Ingredients in Ham & Bean Soup

Ham – I used a ham steak since that’s what I had in the freezer, but this is also a GREAT soup for using up leftover ham from Christmas or Thanksgiving. Just dice up the ham into small pieces (1/4″ to 1/2″ cubes work great!)

Great northern beans – 1 can of any white beans will do. I used great northern. Just make sure to rinse and drain them!

Olive oil – 1 tbsp in the bottom of our pot will start the soup off before adding in the onion.

Yellow onion – use 1 small yellow onion for this soup. If you only have a large one, just use half.

Garlic – can’t have a soup without garlic. I highly recommend sticking to fresh garlic here, not powder!

Thyme & oregano – these spices will add depth of flavor to the soup. Yum!

Celery – just a little bit of celery (2 stalks) is all you’ll need. Chop it finely, unless you like large chunks of celery.

Carrots – I love carrots so I used 2 whole carrots in this recipe. If you want the ham and beans to shine more, can you use less carrots.

Flour – This will coat the veggies and start creating the creaminess you want in ham and bean soup!

Chicken broth – 4 cups will be needed.

Salt and white pepper – use both to taste.

Fresh Parsley and bay leaf – both add extra flavor! You can omit if you don’t have any, but I highly recommend.

Sour cream – we’ll finish off the soup with sour cream to get the perfect creaminess! You can also use cream cheese instead if that’s what you have.

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Serving and Storage

When you serve ham and bean soup, there are a variety of sides you can serve it with. To go extra simple, toast up some sourdough bread. Or check out all these ham and bean soup side ideas.

This ham and bean soup is so delicious, I doubt you’ll have any leftover. But just in case you do…

Simply put the leftovers in a container and keep them in the fridge. I don’t recommend storing this soup in the freezer; the sour cream and flour won’t defrost and reheat well.

How to Make Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

Like I mentioned, creamy ham and bean soup is very quick to make. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Chop Veggies & Ham

Before beginning, chop up your carrots, onion, celery, and ham. You want to do this first so you can add everything in at just the right time!

Step 2: Heat Olive Oil and Cook Onion

Put your 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pot and let it heat up. When you can flick it with water and it sizzles, you know the oil is hot!

Simply add in your chopped onion and let it cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes.

Step 3: Add More Aromatics

Next, it is time to add more aromatics to the pot. These are the ingredients that will “bloom” wonderfully and become fragrant when coming in contact with heat and oil.

So go ahead and add your minced garlic, thyme, and oregano here.

Step 4: Add Veggies and Flour

Next up, grab your carrots and celery! Let them saute for a minute or two, then add the flour.

Stir the flour in well and let it coat the veggies.

Step 5: Add Everything Else and Bring to Boil

Now it is finally time to add the main ingredients!

Pour in the chicken broth, and add the ham, beans, parsley, and bay leaf.

Bring everything to a boil (this may take a few minutes!) Then, reduce the heat so that the soup can simmer.

Simmer, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes

Step 6: Remove Herbs & Add Dairy

Once the soup is done simmering, remove the bay leaf and parsley.

Take the pot off the heat, and stir in the sour cream or cream cheese.

Season with more salt and white pepper if desired – then serve and enjoy!

More Soup Recipes to Try:

• Sausauge Gnocchi Soup
• 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
• Creamy Tomato Corn Soup

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Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

The epitome of comfort food: reamy ham and bean soup, packed with flavor! This soup is perfect for using up leftover Christmas ham, or a ham steak you have in the freezer. It comes together in less than an hour!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 300kcal

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 ham skeak, cut into 1/4-1/2u0022 cubes (or about 1 cup chopped or shredded leftover ham)
• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Instructions

• Before starting, chop all vegetables and dice ham so they’re ready to go.
• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a 4-5 quart pot or dutch oven. Once oil is hot, add onion and cook until soft, 4-5 minutes.
• Add garlic, thyme, and oregano; cook for another minute,
• Add chopped celery and carrots and saute for 2-3 minutes. Coat the veggies with the flour and stir well. Cook another minute.
• Add chicken broth, beans, ham, bay leaf, and parsley. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp white pepper.
• Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, or to a simmer.
• Simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Remove bay leaf and parsley.
• Remove the pot from the heat and stir in sour cream or cream cheese.
• Serve and enjoy!

