Copycat Olive Garden Chicken & Gnocchi Soup Recipe

There are few things better than a delicious, warm, and decadent bowl of soup — and Olive Garden's chicken gnocchi soup definitely checks all those boxes. If you've ever been to Olive Garden, then you've likely dunked a breadstick or two into this creamy soup that always leaves you wanting a little more. Well, what if we told you that you could recreate this soup at home, and better yet, in a quick and easy way? This copycat Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup recipe allows you to do just that, and best of all, it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Recipe developer Christina Musgrave from Tasting with Tina came up with an easy yet timeless take on the Olive Garden favorite. While the ingredients for this recipe are simple, Musgrave does suggest that you use everything as listed and no use substitutes to ensure that you're getting top-quality flavor and balance. So, if you're craving Olive Garden soup but don't feel like making the journey out, create an impeccable copycat version right in your home with this recipe!

The ingredients for this soup are pretty simple and straightforward — in fact, you likely have many of them sitting in your kitchen already! When they all come together, however, they create a decadent soup that will keep you coming back again and again. To get started, you'll need olive oil, onion, celery, carrot, some spices and seasonings, shredded chicken breast, potato gnocchi, chicken stock, half and half, and fresh spinach. Once you gather all your ingredients, you can start prepping some of the vegetables.

Dice your onion, celery, and carrots, and then get a large Dutch oven or soup pot going over medium heat. Add in your olive oil and let that heat up a little, and then toss in your diced veggies along with the salt and pepper. Allow them to sauté for about five minutes — you'll be able to tell that they're cooking as the onion becomes more translucent. 

Once your vegetables have cooked for five minutes, go ahead and add in your garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook for another five minutes. This spice blend will not only add amazing fragrance to the dish, but it will add depth and flavor as well.

Now that your vegetables have had time to cook, you can add the shredded chicken, gnocchi, and chicken stock. Once you get all these ingredients in, you'll want to reduce your heat to low so the soup is just at a nice simmer. Then you'll give the mixture about 10 minutes to simmer, allowing the gnocchi to cook and the soup to thicken up a little bit. You may need to give or take a minute or two from the 10 minutes — you'll know it's ready once the gnocchi is cooked and tender.

Now that your gnocchi is cooked and your soup has thickened up, you'll want to pour in the half and half and add in the spinach. The half and half is what gives this soup its creamy and decadent flavor, whereas the spinach helps add a little bit of freshness. Simply stir the soup until everything is thoroughly mixed and the spinach has wilted. From there, you can take your soup off the heat and prepare to serve!

Once the soup is done cooking, you get to enjoy the best part: eating it! Like any soup, you'll want to enjoy this copycat Olive Garden chicken and gnocchi soup when it's nice and hot. This soup stands on its own, meaning that you could eat it as a meal and be completely satisfied. Of course, Musgrave also notes that it would pair wonderfully with some sort of bread, like breadsticks, or with a side salad.

Because this recipe makes six servings, you may have some leftovers. Fortunately, you can easily store your leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to five days and simply reheat a portion when you please. Though leftovers can be microwaved, Musgrave suggests reheating on a stovetop to ensure that each serving is just as delicious as the last.