Hey YOU!! Welcome to my very first ever blog post!!! I am beyond excited to be writing this right now, knowing someone awesome like you might read it! This blog has been my passion project over the last 8ish months. Thanks to Covid I had a lot of time on my hands to create recipes, take too many photos of food & try and learn the ins & outs of blogging and editing. There is still so much to learn but I am beyond excited to finally share a recipe! Without further ado let’s jump into it!
Trying to decide which recipe to share with you first was proving to be a tough choice until I realized this blog would be launching in the fall. What food screams fall more than a creamy, hearty soup am I right?! This easy & oh-so-filling Creamy Gnocchi & Sausage soup is inspired by my college days when I’ll admit I visited Olive Garden one too many times. I was obsessed with their Zuppa Toscana Soup, it was a little spicy, a whole lot of cream, and definitely not vegan. It’s been a few years since my last visit to the Olive Garden but my love for creamy (& a little spicy) soups lives on!
Let’s talk Creamy Gnocchi & Sausage soup
This soup gets its creamy & rich texture from unsweetened coconut milk & cashews. If you don’t have a high-powered blender such as a Vitamix you may want to soak your cashews in hot water for 20 minutes before blending. This helps get a nice smooth texture. If you have an allergy to cashews skip them and use full-fat unsweetened coconut milk instead. Cornstarch helps bring it all together by thickening the soup up a bit. You can totally skip the cornstarch if thick soups aren’t your jam.
If you don’t like things spicy opt for mild Italian Beyond Meat sausages instead of the hot Italian sausages. Reduce or do away with the crushed red pepper to adjust the spice further. Your girl likes things HOT & SPICY but not everyone is a fan of the heat! I opted for spinach but you can definitely sub for something else like kale if you prefer!
Cheers to cozy soup weather! If you give this soup a try I’d love to know! Drop some love in the comments below or share the recipe with a friend.
Creamy Gnocchi & Sausage Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or your preferred oil)
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 cup) diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 links Beyond Meat hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (less or none if you don't like it spicy)
- 6 – 8 sprigs fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme if you prefer)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 4 + 1/3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 cups spinach
- 1 package (400 g) gnocchi (gluten free if needed such as Garofalo potato & rice flour gnocchi)
Cashew Coconut Cream
- 1 (15 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup cashews
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Heat a large pot on medium high heat and add oil when the pot is hot. Add diced onion to the pot and cook until fragrant and translucent about 4 – 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add the Beyond Meat sausage (casings removed) and crushed red pepper to the pot. Cook, breaking apart the sausage with a wooden spoon until sausage is lightly browned about 6 – 8 minutes.
- Add fresh thyme sprigs, oregano & dried parsley. Stir to combine. Cook an additional minute before adding 4 cups of the vegetable broth and the bay leaf to the pot. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer.
- Blend unsweetened coconut milk, cashews and nutritional yeast on high for 1 minute. Once blended add the creamy mixture to the soup. Bring to a boil and then simmer on medium heat for 5 – 6 minutes.
- Add cornstarch and remaining 1/3 cup vegetable broth to a small bowl. Whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Add to soup. Simmer soup on medium heat for an additional 2 minutes until soup thickens. Remove thyme sprigs & bay leaf.
- Now that your soup is thick and creamy add the gnocchi and simmer over medium heat until gnocchi is just about fork tender – 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste then remove from heat & stir in spinach, mixing until wilted. Serve topped with your favourite vegan parmesan. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you don’t have a high powered blender, for best results soak your cashews in hot water for 20 minutes before blending.
- If you have an allergy to cashews skip them entirely & use full fat unsweetened coconut milk.
- If you would rather dial down the heat opt for mild Italian Beyond Meat sausages rather than hot Italian. You can also reduce or eliminate the crushed red pepper.
- Not a fan of spinach? Try kale!
So excited to try this! Looks amazing 🤤
Thanks Jenna!! 😉
Ouuuu I’m obsessed with this blog already! Gimme more!
ahhh thanks for the love!!
I’ll be making this ASAP!
Yay! Let me know what you think!
This soup is not only tasty but quitwe fast to make!
Glad you liked it mom!! 🙂
Wow!!!! Sounds so delish and food is definitely my thing, love to cook and try new recipes. Will follow you anywhere you take me in the world of food. Bravo my plant powered foodie. Will try for sure.😊
Thank you! Nothing better than the results of time spent in the kitchen!! Glad you are going to follow along, hope you like the soup!!
Couldn’t stop thinking about this recipe since I’ve seen it on IG.
Made this afternoon, and it’s a HIT !
My boyfriend is super picky and he loved it !
It’s so easy to make and so delicious !
YAY!! Made my day reading this, so glad you liked it!!
Hope you are doing well Katie! Cheers!
Made this with chorizo sausage. Excellent!!
Awesome!! So happy you gave it a try. Thanks Lee <3
LOVE this soup!! I do not normally eat anything vegan but I gave the recipe a try with the vegan sausage and I can’t tell a difference the vegan and normal sausage. Definitely will be making this again.
Thanks for the support bestie!! Super pumped you tried it with the vegan sausage!! Beyond Meat sausage for the WIN!!
Meat and potatoes guy here ,all you folks out there want to eat better gives this soup a try it’s awesome !!
You rock!! Thank you for trying it 🙂
Absolutely obsessed with this gnocchi soup!! WOW!
This soup turned out incredible! So delicious, creamy and comforting. Make it asap before the hot summer months starts – you don’t want to miss out on this one.
this soup is spot on! so incredibly delicious!
so tasty and filling, I skip the sausages because we don’t have them but I love this gnocchi recipe.
A perfect recipe to make for your non vegan friends and family, because they won’t even be able to tell it’s vegan, so good!
wow! i’m obssessed with this recipe. i can’t believe how creamy it is!!
This is so hearty and delicious. Real comfort food soup