What if I told you that you could have a bowl of the richest, most decadent, restaurant-quality creamy sausage and gnocchi soup on your table in under 30 minutes, using just one pot? It sounds impossible, but this incredible Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup recipe is your new weeknight secret weapon. We’re talking savory Italian sausage, pillowy-soft potato gnocchi, and a luscious, velvety tomato-cream sauce that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s your new go-to for a quick, easy, and stunningly delicious dinner. Forget complicated steps and a sink full of dishes. This is your guide to weeknight gourmet, made simple. It’s a complete, hearty, and satisfying meal that will have everyone believing you’re a culinary magician.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate 30-Minute Gourmet Soup
What makes this Sausage Gnocchi Soup so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, deep flavor that is built with surprising speed. This recipe is a masterpiece of efficiency and comfort. The flavor foundation is built by browning rich, savory Italian sausage with sweet onions and garlic, creating a flavorful base in minutes. The broth is a luscious, beautiful rosy-pink sauce, made from a combination of savory chicken broth, tangy diced tomatoes, and rich heavy cream. The entire soup is made unbelievably hearty and satisfying with the addition of soft, tender, and pillowy potato gnocchi, which cook in just a few minutes right in the pot.
Metric | Time / Level |
Total Time | 30 minutes |
Active Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Difficulty Level | Easy |
Servings | 4-6 |
The Irresistible Ingredients: What You’ll Need
This iconic dish uses a handful of high-quality ingredients and smart shortcuts to create its signature rich and savory flavor.
- The Sausage (The Flavor Powerhouse!):
- For the most authentic and delicious flavor, it is highly recommended to use a 1-pound package of high-quality, bulk spicy or mild Italian sausage. The savory seasonings in the sausage—like fennel, garlic, and red pepper—are a brilliant shortcut that infuses the entire broth with a deep, complex flavor with minimal effort.
- The “Dumplings” (The 3-Minute Pasta Solution!):
- Potato Gnocchi: This is the brilliant and easy shortcut 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 makes this soup incredibly hearty and satisfying.
- The Creamy Tomato Broth:
- Diced Tomatoes & Heavy Cream: The combination of a can of diced tomatoes and a generous splash of full-fat heavy cream is the secret to the beautiful, rosy color and the perfectly balanced, rich, and tangy flavor of the broth. For an even deeper, smokier flavor, you can use fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- The Aromatics: To build a truly deep, restaurant-quality flavor base in minutes, we’ll start with the essential duo of sautéed onion and fresh garlic.

Step-by-Step to 30-Minute Sausage Gnocchi Soup
This delicious, one-pot soup is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Build the Flavor Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook your 1 pound of Italian sausage over a medium heat until it is beautifully browned, using a wooden spoon to break the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Add 1 diced onion and 4 cloves of minced garlic to the pot with the sausage and continue to cook until the onion has softened and is fragrant.
Part 2: The One-Pot Simmer
Step 1: Add your 1 can of diced tomatoes and your 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, using your spoon to scrape up any delicious, flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 2: Stir in your 16-ounce package of gnocchi and cook for about 3 minutes. You will know the gnocchi are perfectly cooked when they are plump and have floated to the surface of the broth.
Part 3: The Creamy Finish
Step 1 (The Secret to a Creamy Soup!): Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 1 cup of heavy cream.Pro Tip: It is crucial to add your dairy ingredients at the very end, over a low heat. Adding cream to a rapidly boiling liquid can cause it to “break” or curdle.Step 2: Let the soup continue to simmer gently on a low heat for about 5 more minutes, until it is hot all the way through.
Serve the hot, creamy soup immediately in warm bowls with some crusty bread for dipping and an extra sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.

30-Minute Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup (Easy One-Pot Recipe!)
An extremely quick and easy one-pot recipe for a creamy Italian sausage and gnocchi soup. This simple, hearty meal features browned Italian sausage simmered in a savory base of chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Soft, pillowy potato gnocchi are cooked directly in the soup. The dish is finished with a generous stir of heavy cream for a rich, comforting texture, making it a perfect dinner that’s ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 package (16 oz) gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat until browned, breaking it up into crumbles. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the undrained diced tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then stir in the gnocchi. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the gnocchi float to the surface.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and let the soup simmer gently for 5 more minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Do not let it boil.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Notes
- This is a very fast one-pot meal, perfect for a busy weeknight.
- Cooking the gnocchi directly in the soup is a key time-saving step that also helps to slightly thicken the broth.
- The heavy cream is added at the end of the cooking process over low heat to ensure a creamy texture without the risk of curdling.
- For extra flavor, you can add chopped onion and garlic to the pot and sauté them with the sausage.
What to Serve With Your Gnocchi Soup
This beautiful and rich soup is a fantastic, all-in-one meal that has your protein and your starch all in one pot! If you’d like to round it out, here are a few simple suggestions:
- Crusty Bread: A side of warm, crusty garlic bread is an absolute must-have for sopping up every last drop of that incredible, creamy and savory broth.
- A Simple Green Salad: A crisp green salad, especially one with a bright and zesty Italian vinaigrette, is the perfect, fresh counterpoint to the rich, hearty soup.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by browning your sausage and chopping your onion and garlic up to a day in advance.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The gnocchi may absorb more of the broth as it sits.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat a cream-based soup is to do so gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over a low heat. You may need to add a generous splash of broth or milk to loosen the soup and bring back its original, creamy consistency.
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Creative Recipe Variations
- Add a Cheesy Finish: For an even richer and more decadent soup, you can stir in about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese at the very end of the cooking time, along with the heavy cream.
- Add Some Leafy Greens: For a beautiful pop of color and some extra nutrients, you can add a few large handfuls of fresh baby spinach or chopped kale to the soup at the very end and let it wilt.
- Make it a Tuscan-Style Soup: For a different but equally delicious flavor profile, you can substitute the gnocchi with one 15-ounce can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and use kale instead of spinach for a more classic, rustic Tuscan soup.
Enjoy The Ultimate One-Pot Comfort Food!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Creamy Tomato Sausage Gnocchi 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: How can I get a deep, slow-cooked flavor in a 30-minute soup?
The secret is to use flavor-packed ingredients and to build flavor in layers. Using a high-quality, well-seasoned Italian sausage provides an instant, savory depth. Taking the time to properly brown the sausage and then sautéing your aromatics in the rendered fat is the key that creates a complex flavor foundation in just a few minutes.
Q2: How do I keep the cream from curdling in a tomato-based soup?
The acidity in tomatoes can cause cream to curdle if the temperature is too high. The absolute number one secret is to add your heavy cream at the very end of the cooking process, over a very low heat. Never let the soup come to a rolling boil after you have added the cream.
Q3: Can I use frozen gnocchi in this soup?
Yes, absolutely! There is no need to thaw frozen gnocchi before you use it. You can simply add the frozen gnocchi directly to the simmering broth. You may need to add just a minute or two to the cooking time.
Q4: Can I make this soup dairy-free?
Yes! To make this recipe dairy-free, simply substitute the 1 cup of heavy cream with an equal amount of a high-quality, full-fat, canned coconut milk. Be sure to also use a brand of Italian sausage that does not contain any dairy.
Q5: What is the best kind of sausage to use for this soup?
A high-quality, bulk spicy Italian sausage is fantastic in this recipe because its spicy kick beautifully balances the richness of the creamy tomato broth. A classic sweet or mild Italian sausage is also a delicious and more family-friendly choice.