This creamy Sausage Gnocchi Soup is the kind of cozy dinner you’ll want on repeat all fall and winter. Made with savory Italian sausage, tender gnocchi, spinach, tomatoes, and a creamy cottage cheese base, this hearty soup is packed with flavor and protein—and comes together in about 45 minutes!
Update: This post was originally published in early 2022. It was updated in fall 2026 with new images, modified recipe, and updated body content.
All Hail Soup Season!
I think everyone should have a creamy sausage soup recipe in their back pocket. So when the leaves start to change and the cooler temps roll in, you know exactly what recipe to make: this one!
It’s creamy, hearty, savory, and has a little heat if you want it. Think creamy tomato soup meets hearty sausage soup with tender gnocchi—basically, a recipe for success.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s creamy without being heavy. Blended cottage cheese makes the broth rich and creamy while adding a little extra protein.
- The sausage does SO much of the work. Mild Italian sausage brings tons of flavor to the soup without needing a long list of seasonings.
- It’s a complete meal. You’ve got protein from the sausage and cottage cheese, carbs from the gnocchi, and vegetables mixed right into the soup.
- It’s cozy but still approachable. This is one of those recipes that feels like a weekend dinner but is totally doable on a weeknight.
- The leftovers are delicious. Just know that the gnocchi will continue to absorb the broth as it sits, so I have a few tips below if you’re meal prepping.
APOP Recipe History
This recipe was originally published in 2022 and has been completely updated to fit APOP’s current recipe standards: everyday eats, elevated!
The original recipe featured Trader Joe’s Frozen Cauliflower Gnocchi. I’ve reworked the recipe from the ground up with a richer, creamier broth, savory Italian sausage, tender potato gnocchi, and blended cottage cheese for extra creaminess and protein.
One ingredient I’ll always stand behind in a cozy soup like this? Mild Italian sausage. It brings so much flavor to the pot while still being versatile enough to pair with just about anything. I use it in recipes ranging from my Pumpkin Gnocchi Skillet to Sourdough Stuffing and even Curry Udon.
And when I want to make a soup creamy without relying on a ton of heavy cream, blended cottage cheese is one of my favorite tricks. It blends up smooth and gives the broth a creamy texture while adding protein, too. You can see the same technique in my Creamy Coconut Beef Bowls and High Protein Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Recipe Ingredients
- Ground mild Italian sausage: This is the main flavor-maker in the soup! I prefer buying it already ground because it saves a step, but sausage links work, too.
- Veggies: White onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, celery and spinach.
- All-purpose flour: This creates a quick roux that helps thicken the broth and gives the soup its hearty, creamy consistency.
- Beef bone broth: I like using bone broth here for the extra protein and rich flavor. Chicken broth or regular beef broth can also work.
- Potato gnocchi: Soft, pillowy gnocchi makes this soup extra hearty. I use shelf-stable/dry potato gnocchi, but see my notes below for substitutions.
- Cottage cheese: The secret to the creamy broth! Blending cottage cheese until completely smooth gives the soup a rich, creamy texture while adding protein.
- Whole milk: This helps thin the blended cottage cheese into a smooth mixture before adding it to the soup. I like using Fairlife for an extra protein boost.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Sausage: Ground mild Italian sausage is my go-to, but sausage links work, too. Just remove the casing before cooking. Spicy Italian sausage is great if you want more heat.
- Gnocchi: I use potato gnocchi, but cauliflower gnocchi can also work. Cooking time may vary by brand.
- Broth: Beef bone broth adds extra protein and flavor, but chicken broth or chicken bone broth can be used instead.
- Milk: Swap the whole milk for heavy cream for a richer soup. Coconut milk also works, but will add a slightly different flavor.
- Gluten free: Use gluten-free flour and make sure your gnocchi and sausage are gluten free.
- Dairy free: Use a dairy-free milk and creamy dairy-free alternative in place of the cottage cheese.
- Extra heat: Add more red pepper flakes or use spicy Italian sausage.
How to Make This Recipe
1.Brown the sausage. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground Italian sausage and let it render for 2–3 minutes before stirring. This gives you those delicious golden bits! Cook for 5–8 minutes, breaking the sausage apart with a spatula, until no pink remains. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Cook the vegetables. Keep the pot over medium heat and add the diced onion and celery with a large pinch of salt (there should be plenty of grease from the sausage but add a bit of olive oil to the pan if needed). Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until everything is coated. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the beef bone broth, whisking as you go. I like to add the broth about ¼ cup at a time at first so the flour incorporates smoothly and doesn’t clump.
4. Build the soup. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes so the broth can begin to thicken. Add the gnocchi, spinach, and sausage. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of bone broth, then add the baby spinach, gnocchi, and cooked sausage. Stir so the gnocchi is submerged in the broth.
5. Cook the gnocchi. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi is al dente and fork tender. Tip: Take one gnocchi out and taste it! I’ve found this is the most foolproof way to know when it’s ready since cooking times can vary by brand.