Notes

• You can use literally any ham for this recipe! Ham steak is great when you need a quick meal and you haven’t made a whole ham lately. However, if you have leftover ham from Christmas dinner, that works great too!
• This soup is a little lighter on beans. If you like more beans in your ham and bean soup, feel free to add another can. This can help thicken the soup a bit more too (especially if you smash some of the beans against the side of the pot!)
• Either sour cream or cream cheese will work for this recipe. I only used 1/4 cup, but you can add more to your liking if you want a creamier soup! You can also omit it all together if you want a dairy-free soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Conclusion

Creamy ham and bean soup is the perfect day-after-Christmas recipe. You can use up your leftover ham without much fuss at all! I hope you and your family love this soup recipe as much as I loved creating it!

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This tomato corn soup recipe came about when I was desperately trying to use up leftover ingredients in my kitchen. That’s why you’ll find some of the ingredients in “partial” form—like 2 tbsp marinara sauce, and 2 tbsp cream cheese.

If you don’t have an opened jar of marinara, you can simply leave this out of the soup. This recipe is designed to be flexible to the ingredients in your pantry, so do what works best for you! I’ve included lots of possible substitutions in the ingredients below.

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Ingredients

Olive oil – you can use any neutral cooking oil you have on hand.

Yellow onion – you’ll need one small to medium onion. I’ve also made this soup using shallots because I didn’t have any onions on hand. If you go for this option, add a 1/2 tsp of onion powder too.

Spices – a mix of thmye, herbs de provence and smoked paprika are the perfect mix of flavors for this soup!

Garlic – fresh garlic is always better, but if you don’t have any you can sub garlic powder.

Russet Potatoes – I used 3 large russet potatoes, but use whatever you have on hand.

Plum tomatoes – Likewise, these are the tomatoes I had on hand, but other kinds of tomatoes will work too. If they are roma or larger tomatoes, cut them up into chunks before adding.

Canadian bacon – You can use any type of ham product! I like canadian bacon because it is thicker than lunch meat but thinner than ham steak. However, you can make any leftover ham you have work!

Flour – Adding a few tbsp of flour thickens the soup into a chowder-like consistency. If you prefer this soup to be gluten free, omit the flour or use a gluten free blend.

Chicken broth – You can also use vegetable broth.

Parmesan rind – This is optional but I highly recommend! Simmered with the soup, the rind will add loads of rich flavor.

Fresh herbs – Fresh thyme and parsley in a bouquet garni will add subtle flavors. This can be omited if necessary, but if you have the herbs on hand go for it!

Jarred marinara – Adding just a few tbsp will add a little extra acidity and tomato flavor to the soup. If you don’t have an open jar, you can use more tomatoes, sub tomato sauce, or omit it altogether.

Frozen roasted corn – The corn will be added at the end. It adds a nice sweetness to the soup and complements the other flavors.

Cream cheese – I added just 2 tbsp for a bit of added thickness and creaminess. Feel free to add more or less to your desired consistency and flavor.

Sugar – At the end, you’ll want to taste the soup and see if it needs any extra sweetness.

Serving & Storage

This creamy fresh tomato soup will last for a few days if stored in the fridge in an airtight container. To reheat it, simply put the soup in a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until warm.

I do not recommend freezing this soup, since flour and cream cheese do not freeze well. If you want to make this as a meal-prep soup, omit these two ingredients. After defrosted, heat the soup on the stove. You can make a slurry with some flour and the broth to thicken it. Add cream cheese off the heat.

How to Make Tomato Corn Soup

Making this soup at home is not hard to do! This is a one-pot meal, so even though there are a lot of steps, everything goes into the same exact pot!

