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This creamy spinach gnocchi soup recipe with parmesan cheese and mushrooms is easy to make, filling and warming, and very comforting. It’s ready in about 30 minutes!
Try my Easy Baked Potato Soup or Chicken and Wild Rice Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
My Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Gnocchi is one of my readers’ most beloved recipes, so I knew I had to create this mushroom and gnocchi soup with similar flavors! It’s a meatless soup that’s hearty with sautéed mushrooms, and the gnocchi cook right in the soup.
The star of this soup is the parmesan-infused creamy broth. It’s a little bit indulgent and total comfort food! Garlic, real cream, and Italian herbs shine. This mushroom gnocchi soup is rounded out with a pop of fresh spinach, and it’s on the table in half an hour.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Onion, celery, and garlic – tasty base aromatics. I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onions.
- Flour – it thickens the broth
- Mushrooms – use cremini (sometimes referred to as baby bellas)
- Broth – for more savory depth. Use chicken or vegetable broth.
- Italian seasoning – my pantry is never without a jar of this tasty dried herb blend
- Gnocchi – find shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the dry pasta aisle
- Heavy cream – the texture and taste is unmatched for making the broth velvety and irresistible
- Spinach – to add in some greens
- Parmesan – always use freshly grated from a block for meltability
Pro tip
You don’t need to cook the gnocchi separately. In fact, the starch released by them helps to further thicken up the silky broth.
How to make spinach mushroom gnocchi soup
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a large pot, add the olive oil and melt in the butter. Sauté the onion and celery until softened/lightly browned. Stir in the flour until incorporated.
Add in the garlic and mushrooms, then sauté them until the water cooks off. Scrape up the browned bits. Pour in the broth, and add the Italian herbs and gnocchi. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently.
Stir in the heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan. Continue to simmer until the cheese has melted in and the spinach is tender. Taste, and season generously with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Grate the parmesan cheese with a Microplane zester. It makes the perfect dusting of it for melting into the broth with ease!
- Easily mince the garlic with a garlic press.
- Here’s a Dutch oven I love for my soup recipes, and I store flour in an airtight pantry container for freshness.
Substitutions and variations
- I wouldn’t recommend using homemade gnocchi. It’s very delicate and is liable to fall apart in this soup.
- A few reader swaps include using kale instead of spinach, adding carrots to the veggie sautéing stage, and tossing in some crushed red pepper flakes for a gentle warmth.
What to serve with spinach gnocchi soup
- It’s delish served piping hot with some crusty bread like French bread or sourdough.
- You can definitely pair it with something more substantial (and delicious) like my Extra Cheesy Garlic Bread.
- Brighten up the meal with a fresh salad. Try my Easy Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad, this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad, or change it up with a green salad and my Creamy Pesto Dressing.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover gnocchi, spinach, and mushroom soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Reheat slowly over a low heat until warmed through.
- This soup won’t freeze well due to the dairy, and the gnocchi will change texture.
If you made this mushroom and spinach gnocchi soup, tell me about it in the comments below! You can also tag me on Instagram with all your S&L creations.
Parmesan, Mushroom, and Spinach Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 2 sticks celery chopped finely
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced or chopped
- 4 cups chicken or veggie broth
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 2 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a soup pot over medium-high heat. Once it's melted, add the onion and celery and sauté for 5 minutes (it's ok if the onions brown a bit). I like to cut up the mushrooms while it's cooking to save time.
- Stir in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes or so. Once the mushrooms start to release water, give it a good stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and gnocchi to the pot. Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat so it’s gently simmering for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cream, spinach, and parmesan cheese. Increase the heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes or until the spinach is tender and wilted, the cheese melts into the broth, and the broth has thickened up a bit.
- Season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve immediately. If you wish, you can grate some extra parmesan cheese on top of the bowls.
Notes
- Serves 4-6 depending on how much people eat.
- I use the “shelf stable” gnocchi that’s found in the dry pasta aisle in my local grocery store.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on April 27, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Delicious soup! I made the vegetable version for our son and couldn’t stop tasting it! LOL. GOOD JOB on this easy and healthy recipe! I know I’ll make it again. (Dustin eats eggs and cheese but no meat. I didn’t even think about cheese not being vegetarian until I saw another post. I used the cheese.)
So happy it was a hit!! 🙂
Made this soup (almost) vegetarian by using veg broth. Kept the Parmesan in as I’m not strict about it. Turned out very delicious and just as good reheated the next day. My partner who isn’t as keen on veggie food loved it and had two bowls in one sitting. Thanks for the recipe
That’s awesome!!
I surprised my hubby with this delicious soup for lunch today. Loved all the ingredients (which I had on hand) and the soup really makes a nice presentation. Next time I will make just a few adjustments such as cooking the mushrooms a little longer and adding additional garlic and Italian seasoning. This wonderful soup will definitely be a repeat at our house.
That’s wonderful to hear, Nancy! What a nice surprise for your husband 🙂
Amazing
Thank you!! Glad you liked it!
Does this soup freeze well?
Hi Megan! We wouldn’t recommend it. Dairy doesn’t usually freeze well and can separate, and I suspect the texture of the gnocchi after thawing would be undesirable as well.
Hi! I’ve made this before and it was absolutely delicious and perfect for the colder months! Can o substitute the flour for another gluten free flour and cauliflower gnocchi so it’s a full gluten free dish?
Hi! I’m so glad it’s a hit! I think you could definitely do that… perhaps add a cornstarch slurry at the end? I am not experienced with making roux out of gluten-free flours.
Wonderful ! Used baby Bella’s, couldn’t get creminis.
So glad you enjoyed it! Fun fact – baby bellas are actually the same as cremini mushrooms. They can be a tad bigger but they’re the same variety. 🙂
This was amazing! I was leery for my husband to try a soup without meat, but we both loved this. Easy to make, and great flavors! Thanks!
You’re very welcome, Julie! Thanks for your review! 🙂
This recipe was so tasty! The only struggle we had was the flour sticking to the bottom of the pot… Any tips?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Re: the flour, I would ensure you stir it often (like every few minutes – sometimes gnocchi can cement to the bottom so that could’ve been part of your problem), and really scrape the bottom of the pot as indicated in step 4.
This is my favourite soup ever! So easy and tasty. Now it is winter in NZ I make it fortnightly and every one loves it..if I have been unable to get fresh mushrooms I soak a whole packet of dried shitakes, chop them up and use the water too. Thankyou 😊
That’s wonderful to hear!! I’m so glad it’s a favorite and helps keep you toasty warm, Kylee! 🙂
This is my go-to soup recipe! Love the creaminess and ease of it.
Thrilled to hear that, Elizabeth! 🙂