Can I use fresh gnocchi?

Yes, you can use fresh gnocchi. I used dried gnocchi because that’s what I have available to me. Fresh (bought or homemade) will also work but may have a shorter cook time, so check and test them often.

Where do I find vegan gnocchi at the store?

Sometimes gnocchi are made with egg or ricotta cheese, but I have had an easy time finding vegan gnocchi at various stores near me such as World Market, Whole Foods, and stores owned by Albertsons. You can also purchase them online from brands like Delallo Foods Gnocchi. They also make a gluten-free version that is also vegan!

How do I make sure the gnocchi is cooked enough?

At the 8 minute mark, remove a gnocchi from the pot and place on a cutting board or small plate, gently slice it down the middle. Does it feel/taste tender? It’s done. Does it feel/taste a little gummy? It’s not done, cook for 2-3 more minutes and check again. You may have a different cook time depending on the thickness and volume of your pot, the power of your stove and burner, etc.

What to serve with vegan gnocchi soup?

I vote for vegan garlic bread all the way. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making that, try making my vegan garlic butter and slathering it on a roll or something. I could also see this being served with air fryer brussels sprouts or any other veggie.

How do I make the soup thicker?

The longer the soup simmers the thicker it will become. However, you don’t want to overcook the gnocchi. I haven’t had this issue, but what you could do is add a cornstarch slurry made from mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl or cup, then stir it into the soup. It will thicken fairly quickly.

Can I make it in a crock pot or slow cooker?

You sure can. I highly recommend sauteing your veggies (onion, carrot, celery, garlic) for a few minutes before adding them to the slow cooker but that’s optional (for more flavor). Add the veggies to the pot along with the thyme, black pepper, and broth. Cook for 3 hours on low. Then add the chickpeas, gnocchi, and cook for another hour on low. If the soup is really thin, add a cornstarch slurry made from 1 tablespoon of cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and stir it well, letting it cook a bit more till thickened.

Vegan Gnocchi Soup

Name: Vegan Gnocchi Soup
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegan butter (or oil) (see note 1 to make oil-free); 1 small yellow onion, finely diced; 1 large rib celery (or 2 small ribs), finely chopped; 2 large carrots, thinly sliced; ¾ teaspoon dried thyme; ½ teaspoon black pepper + more for serving; 2- 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (see note 2 to make gluten-free); 1 ½ cups or a 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas (see note 3 for substitutions); 4 - 5 cups vegan chicken broth, to taste (see note 4); 16 - 32 ounces gnocchi (see note 5); ½ cup or more (up to 1 cup) of vegan cream, to taste (see note 6 for options); 1-2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped, optional

Description

This creamy Vegan Gnocchi Soup is so cozy and easy to make in under 25 minutes. It tastes just like the classic soup but with chickpeas.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 tablespoons vegan butter (or oil) (see note 1 to make oil-free)
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 large rib celery (or 2 small ribs), finely chopped
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper + more for serving
2- 3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour (see note 2 to make gluten-free)
1 1/2 cups or a 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas (see note 3 for substitutions)
4 - 5 cups vegan chicken broth, to taste (see note 4)
16 - 32 ounces gnocchi (see note 5)
1/2 cup or more (up to 1 cup) of vegan cream, to taste (see note 6 for options)
1-2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped, optional

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Instructions

Melt the vegan butter (if using) in a large nonstick pot over medium high heat. If not using vegan butter, you can do olive oil, avocado oil, or another oil OR if you’re oil-free, keep adding broth or water a tablespoon at a time while you cook the veggies and stir constantly to keep from burning or sticking.
Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and stir frequently for 3 minutes until somewhat softened.
Add the thyme, black pepper, and garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring constantly so as not to burn the garlic.
Now sprinkle in the flour. Stir constantly for 30 seconds.
Add your chickpeas and slowly stir in the broth.
Let the soup come to a boil, add the gnocchi carefully so as not to splash hot soup on yourself (I speak from experience unfortunately… not fun!), and give it a good stir.
Return the soup to a boil after adding the gnocchi and then lower the heat to medium low and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the vegan cream (whatever kind you’re using start with ½ cup and add more if needed) and chopped spinach. I say up to 1 cup of the plant based cream because I liked to add about ½ cup but sometimes my husband wanted to add an extra bit of the cream to his, so I think it’s more of a personal preference. Cook 1-2 additional minutes until the spinach is wilted.
Season (if needed) and serve! Note that if you used a different bouillon or a low sodium broth, you may need to add salt but I felt mine was salty enough. Add some more fresh cracked black pepper before serving though, and feel free to garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley or grated vegan parmesan (we like the Violife parmesan block). Enjoy immediately.
Store: Refrigerate leftover vegan gnocchi soup in an airtight container or you can freeze the soup for up to 90 days in an airtight freezer-safe container. The soup thickens a bit more after cooling but it will thin out if you add a splash of hot broth or water when reheating.

Notes

Note 1: You can definitely make this oil-free with a little extra broth (or water) if you like, but the vegan butter helps to make a thick and luscious vegan gnocchi soup.
Note 2: Flour helps us make a thick and creamy vegan gnocchi soup. If you are gluten-free, feel free to use rice flour or your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Delallo Foods makes a great vegan and gluten-free gnocchi.
Note 3: For this soup I really liked the chickpeas, but if you’re looking for a vegan chicken experience, try soy curls (read more about how I prep my soy curls for soup in my soy curls recipes and FAQs article), young green jackfruit (I prepare it like this vegan shredded chicken for soup, or purchase a prepared vegan chicken substitute from your grocery store.
Note 4: I personally love Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base mixed with hot water (I do a lower paste to water ratio than the jar suggests to reduce the sodium content) as it’s economical and it stores well. You could also buy prepared Imitation Chicken Broth though I generally feel this needs a little salt added but you can taste test and season to your preference. Any other brand of vegan chicken bouillon will work well, or of course you can also use vegetable broth.
Note 5: This soup can accommodate up to 2 pounds of gnocchi for a really loaded soup, or 1 pound will work fine for a more balanced soup. I prefer it somewhere in the middle, and save my extra half pound to make air fryer gnocchi. You can use homemade or store bought. I have even seen vegan gluten-free gnocchi. Check my Frequently Asked Questions section below for more information.
Note 6: You can use cashew cream (blend raw cashews and water), sunflower seed cream (blend raw sunflower seeds and water), store-bought plant based heavy cream, or a thick non-dairy milk (unsweetened and “original” flavor). Full fat canned coconut milk also works well, but use a good brand like Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk or Native Forest Coconut Milk so you don’t taste the coconut.

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Soup, Dinner
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: American, Italian

Keywords: Vegan soup, vegan gnocchi soup