Step 1:

Take your sprigs of fresh parsley and thyme and tie them together with kitchen twine. Set aside with one bay leaf.

Step 2:

Heat oil in a pot. Once hot, add your aromatics – shallots or onion. Once these are softened, add garlic. Once fragrant, add spices. Cook for a few minutes to let the spices bloom.

Step 3:

Add sliced tomatoes to the pot and cook until tomatoes start to shrivel and release their juices.

Step 4:

Add canadian bacon, diced potatoes, and flour. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the ham starts to brown.

Step 5:

Next, add the chicken broth, parmesan rind, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil on high. Cover, and keep the soup on a low boil while letting the potatoes cook for about 15 minutes.

Step 6:

Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the marinara sauce, frozen corn, and sugar if needed. This is where you want to taste your soup and adjust any flavors! Add sugar if it needs more sweetness. Add more marinara or tomato sauce if it needs more acidity. And don’t forget to check for salt levels too!

Step 7:

Let the soup continue to simmer for 10-15 minutes so all the flavors meld together. Meanwhile, make the crostinis: combine the butter, olive oil, and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Cut the bread into strips – about 3 per slice. Use a butter knife to spread the butter-herb mixture over the bread. Air fry at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes (or use your desired method for toasting bread).

Step 8:

Prepare the garnish: dice up some extra canadian bacon or lunch meat ham and cook in a little butter until crispy. Set aside with extra parsley and parmesan cheese. Note: garnish is optional, but it is delicious!

Step 9:

After the soup is done simmering, remove the parmsean rind and bouquet garni. Whisk in the softened cream cheese until fully combined (if it looks lumpy, just keep whisking! I promise it will combine!)

Serve up the soup with the garnish and enjoy!

More Soup Recipes to Try:

• Sausauge Gnocchi Soup
• 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
• Creamy Ham and Bean Soup

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Creamy Tomato Corn Soup

Fresh tomatoes meet corn and aromatic spices in this delicious tomato corn soup recipe! Luciously creamy and full of flavor, this soup has the inviting aroma of Fall, all while using up leftover ingredients you already have in your pantry.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small or medium yellow onion,
• 3 large cloves garlic,
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp herbs de provence
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 large russet potatoes,
• 25-30 plum tomatoes,
• 4 oz of canadian bacon or ham,
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 frozen or fresh parmesan rind
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf
• 2 spoonfuls jarred marinara sauce
• 1-2 tsp sugar
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• Grated parmesan cheese

Crostini

• 3 slices of bread
• 1-1.5 tbsp softened butter
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 3 sprigs fresh parsley + 2 sprigs fresh thyme,
• 1 garlic clove,

Instructions

• Gather your fresh parsley and thyme sprigs and tie together with kitchen twine to form a bouquet garni. Set aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven. Once oil is hot, add chopped onions. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook until aromatic, 1-2 minutes.
• Add dried thyme, herbs de provence, salt, and smoked paprika. Allow spices to bloom for a few minutes until fragrant.
• Add the sliced tomatoes to the pot and cook until the tomatoes start to shrivel and release their juices.
• Add canadian bacon/ham, diced potatoes and flour to the pot. Stir well and cook for 3-4 more minutes, or until the ham begins browning.
• Next, add the chicken broth, parmesan rind, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil on high. Cover, and keep the soup on a low boil for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Once the potatoes are done, add the marinara sauce, frozen corn, and sugar (if needed – see note). Taste and adjust salt and sugar levels.
• Let the soup simmer on low for 10-15 minutes longer to let all the flavors meld together.
• While the soup is simmering, make the crostinis: combine the butter, olive oil, and fresh herbs in a small bowl. Cut the bread into strips – about 3 per slice. Use a butter knife to spread the butter-herb mixture over the bread. Air fry at 350 degrees for about 6-8 minutes (or use your desired method for toasting bread).
• For the garnish (optional): dice up some extra canadian bacon or ham and cook in a little butter until crispy. Set aside with extra parsley and parmesan cheese.
• Back to the soup: after simmering is done, remove the parmesan rind and bouquet garni. Whisk in the softened cream cheese or sour cream until fully combined (if it looks lumpy, just keep whisking! I promise it will combine!)
• Serve soup in bowls topped with garnishes, and crostinis on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

