Broccoli Cheddar Gnocchi Soup Recipe
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If there's one thing that's certain, it's that as soon as the weather gets cold, it's the perfect time for soup. And nothing is as reliable and comforting on a cold day as this broccoli cheddar gnocchi soup. Broccoli cheddar soup is already a much-loved cold-weather dinner by itself, but adding gnocchi just turns it into something that feels more substantial and sustaining.
As a recipe developer and blogger, I love a meal that actually fills you up without being heavy. This broccoli soup starts with a classic roux, and is thickened with two kinds of cheese — sharp cheddar and smoked Gouda — but the best part is the pillowy gnocchi, which absorb the broth as they cook, making every spoonful more interesting. A touch of spicy chili crisp on top adds crunch, cuts through the richness with a kick of heat, and adds visual interest to the dish.
I make this meal whenever I want an easy 30-minute family-friendly weeknight dinner that still looks put together and makes me feel pampered: One pot, no draining, minimal cleanup, and plenty of vegetables. And I can even meal prep it and freeze it for busy weeks ahead.
Gather the ingredients for broccoli cheddar gnocchi soup
To make this soup, you'll need unsalted butter, a yellow onion, carrots, garlic, all-purpose flour, an affordable dry white wine like a chardonnay or a sauvignon blanc, chicken broth, whole milk, the store-bought potato gnocchi of your choice, broccoli florets, sharp cheddar cheese, smoked Gouda, ground nutmeg, kosher salt, and black pepper. The smoked Gouda does a lot of the heavy lifting here, so don't skip it. For the toppings, I like to use sour cream, more sharp cheddar cheese, fresh chives, and your favorite chili crisp or chili oil. I love the one from Fly by Jing.
Step 1: Cook the onion and carrots
Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.
Step 2: Add the garlic
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 3: Cook the flour
Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
Step 4: Deglaze with wine
Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
Step 5: Add broth and milk
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk, making sure no lumps remain. Bring to a simmer.
Step 6: Add the gnocchi
Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom.
Step 7: Add the broccoli
Add the broccoli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 8: Add the cheeses
Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup cheddar and the smoked Gouda a handful at a time, stirring until fully melted before adding more.
Step 9: Season the soup
Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Step 10: Ladle into bowls and garnish
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of the shredded cheddar and chives, and a drizzle of chili crisp or chili oil.
Step 11: Serve broccoli cheddar gnocchi soup
Serve immediately.
What can I serve with broccoli cheddar soup?
Broccoli Cheddar Gnocchi Soup Recipe
With two kinds of cheese, broccoli, pillowy gnocchi, and a spoonful of chili crisp, this easy broccoli cheddar coup is a perfectly comforting cold-weather meal.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 small carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 pound store-bought potato gnocchi
- 4 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded smoked Gouda
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup sour cream, for serving
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped, for serving
- 2 tablespoons chili crisp or chili oil, for serving
Directions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk, making sure no lumps remain. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the gnocchi and cook according to package instructions, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to the bottom.
- Add the broccoli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 cup cheddar and the smoked Gouda a handful at a time, stirring until fully melted before adding more.
- Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of the shredded cheddar and chives, and a drizzle of chili crisp or chili oil.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 615 |
| Total Fat | 35.6 g |
| Saturated Fat | 17.6 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.2 g |
| Cholesterol | 107.3 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 47.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.1 g |
| Total Sugars | 11.2 g |
| Sodium | 1,124.9 mg |
| Protein | 25.3 g |
What adaptations can you make to this gnocchi soup?
This soup is really flexible, which is one of the things I like most about it. First off, you can even customize it after you cook it. I often add rotisserie chicken to my portion and stir it in, shredded, before reheating, or simply add it in the last 5 minutes of cooking. My husband loves this soup with cooked crumbled sausage or crispy bacon, added at the end for a bit of smokiness that works well with the Gouda. And my kids love it plain, with extra sour cream and no chili crisp.
On the vegetable side, cauliflower goes well alongside the broccoli and adds more creaminess to the soup. Adding a bit of diced butternut squash with the gnocchi also helps boost the soup's nutritional value and adds some sweetness and autumnal color. To make the soup vegetarian, just switch out the chicken broth for vegetable broth.
If you want a thicker soup, puree a portion and stir it back in, which gives you more body without adding more fat. Gruyère also works well in place of the smoked Gouda, if you can't find it or aren't looking for a smoky flavor. Shredding from the block makes the soup more creamy and smooth, so avoid the pre-shredded cheese, which can get a bit grainy.
Can you make this gnocchi soup in the slow cooker?
If you're short on time or want dinner to be handled while you're away at work, this soup can be easily prepped and made in the slow cooker. All you need are a few simple adjustments.
The challenge with cooking this in the slow cooker is that this recipe relies on roux and has a few ingredients that overcook quickly, but it's not impossible to achieve. Start by building the base on the stovetop, cooking the onion, carrots, and garlic. Then, add the flour, wine, broth, and milk. Use slightly less milk and broth than the recipe calls for, because the slow cooker traps steam and doesn't reduce the soup as much. You can even follow the recipe to this point up to a day or two ahead of time, and keep it stored sealed in the refrigerator.
From there, and once ready to cook, transfer everything into the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. In the last 30 minutes, add the gnocchi and broccoli. Add the cheeses at the very end, stirring just until melted. And thus, this broccoli cheddar gnocchi soup becomes a slow-cooker meal.