The first time I tasted Olive Garden’s Chicken Gnocchi Soup, it was during a winter lunch with friends. As the steaming bowl arrived at our table, I was instantly captivated by the aroma of herbs and cream. That first spoonful of pillowy gnocchi and tender chicken swimming in rich, velvety broth was pure comfort in a bowl. I knew immediately I had to recreate this magic at home. You can enjoy the same taste that you can get from the Olive Garden with this easy copycat recipe.
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Why This Homemade Version Beats the Original
This copycat Olive Garden soup elevates the restaurant experience in several key ways:
- Gnocchi Perfection – Cook gnocchi to your ideal tenderness rather than the sometimes overcooked restaurant version
- Superior Chicken Quality – Use freshly roasted chicken instead of pre-processed meat for juicier, more flavorful results
- Customizable Consistency – Control the thickness of your soup for your perfect creamy texture
- Vegetable Freshness – Enjoy vibrant, just-cut vegetables with perfect al dente texture
- Herb Intensity – Adjust seasonings to amp up flavors beyond the sometimes subtle restaurant version
Everyone Loves Chicken and Gnocchi soup
Why does everyone love this recipe? This is one of those chicken soup recipes everyone loves because it is made with tender gnocchi, juicy chicken, fresh carrots and celery, and a perfectly seasoned chicken broth. Make salad and breadsticks to so with this soup.
The Secret to Perfect Chicken Gnocchi Soup
The magic of this recipe lies in creating a silky, flavorful base and ensuring each ingredient maintains its distinct texture while melding harmoniously with the others.
Ingredients
- Butter – Creates a rich foundation and helps form the roux that thickens the soup
- Olive oil – Adds authentic Italian flavor while preventing the butter from burning during sautéing
- White onion – Provides a sweet, aromatic base that’s milder than yellow onions
- Celery – Contributes essential savory notes and subtle texture to the soup
- Fresh garlic – Delivers aromatic depth that’s essential for authentic Italian flavor
- All-purpose flour – Works with butter to create the roux that gives the soup its signature thickness
- Half and half – Creates the creamy, luxurious texture that makes this soup so comforting
- Low-sodium chicken broth – Forms the flavorful foundation while allowing you to control salt levels
- Dried thyme – Adds classic herbal notes that complement chicken perfectly
- Dried parsley flakes – Provide color and fresh flavor balance to the rich base
- Ground nutmeg – Enhances the creamy elements with subtle warmth and complexity
- Shredded carrots – Adds natural sweetness, color, and nutritional value
- Cooked chicken breast – Delivers tender protein chunks throughout the soup
- Potato gnocchi – Creates the signature pillowy texture that makes this soup unique
- Spinach – Contributes fresh color, nutrition, and a slight texture contrast
Should you use store-bought or homemade gnocchi?
Store-bought gnocchi is perfect for this recipe. You can take the extra step in preparing homemade gnocchi, but premade potato gnocchi works well. Gnocchi can be found in a couple of places in your supermarket, and you have options to purchase them.
- Many local stores sell shelf-stable potato gnocchi in the pasta aisles. I have purchased this at Walmart and Kroger, and I have been told that some dollar stores carry gnocchi.
- I have seen fluffy fresh gnocchi sold in the fresh sections of higher-end grocery stores, where you would pick up a prepared meal. Fresh gnocchi has a better texture and is more desirable, but not every grocery store offers it.
- I have even found it available in the grocery store’s frozen section.
Either type of gnocchi will work well. Your family will love this. Have a hard time finding gnocchi? Make your homemade potato gnocchi.
Preparation tips
- 🥄 PREP TIP: Fresh garlic makes a massive difference in flavor
- 🔥 COOKING TIP: Don’t boil after adding cream to prevent curdling
- ⏰ TIME TIP: “Prep vegetables while heating broth
How to make Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi
Making this Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi soup recipe is straightforward. You will find that all of the ingredients are very common in your average grocery store. We think it is easiest if you gather all of your ingredients before you start preparing the soup. This way, you will have everything on hand to get started.
First, you will sauté the vegetables in butter over medium-high heat. Then, add some flour and cook that through. You will then add the half-and-half and chicken broth. Please bring it to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cooked chicken and gnocchi are added to your seasoned broth and vegetables. Adjust your seasoning, and you will be ready to serve this soup in less than an hour.