• Note on the Sugar: taste the soup after adding the marinara, before adding sugar in. If the marinara sauce you’re using is on the sweet side, you may not need as much (or any) sugar. Personally, the soup tasted a little too acidic so I added in sugar. As long as you taste before adding, you won’t end up with a soup that is too sweet.
• The parmesan rind adds a lot of flavor to this soup. I highly recommend this step! I always freeze mine when I finish a wedge of parm, but if you don’t have one in the freezer, you can cut the rind off of a fresh rind. Just keep an eye on the soup while it is simmering. The rind will start to melt down into the soup. You don’t want big lumps of parmesan. If it seems like it is separating too much, you can remove it from the pot early.
• Use any kind of ham you have on hand! I’ve tried both canadian bacon and lunch meat and they both taste great. You can also try ham steak, leftover holiday ham, etc.
• If you don’t have an open jar of marinara, you can use extra fresh tomatoes, or sub tomato sauce.
• Store this soup in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not freeze unless you omit the flour and cream cheese (add after defrosting instead. Make a slurry with the flour, and add cream cheese off the heat). 

Conclusion

Tomato corn soup is a delicious comfort food for a Fall or winter afternoon. Use up fresh tomatoes and leftover marinara sauce in a jiffy with this recipe! Or sub ingredients you have in your own pantry. I hope you enjoy this recipe – I had a blast creating it!

The post Creamy Tomato Corn Soup (With Garlic-Herb Bread!) appeared first on .

Generally, when pork begins to go bad, it emits a sour stench that deepens and intensifies over time. Raw pork will also change color and feel slimy to the touch. Cooked pork left in a warm area overnight will not show any signs of having gone bad but will most likely make you sick when consumed.

Many cuts of a pig are as lean as and sometimes even leaner than chicken, and they include more vitamins and minerals than poultry. For instance, skinless chicken breast and pork tenderloin are both equally lean types of meat. If you regularly consume pork, your senses, like taste, smell, and eyesight, will accurately alert you if the pork has gone bad.

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How To Tell If Pork Is Bad

One of the most obvious ways you can tell pork has gone bad is when you feel sick soon after consuming it. However, the goal is to recognize some common signs of bad pork before it gets to that. There shouldn’t be much to smell to fresh pork. Pork should be thrown away if it has any sour, weird, or ammonia-like odors.

Vacuum-packed pork deviates from this rule. Although it has a slight odor, it should go away when the meat is rinsed under cold water. Interestingly enough, there are several ways one can tell when pork has gone bad when it is raw, frozen, cooked and left out, cooked and refrigerated, and cooked and frozen.

Sign #1: Raw Pork Changes Color

When it comes to uncooked pork, there will be several indications that it is no longer fit for consumption. You will notice the pork changing from the well-known pinkish color to grey and, even worse, a greenish tint.

Sign #2: Raw Pork Has Slimy Texture

When you touch the pork, the surface’s texture will have slime or be sticky. The feel of the slimy texture is somewhat similar to that of the slime of snails.

Sign #3: Raw Pork Has An Ammonia-Like Smell

Another screaming indication that pork has gone bad is when the odor changes from the typical meat smell to sour and then downright objectionable.

These are the consequences of spoilage microorganisms, which are difficult to overlook. Bacterial and parasite diseases are still present, but spoiling organisms multiply quickly, even if the meat is at refrigerator temperatures.

Check for strange smells on other meat products too, like ground turkey or chicken broth.

Sign #4: Cooked Pork Will Have A Sour Odor

Unlike raw pork, where you can immediately tell that something is off from the get-go, it’s a little more complicated if you look at thoroughly cooked pork. How it was cooked does not necessarily matter. Suppose you did not notice that the pork you cooked was already well on its way to being bad. In that case, the signs are different.

