This easy, one-pot vegan gnocchi soup is filled with pillowy gnocchi and veggies in a creamy tomatoey broth - cozy, satisfying, & ready in 35 minutes!

Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredient Notes
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Vegan Gnocchi Soup
- FAQs
- Recipe Pro Tips
- Can You Freeze Gnocchi Soup?
- Storage Instructions
- More Cozy Vegan Dinner Recipes to Consider....
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- Vegan Gnocchi Soup
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Inspired by Olive Garden's gnocchi soup, but 100% meat and dairy-free, this creamy vegan gnocchi soup tastes indulgent but is made with wholesome, feel-good ingredients. There's no dairy-based butter/cream, or flour, but it's still a creamy, rich, high-protein, hearty, satisfying restaurant-quality soup to enjoy from the comfort of your own home at a fraction of the cost, with no need to dress up.
It's quick, comforting, and easy to throw together in one pot in 35 minutes-perfect for weeknights when you want something hearty but don't feel like leaving the house. Simple ingredients truly make big flavors in this budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing, child-approved soup.
If you love that I made this gnocchi soup vegan, try my easy vegan tortellini soup, American vegan goulash, garlic and lemon pasta, or one-pot vegan hamburger helper.
Ingredient Notes
Recipe Variations
- Seasonings: Add depth with mustard powder, red pepper flakes, bay leaves.
- Umami: Add some miso paste or red or green pesto.
- Vegan cheese: i.e., vegan cheddar, parmesan, nutritional yeast, etc. Or even some of this vegan cheese ball or a bit of this easy vegan cheese sauce.
- Vegan protein: Like vegan shredded chicken, crumbled tofu (like this crispy air fryer tofu) or tempeh, vegan sausage (like Beyond Meat - sauteed), white beans, or chickpeas.
- Extra veg: i.e., cauliflower, broccoli, leek, mushrooms, zucchini, green beans. Or try adding these garlic herb oven roasted vegetables.
How to Make Vegan Gnocchi Soup
Step 1: First, peel and dice the onion and carrots, and chop the celery. Then, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pot and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the carrots and celery, and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Stir in the garlic and seasonings (Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper) for 10-20 seconds. Add the water and bouillon, stir well, cover, and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Blend the tofu, juice of ½ lemon, and ½ can of tomatoes until smooth. Add that to the soup with the remaining diced tomatoes and the gnocchi.
Step 4: Turn off the heat, stir in the spinach, and cover for 3-5 minutes until wilted. Then, taste and adjust the lemon and seasonings. Finally, serve the creamy potato gnocchi soup optionally garnished with fresh basil and/or red pepper flakes. Enjoy!
Enjoy a portion alone or with crusty bread, vegan biscuits, easy air fryer garlic bread, and/or a side salad.
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FAQs
You could use your favorite vegan tortellini or ravioli. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
No, but you can use gluten-free gnocchi. If doing so, cook it separately as it is softer/mushier.
You could add cornstarch (in a slurry or 1 tablespoon starch to 2 tablespoon water) into the vegetarian gnocchi soup right at the end, then increase the heat and stir constantly until thickened.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Don't rush the sauté step: Browning = more flavor!
- Adjust cooking time: Based on whether you use fresh, frozen, or mini gnocchi.
- Don't overcook the gnocchi: Otherwise, it can become mushy. Another way to avoid mushy gnocchi is to cook and store it separately from the soup.
- To adjust the consistency: Adjust how much broth and tofu/vegan cream you add.
- Taste and adjust: I.e., the lemon, any seasonings, etc.
- Make enough for leftovers: It will taste even better on day two.
Can You Freeze Gnocchi Soup?
Tofu can change texture upon thawing. If you want to freeze it, I recommend doing so without the tofu or gnocchi - adding them only when reheating the soup.
Store in Ziplock's/freezer-safe containers for 3-4 months. Then, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Storage Instructions
Fridge: In an airtight container for 3-4 days. Note, the gnocchi soaks up broth as it sits, and the soup will thicken.
Reheat: Heat the vegetable gnocchi soup in a microwave (30-second increments) or on the stove (over low). Add more water/broth, if preferred.
Vegan Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 6 carrots diced
- 4 celery stalks sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
- 5 cups water
- 3 vegetable bouillon cubes
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes in their juices divided
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 (16-ounce) package firm tofu
- 2 (16-ounce) packages of potato gnocchi
- 5 cups baby spinach
- ½ cup fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the carrots and celery. Stir and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables for about 10 seconds.
- Pour in the water and add the bouillon cubes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil.
- While the soup is heating, blend the tofu with the juice of half a lemon and half the can of diced tomatoes until completely smooth and creamy.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, stir in the tofu mixture and the remaining diced tomatoes.
- Add the gnocchi and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the gnocchi is soft and tender.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the baby spinach. Cover the pot for about 5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
- Taste and adjust the lemon juice, salt, and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes
- Don't overcook the gnocchi: Otherwise, it can become mushy. Another way to avoid mushy gnocchi is to cook and store it separately from the soup.
- To adjust the consistency: Adjust how much broth and tofu/vegan cream you add.
- Taste and adjust: I.e., the lemon, any seasonings, etc.
- Make enough for leftovers: It will taste even better on day two.
Andrea says
Love this tasty soup!