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!
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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.
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.
More Cozy Vegan Dinner Recipes to Consider....
If you tried this vegan gnoochi soup recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!
Vegan Gnocchi Soup
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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!
Hmac says
This soup was so weird. I should have read the whole recipe because it’s clear that it’s going to be weird.
Silken tofu would make a bit difference but the whole chunky- smooth vibe is way off.
Toni Okamoto says
Hi, thank you for the honest feedback, and I'm sorry this one wasn't for you. The blended tofu is what makes the broth creamy, so if you'd like a smoother soup overall, you can blend part of the vegetables too. I appreciate you giving it a try!
Katie says
So good! I will definitely make this again.
Andrea says
So glad you gave it a go and enjoyed this yummy soup 🙂