Although the general thought process is that cooked meat is free of organisms that can spoil it, that isn’t the case. Other rotting organisms will survive cooking temperatures; others will be introduced by handling since cooking.

What you can do to confirm whether or not cooked pork is bad is to smell it. Cooked pork will often not have the same immediate physical changes. However, you can expect there to be a specific odor. If there is a sour odor, then your pork has gone bad.

Note that it may be harder to detect a bad smell in stronger, flavored pork sausage, so be extra careful with this kind of pork!

Sign #5: Unrefrigerated Pork Will Make You Sick When Eaten

Apart from being able to tell how cooked pork is bad when it was rotten before being cooked, you will also need to be able to tell if pork that was good and has been cooked is still good. That is, if it is left unrefrigerated.

If the pork has been subjected to temperature mistreatment after cooking, for example, after cooking the pork, you forget to place it in the fridge and simply leave it in the pot in a kitchen that is warm overnight. There may be no noticeable alterations.

You might not notice anything different for some time when pathogenic organisms, which are disease-producing, increase as opposed to rotting organisms. Salmonella could be there to cause illness well before changes become apparent.

Furthermore, specific pathogens like Trichinella should be eliminated during cooking. Unfortunately, sometimes people are in a hurry or simply unaware of how long certain meat needs to be cooked. Therefore, the time taken to cook the pork could have been insufficient.

Related: how to tell if broccoli is bad

More Questions About What Makes Pork Go Bad

What makes pork go bad?

Pigs are better for the environment since they emit far fewer greenhouse gases. Compared to a variety of meats and poultry, pork performs well in terms of fat, cholesterol, and calories. However, even with all those benefits, it still isn’t immune to going bad. So, what makes pork go bad?

Essentially, bacteria make pork go bad. Bacteria tend to grow exponentially in any meat that is in the danger zone temperature-wise. This would be 40 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. To ensure that bacteria do not have a chance to take residence on your pork, ensure that it is kept cold. That way, it will not go bad.

Can you cook pork even when it has gone bad?

Yes, you can choose to cook pork once it has gone bad, but the question is, is it safe? Some people think they can still cook or even recook spoiled pork. The answer is that the damage has already been done as there is a bunch of bacteria.

When the pork smells bad, it’s time to throw it out. If you attempt to cook spoiled pork, it will only intensify the foul flavor and odor. To evaluate whether something is safe to consume, use your sense of smell, which evolution has refined over many millennia. If it smells nasty, it probably is.

Remember to check the use-by or sell-by dates at all times. Prior to purchasing or preparing pork, verify the package date. Prepare or freeze pork by its use-by date if one is listed. Cook or freeze pork loin, ribs, steaks, or chops within 3-5 days of purchase if no sell-by date is specified. Pork that has passed its use-by or sell-by date should not be consumed unless it had been properly frozen prior to that time.

How does bad pork apply to frozen pork?

Suppose you have pork sitting in the freezer for several months and even years. Whether your pork is rotten will primarily rely on how it was before it was frozen. Bacterial growth is significantly slowed but not entirely stopped by freezing.

Generally, you can eat it if it wasn’t significantly infected before freezing. However, don’t eat anything that tastes or smells terrible. The taste and texture of the meat undoubtedly deteriorate, and the meat’s quality also does.

As mentioned above, bad pork can be easy to see. So the signs will be noticeable when it defrosts or is finished cooking. The best thing to do for raw meat is to use your nose to see if there are any unusual smells. You’ll want to also use your eyes to check out any color changes, and lastly, touch the pork to ensure that there is no slimy texture.

Conclusion

There are so many different cuts of pork to enjoy at home – pork chops, loin, ribs, etc.! But sometimes you get a bad apple, or maybe you let your pork sit in the fridge too long. Make sure to examine the smell & appearance before cooking the pork to ensure you don’t get sick from it!