6. Blend the cottage cheese. While the gnocchi cooks, add the cottage cheese to a large measuring cup or bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the milk while blending until you have a creamy, pourable mixture.
7. Make it creamy. Remove the soup from the heat. Slowly pour in the blended cottage cheese mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Watch the broth transform into a creamy, rich soup!
8. Season and serve. Taste and add salt, cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired. Serve warm with a piece of crusty bread, extra red pepper flakes, or your favorite soup toppings. Enjoy!
PRO TIPS
Don’t skip the flour. The flour helps thicken the soup and gives the broth enough body to hold up to the blended cottage cheese. It makes a big difference in the final texture!
Let the sausage brown. Don’t immediately start stirring the sausage around the pot. Letting it sit for a couple of minutes allows it to develop those golden-brown bits that add SO much flavor to the soup.
Add the cottage cheese off the heat. Removing the soup from the heat before stirring in the cottage cheese helps keep the creamy mixture smooth.
Taste your sausage before adding extra seasoning. A lot of the flavor in this soup comes from the seasoned Italian sausage. If you’re using ground turkey, ground beef, or a meat alternative instead, you’ll likely need to add more seasoning. I recommend starting with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and oregano.
Want an even richer soup? Swap the whole milk for heavy cream. Coconut milk can also work, although it will give the soup a slightly different flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Allow the soup to cool, then transfer it to an airtight glass container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The gnocchi will absorb some of the broth as it sits, so the soup will be thicker the next day.
I recommend freezing the soup without the gnocchi if possible. Gnocchi can become soft or mushy after freezing and reheating. For the best texture, prepare the soup base, freeze it, and add freshly cooked gnocchi when you’re ready to serve.
This soup gets its creamy texture from a combination of a simple flour roux and blended cottage cheese. The flour thickens the broth, while the blended cottage cheese makes it creamy and adds protein without needing a large amount of heavy cream.
Absolutely. Heavy cream will make the soup richer and creamier. If using heavy cream, you can start with a little less and add more as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
You can, but keep in mind that gnocchi continues to absorb liquid as it sits. If you are specifically making this soup for meal prep, I recommend cooking the gnocchi separately and adding it to each serving when you’re ready to eat.
Serving suggestions
This soup is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but I am never going to turn down a warm, crusty piece of bread for dipping!
You could also serve it with:
- Crusty sourdough bread
- Garlic bread
- Oyster crackers
- A simple side salad
- Extra red pepper flakes
- Freshly grated Parmesan
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Sausage Gnocchi Soup
Equipment
- 5-quart or larger Dutch oven or stock pot
- Chef's Knife
- Cutting Board
- Rubber Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Immersion blender (or blender or food processor)
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground mild italian sausage
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- Pinch of salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 32 oz beef bone broth, divided
- 1 can diced tomatoes (with the juice), 14.5oz
- 4 cups baby spinach, fresh
- 1 lbs potato gnocchi, 17oz, dry
- 1 cup 4% cottage cheese
- ½ cup whole milk, I used Fairlife
- ½ tsp Red pepper flakes, or more to taste
- Cracked pepper & salt, to taste
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground Italian sausage and let it render for 2–3 minutes before stirring. This gives you those delicious golden bits! Cook for 5–8 minutes, breaking the sausage apart with a spatula, until no pink remains. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables. Keep the pot over medium heat and add the diced onion and celery with a large pinch of salt (there should be plenty of grease from the sausage but add a bit of olive oil to the pan if needed). Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Make the roux. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until everything is coated. Slowly pour in about 2 cups of the beef bone broth, whisking as you go. I like to add the broth about ¼ cup at a time at first so the flour incorporates smoothly and doesn't clump.
- Build the soup. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes so the broth can begin to thicken.
- Add the gnocchi, spinach, and sausage. Pour in the remaining 2 cups of bone broth, then add the baby spinach, gnocchi, and cooked sausage. Stir so the gnocchi is submerged in the broth.
- Cook the gnocchi. Cover the pot and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi is al dente and fork tender. Tip: Take one gnocchi out and taste it! I’ve found this is the most foolproof way to know when it's ready since cooking times can vary by brand.
- Blend the cottage cheese. While the gnocchi cooks, add the cottage cheese to a large measuring cup or bowl. Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth. Slowly pour in the milk while blending until you have a creamy, pourable mixture.
- Remove the soup from the heat. Slowly pour in the blended cottage cheese mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Watch the broth transform into a creamy, rich soup!
- Season and serve. Taste and add salt, cracked black pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired. Serve warm with a piece of crusty bread, extra red pepper flakes, or your favorite soup toppings. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Delicious! The tarragon is a great touch, and I love the spice from the red pepper. Even my picky boyfriend approved. Perfect for a chilly winter day!
So good! If you love Italian this is a must. I didn’t have spicy sausage so I threw in a jalapeño which worked out well. Texture is great.
I love to hear this!! So lovely!!
grape tomatoes was the only ingredient I had to buy to make this soup! so great to clean out the freezer/panty.
Spicy sausages paired with TJ’s gnocchi is SO good. YUM! Another APOP knockout.