This soup was inspired by the Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup. Yes that’s right. You can make it vegan by pureeing 1 large cooked potato or rice and pureeing in a blender with vegetable stock. The thick rich creamy base is studded with carrots, celery and spinach.
Serves 4
3 tablespoons/45ml/43g butter, dairy or vegan
1 tablespoon/15ml olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2-3 stalks of celery, diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour or if gluten free 2 tablespoons mixed with half and half or almond milk
2 cups half-and-half or double cream (leave the flour out if using cream)
1 3/4 cup/435ml chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon/15ml fresh thyme (1 teaspoon/5ml dried)
1 large carrot shredded
1 large handful fresh spinach leaves chopped
1 cooked chicken breast, diced if using
1 pound/450g potato gnocchi (see our recipe here)
1 teaspoon/5ml salt
1/2 teaspoon/2ml ground black pepper
In a large pot on medium high heat add butter and olive oil. Once the butter stops foaming, add onion, celery and garlic, and cook until tender (2-3 minutes). Add the flour (if using other wise follow alternate directions) to create a roux and cook for another minute. Slowly add half and half and chicken broth and stir until it starts to thicken. Add the thyme, carrots, spinach, chicken and gnocchi. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until gnocchi is cooked and soup is thickened. (If you want a thinner soup add more broth.) Salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
*(you can thicken without cream by pureeing 1 large potato diced and cooked with vegetable stock or vegan milk or 2 cups/500mls well cooked rice pureed in the same method)
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