Further Reading:

• How to Tell if Mangoes Are Bad
• 6 Signs Your Watermelon Has Gone Bad
• How to Tell if a Lemon is Bad
• How to Tell if Spinach is Bad
• How to Tell if Cabbage is Bad

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If you’re anything like me, you only go to Olive Garden for the soup and salad. They have both the Zuppa Toscana, as well as the Chicken and Gnocchi soup. The only problem is that I can never decide which one I like more. Not that it’s really a problem, because they do have the bottomless soup option. So I usually alternate between flavors. One of each does the trick.

However, I got to thinking. What if I could take the spice from Zuppa Toscana and the creamy goodness of the Chicken and Gnocchi to make a single soup? What if I could have a spoonful of soup full of flavor and gnocchi? What if I never had a single bite of slightly dry chicken or too much potato?

Of course, I made it happen.

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Compared to a traditional Zuppa Toscana, we’ll basically just substitute the potatoes for potato gnocchi and add cream and call it good.

Like most of my recipes, this begins by browning the meat in a skillet (or a big pot, to save on dishes) and adding the veggies to saute.

You’ll bring the liquids to a boil, add the gnocchi, and then throw in the rest of the ingredients.

My boyfriend greatly looks forward to this soup every time Fall comes around. We are always looking for new Fall soup recipes, Fall coffee recipes, and more (can you tell Fall is my favorite season?)

Sausage Gnocchi Soup Ingredients

So let’s take a closer look at what you’ll need to make this yummy soup:

Pork Sausage – I recommend using a premium pork sausage. I used the “regular” kind in terms of heat. If you like spicy, feel free to go with the hot variety! OR, you can also use italian sausage if you prefer that flavor.

Gnocchi – Obviously you’ll need some gnocchi! Make sure to get the standard potato gnocchi. You can use either the frozen kind OR the kind that comes packaged in the pasta aisle. If you go with the latter kind, I’ve found I really like the De Cecco brand!

Onion – I’ve tested this recipe with both white & yellow onion and both times it turned out great!

Garlic – You can use anywhere between 2 and 3 tbsp. I personally think that 2 tbsp is the perfect amount, but if you’re a real garlic lover you can use more.

Heavy Cream – this will give the soup it’s rich and creamy consistency. You can use anything marketed as “heavy cream” OR “heavy whipping cream”!

Chicken Broth – every good soup needs broth of some kind! You can use homemade stock for a deeper flavor complex, or simply a package of store bought broth.

Bacon Bits – I just cooked up 4-5 slices of bacon and crumbled them into bite sized pieces. You definitely want to use the real deal bacon for this recipe! You can’t beat the flavor it adds.

Spinach – while we’re filling this soup with high calorie ingredients, we gotta offset it with something healthy! LOL. The spinach, added at the last minute, really does add a nice touch. I highly recommend using fresh spinach.

How to Make Sausage Gnocchi Soup

It’s really not too hard to make your own sausage gnocchi soup at home! Here are the steps you’ll want to follow:

Step 1:

Brown the sausage in a large pan. Add olive oil, onions, and garlic and cook for a few minutes until the onions are transluscent.

Step 2:

Take the meat and veggie mixture out of the pan and set aside. Next, add the cream and chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a boil. Cook the gnocci in the boiling liquid until done (always check the directions on your package to see how long to cook!) Then, add the meat mixture back to the pot.

Step 3:

Add in the bacon bits and spinach. Stir to combine until the spinach wilts; then serve immediately with garlic bread and a fresh salad!

More Tips:

This soup can be a bit delicate to get just right because of the gnocchi. Here are some more tips that may help.

• If you have a bit more time and want the flavors to “marry” and get stronger for LONGER than 30 minutes, you may not want to add the gnocchi right away. Let the meat and veggies simmer in the liquid until you’re ready to eat. Then add the gnocchi right before serving. This will ensure you don’t end up with mushy mess of gnocchi!
• You can also cook the gnocchi as the recipe describes, but simply strain it out and store in a sealed container in the fridge until you’re ready to eat. Then simply add back into the pot to heat it up!
• Just to be clear, the gnocchi is okay to simmer for a bit in the liquid, but the longer it stays in there, the mushier it gets. That’s why the recipe calls for a short simmering time. Follow the tips above if you want to simmer for even longer.

