in a rich and savory tomato and vegetable broth, and made incredibly substantial with the addition of creamy cannellini beans and, the star of this version, soft and tender potato gnocchi. Finished with a handful of fresh spinach, this is a complete, well-balanced, and stunningly flavorful meal in one pot.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 40 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Hearty Ingredients: What You’ll Need
This iconic dish uses a handful of fresh, wholesome ingredients and pantry staples to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Soffritto (The Italian Flavor Base!):
- This is the non-negotiable foundation for any great Minestrone. A classic soffritto of finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery is gently sautéed in olive oil to create a deep, sweet, and aromatic flavor base for the entire soup.
- The “Dumplings” (Gnocchi!):
- Potato Gnocchi: This is the brilliant and easy twist that makes this soup so special! Using a 16-ounce package of your favorite brand of store-bought, shelf-stable potato gnocchi provides the perfect, tender, and pillowy bite that beautifully replaces the traditional small pasta.
- The Hearty Add-ins:
- Cannellini Beans: A can of creamy, tender white beans adds a fantastic, hearty texture and a great boost of plant-based protein and fiber to the meal.
- The Savory Broth:
- Vegetable Broth & Diced Tomatoes: A high-quality, savory vegetable broth and a can of diced tomatoes create the perfect, rustic liquid base. For an even deeper, smokier flavor, you can use fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Pro Tip (The Secret to a Savory Broth!): For an incredible, “secret weapon” boost of savory, umami flavor, you can toss a Parmesan cheese rind into the soup to simmer along with the vegetables.
Step-by-Step to the Best Gnocchi Minestrone
This delicious, one-pot soup is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Build the Soffritto Flavor Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add your 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks. Sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are very soft and fragrant. Add 4 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Part 2: Simmer the Broth
Step 1: Pour in your 4 cups of vegetable broth and your 1 can of diced tomatoes. Add the 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. If you are using it, you can add your Parmesan rind at this stage.
Step 2: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook, partially covered, for at least 15 minutes to allow all the delicious flavors to meld together.
Part 3: Cook the Gnocchi and Wilt the Greens
Step 1: Stir in your 16-ounce package of gnocchi and your 1 can of rinsed and drained cannellini beans. Let the soup continue to simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes. You will know the gnocchi are perfectly cooked when they are plump and have floated to the surface of the broth. Step 2: Stir in a few large handfuls of fresh baby spinach and let it cook for just one more minute, until it has completely wilted. Step 3: Remove the Parmesan rind (if you used it) before serving.
Serve the hot, hearty soup immediately in warm bowls, with an extra sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of good olive oil or pesto, if desired.
Gnocchi Minestrone Soup (A One-Pot Vegetarian Meal!)
An easy and hearty one-pot recipe for a minestrone-style soup that uses soft, pillowy potato gnocchi instead of traditional pasta. This vegetarian soup features a classic, flavorful base of sautéed onion, carrots, and celery, which are simmered in a vegetable broth with diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning. The gnocchi is cooked directly in the soup at the end, making for a quick, comforting, and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 package (16 oz) potato gnocchi
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté until the vegetables have softened, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, undrained diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Stir in the gnocchi and continue to cook for about 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi have floated to the surface and are tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve the soup warm.
Notes
- This is a very quick one-pot meal, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Cooking the gnocchi directly in the soup is a key time-saving step and also helps to slightly thicken the broth.
- For a more traditional minestrone, feel free to add a can of rinsed and drained kidney or cannellini beans along with the gnocchi.
What to Serve With Your Minestrone Soup
This beautiful and rich soup is a fantastic, all-in-one vegetarian meal. To round it out, here are a few simple and classic pairings:
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty bread or focaccia is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, savory broth.
- A Dollop of Pesto: A spoonful of a vibrant, fresh basil pesto stirred into each bowl just before serving is a fantastic, authentic Italian way to add an extra layer of fresh, herbaceous flavor.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
A hearty vegetable soup like this one is the perfect make-ahead meal, as the flavors actually become even deeper and more delicious on the second day!
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the entire soup a day or two in advance and store it in the refrigerator.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The gnocchi may absorb more of the broth as it sits.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this soup is in a saucepan on the stovetop over a low heat. You may need to add a generous splash of extra broth or water to loosen the soup, as the gnocchi and beans will have absorbed some of the liquid.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Savory, Meaty Element: For a hearty, non-vegetarian version, you can brown about 1/2 pound of diced pancetta or some crumbled Italian sausage in the pot before you add the soffritto.
- Use Seasonal Vegetables: The beauty of a Minestrone is that you can use whatever is fresh and in season! In the summer, you can add some chopped zucchini or green beans. In the fall, you can add some cubed butternut squash or some chopped kale.
- Use a Different Bean: If you don’t have cannellini beans, this delicious and versatile soup is also absolutely fantastic with an equal amount of kidney beans or chickpeas.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Vegetable Soup!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Gnocchi Minestrone Soup is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch-tasting meal to bring comfort and joy to your dinner table in minutes. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for cozy dinners.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to a really deep and flavorful vegetable soup?
The secret is to take the time to properly sauté your soffritto (the onion, carrots, and celery). By cooking these vegetables slowly in the olive oil until they are very soft and fragrant, you are building a deep, sweet, and aromatic flavor foundation that will make your entire soup taste like it has been simmering for hours
Q2: What is the difference between Minestrone and other vegetable soups?
While there are many variations, a classic Minestrone is a hearty, Italian vegetable soup that almost always features a base of sautéed soffritto, a tomato-and-broth base, and includes some kind of bean and a small pasta shape or rice.
Q3: Can I use frozen vegetables in this soup?
Yes, absolutely! A bag of frozen, pre-chopped soffritto mix (onion, carrots, and celery) is a fantastic time-saver. You can also use other frozen vegetables, like corn or green beans.
Q4: How do I keep the gnocchi from getting too mushy in my leftover soup?
The gnocchi will naturally soften and absorb some of the broth as the soup sits. For the absolute best texture, if you know you are going to have leftovers, you can cook your gnocchi separately and add it to each individual bowl as you serve it.
Q5: Is this soup vegan?
Yes! To make this recipe completely vegan, simply be sure to use a brand of gnocchi that does not contain any eggs or dairy (most shelf-stable varieties are vegan), and omit the optional Parmesan cheese garnish (or use a vegan Parmesan substitute).