Homestyle Gnocchi Soup

I could eat soup for every single stinkin' meal.  Trust me on this.  If it is -20 outside I want soup and if it is 110 outside, I still want soup.  My favorite soup is Chicken Noodle Soup.  When I see a fellow foodie post a picture or a recipe for it or a new blog post about it, I always share it.  I have to.  The world NEEDS more versions of chicken noodle soup, right?  Big noodles, little noodles, skinny noodles, fat noodles, TONS of noodles....  Let me calm it down, I am almost breaking a sweat.  The point is, there could never be enough kinds of soup in the world.

I have never made homemade gnocchi.  I admit it.  Honestly, I am not a HUGE gnocchi fan.  I make a few different things with it, including a sweet dish but, just was never hellbent on making my own.  In fact, you know where I buy it?  My local Dollar Tree.  Yes I am serious.  Now if you don't know what gnocchi are, they are a soft dumpling made from potatoes, and various other "usual suspect" kind of ingredients.  Here are the ones I use.

I love them in soup.  You have to be careful not to over cook them in soup or they just become mushy, which isn't horrible either in reality.  This soup is just a lovechild of my need to use up veggies and some chicken and this poor lone package of gnocchi.  You may find it tastes MUCH like the Chicken Gnocchi soup at a chain Italian resturant. (wink, wink) Here we go!!

Home style Gnocchi Soup
2 cups veggies of your choice I needed to use up carrots, celery and bell peppers.  Whatever you choose just make sure it all equals up to 2 cups
1-2 cups chicken cut into small pieces (I used boneless thighs)
1/4 cup corn (optional, I just had some leftover)
5 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups skim milk (any milk will work or cream or half and half)
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp basil (I used dried)
1/2 tsp rosemary (dried)
1/2 tsp thyme (dried)
1 package gnocchi 

In a large pot saute all veggies in 1 tbsp olive oil.  After sauteing for 2 minutes add in chicken. Let cook for 3 minutes, stirring often.  





Add in basil, rosemary, thyme and chicken stock.  Let this simmer for 5 minutes.  

While it is simmering combine your cornstarch with your COLD milk.  You can NOT add it into warm liquid or it will lump on you.  Whisk into milk and then when soup is at a boil, add it in stirring constantly.  It will begin to thicken almost immediately.  5 minutes before serving add in gnocchi.  If you know the entire pot will be eaten go ahead and do it this way.  If the soup will need to last a few hours, make the gnocchi separate and add them to each bowl of soup.  Mine is in the fridge with the gnocchi IN it, so the choice is yours, I just wanted to share the suggestion.


This soup is creamy yet brothy.  I was so happy with how it turned out!  I am known as the "queen of soup" in my family and among my friends.  This is one of my favorites.  I will be making this one often.  Serve this with some warm bread or bread-sticks, maybe a nice panini.........oh heavens!!


Feeling like a bedtime snack......another cup of soup!

Your "gnocchi is such a funny looking word" chefwannabe

Chris