Ready to print this recipe and add it to your recipe book? See below!

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Sausauge Gnocchi Soup

Sausage Gnocchi Soup is a delicious comfort food perfect for a cold winter's day. Packed with flavor, this creamy soup recipe combines two favorite Olive Garden dishes into ONE: Zuppa Toscana Chicken Gnocchi! It really is a brilliant combination!

Course Meals

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 500kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground sausage
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb gnocchi
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup real bacon bits

Instructions

• In a large soup pot, brown the sausage.
• Add the olive oil to the sausage. Add the garlic and onions. Saute until the onions are translucent, then transfer to a separate bowl.
• In the same pot, add the chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil.
• Once the liquid is boiling, add gnocchi and cook. Follow the directions on the package to ensure proper cooking time. (Mine called for 2 minutes).
• Add the meat and vegetable mixture back to the pot. Cover and simmer the soup for 20-30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.
• Add the spinach and bacon bits. Allow them just enough time to heat up (about five minutes).
• Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

• Make sure to brown the meat and saute the veggies in the same pot you boil the liquid. That’s a great way to save a dish AND keep all the flavors from the sausage!
• You can use mild sausage or hot sausage. The leftovers will have a stronger spice the longer they sit. The leftovers with the mild sausage had more heat than they did the first time I served it. I tried the recipe again with hot sausage and it was delicious, but the leftovers had a little bit too much heat. This is the kind of dish that the flavors will grow stronger with time!
• The fresher the gnocchi, the better. Frozen will probably be a little bit fresher than preserved in the pasta aisle. Although, I found the De Cecco brand from the pasta aisle to be good too!
• If you have longer than 30 minutes, simmer for an extended time so that the flavors have a longer time to marry each other.
• If you are short on time, you can also skip the simmering and just add the bacon and spinach right after cooking the gnocchi.
• Leftovers can be stored for a few days in the fridge and reheated in the microwave or on the stove. The sooner you eat this soup, the better, so that the gnocchi don’t get too mushy.

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal

FAQ

Before we finish, I thought I would answer a few common questions I see about gnocchi in general, as well as in this recipe.

What is the difference between gnocchi and pasta?

While gnocchi may be often served like pasta, it is actually more like a dumpling than a pasta. It is is made from potatoes, flour, and eggs. Wherease, pasta is made from flour and water.

What are the types of gnocchi?

They are actually quite a few varieties of gnocchi! The most common by far is classic potato gnocchi. However, you can also buy pumpkin gnocchi, cauliflower gnocchi, bread gnocchi, and more.

Can I use homemade gnocchi in this recipe?

If you are adventurous and try making homemade gnocchi, you can certainly try it in this recipe. Just be careful of overcooking it.

How do I make this recipe ahead?

If you are looking to have leftovers of this recipe, there are 2 ways you can do it.

1. Make the soup as usual but leave out the gnocchi. Boil it separately when you are ready to eat, then add to the soup.
2. Make the soup as is including the gnocchi. After the gnocchi is cooked through, strain it out and put in a sealed container until ready to eat. Then, simply add into the soup when heating it up.

Can I use spicy sausage in this recipe?

Yes, if you like the spicy variety, feel free to use it!

More Recipes to Try:

• 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
• Cast Iron Glazed Carrots
• Yummy Cast Iron Asparagus
• Pot Roast Side Dishes

Conclusion

Sausage Gnocchi Soup is a delicious comfort food and a new family favorite. It is in my boyfriend’s list of top favorite recipes! The salty, flavorful sausage pairs so well with the crispy bacon and soft gnocchi. So now it’s your turn—make your own batch of sausage gnocchi soup and let me know what you think!

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