Sausage Gnocchi Soup with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely diced)
• 4 garlic (cloves, minced)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed, drained and roughly chopped)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 0.667 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups chicken stock (low-sodium preferred to control saltiness)
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 lb potato gnocchi (DeLallo preferred)
• 3 cups baby spinach (large stems removed)
• 0.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
• salt (to taste; add only if needed)

Steps

1. 1

   Add the Italian sausage to a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-low heat. Cook, breaking it into crumbles, until completely cooked through with no pink remaining and browned edges. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove excess grease from the pot, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind.

2. 2

   Add the diced onion to the reserved sausage drippings. Cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.

4. 4

   Stir in the Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.

5. 5

   Add the tomato paste and stir until evenly incorporated. Add the drained, chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste deepens slightly in color.

6. 6

   Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onion and tomato mixture. Stir continuously for about 1 minute, until the flour is completely incorporated and no dry streaks remain.

7. 7

   Slowly pour in the white wine while whisking or stirring continuously. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, then cook for 2–3 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce slightly and its sharp alcohol aroma to mellow.

8. 8

   Gradually pour in the chicken stock while stirring, followed by the heavy cream. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir to combine.

9. 9

   Bring the soup to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the gnocchi are plump and tender. Avoid overcooking, which can make them gummy.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the baby spinach and stir just until wilted.

11. 11

    Add the freshly grated Parmesan and stir until completely melted into the broth.

12. 12

    Taste the soup and add salt only if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm with additional freshly grated Parmesan and crusty toasted bread or buttery breadsticks for dipping.

Notes

The recipe recommends Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay as suitable dry white wines. Suggested accompaniments include crusty toasted bread, buttery breadsticks, or a simple Caesar or Italian salad. Nutrition is an estimate and excludes optional serving bread and additional Parmesan.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• soup
• Italian-inspired
• creamy
• one-pot
• fall
• comfort food