Customizing this soup for you
Some people want a larger punch of flavor from their soup, so you can add some additional chicken soup base to dial up the flavor. I would add an extra teaspoon or two of chicken base to this to bring up the flavor. While I don’t find adding a soup base too close to the restaurant version, it can add something additional.
Want to add in a few more vegetables? We recommend adding some chopped zucchini; you could also add carrots or spinach.
Can you use a Crockpot for this recipe?
Yes, you can. I like to saute the vegetables first before I prepare the soup. You don’t need to do that if you like.
Place all of the vegetables, except the kale, chicken, seasonings, and stock, into the crockpot. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken, add the remaining ingredients, and cook for another hour.
If the soup is too thin, make a cornstarch slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with two tablespoons of water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the soup, turn the crockpot on high, and stir until the soup has thickened.
How to Store and Reheat Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- 📅Refrigerate any leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- ❄️Freezer – freeze for up to 3 months in an air-tight container
- 🔥Reheat – this creamy soup is best reheated in a large pot on the stove over low heat. This way, the creamy broth won’t break down.
Can you freeze copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup?
Yes, you can freeze this soup. The soup stays well in the freezer for several months when stored in an airtight container. The consistency of the soup will change a bit; if you can, I recommend freezing the soup without the gnocchi and adding gnocchi when you reheat it. The texture of the gnocchi will change after it is frozen. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
What to serve with chicken gnocchi soup
There are so many things you can serve with this soup. You may want to serve the classic Olive Garden Salad; we have found a good old-fashioned Caesar salad that also hits the spot. But when it comes to bread options, you could serve some garlic bread, crusty bread like sourdough bread, or even our copycat Olive Garden bread sticks.
You may want to garnish this soup with cheese. To top the soup, you could use fresh grated Romano or grated Parmesan.
More Olive Garden Copycat Recipes
- Asiago Tortelloni Alfredo with Grilled Chicken
- Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara
- Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
- Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo
- Olive Garden Chicken Scampi
- Olive Garden Dressing
- Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
- Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Olive Garden Salad Recipe
- Zuppa Toscana
Popular Soup Recipes
Love soup? Check out these soup recipes and try one of my great dessert recipes to complete your meal.
Look at more of my copycat Olive Garden recipes to make your favorites at home.
Homemade Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup finely diced onion
- 1/2 cup finely diced celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 quart half-and-half
- 28 ounces chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- 1 cup carrots finely shredded
- 1 cup spinach leaves coarsely chopped
- 1 cup chicken breast cooked, and diced
- 16 ounces package ready-to-use gnocchi
Instructions
- Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion becomes translucent.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in the half-and-half. Simmer until thickened.
- Whisk in the chicken broth. Simmer until thickened again. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, thyme, parsley, nutmeg (if using), shredded carrots, spinach, chicken, and gnocchi.
- Simmer until the soup is heated through. Before serving, season with additional salt, if necessary.
Video
Notes
- You can use leftover roitisserie chicken for extra flavor
- You may want to use less thyme than suggested
- Some gnocchi is very large, you can cut these pieces in half
- You may want to add additional salt to the final soup. This soup does not have a lot of salt in it, especially if you use low-sodium chicken broth
If you scorch the milk it tastes like crab soup and the family still loves it!
I didn’t enjoy this recipe at all
Thank you for letting me know.
This soup is the shit though
It is good soup 😉
It’s pronounced no-key no guh sound
I have heard it said a variety of ways 😉 Thanks for the tip.
I juat finished making the soup exactly as it calls for and right now it tastes a lil grassy…any suggestions???
It sounds like the kale may be what is causing this. You could add a little more salt and see if that helps.
I love this recipe, so does my 5yr old. I use canned chicken when I’m pressed for time. I love to have a crusty loaf of bread warming during the last few minutes of simmering.
I am so happy you and your 5yr old love the soup. I know it can be challenging trying to feed everyone in the family.
I made this soup for the first time today, exactly like the recipe, and it came out great. As soon as I added the nutmeg it smelled AMAZING and I knew it was going to be good. I think the only thing I should have done different was boil my gnocchi with salt rather than plain water- I used refrigerated Wegmans gnocchi and it was pretty bland. Hopefully while the remainder of the soup is in the fridge the gnocchi will pick up more flavor.
I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup. I am sure the gnocchi will pick up more flavor in the fridge.
I made this soup exactly how she did in the video and it was perfect! If nit better than the olive garden!
I am happy to hear the soup turned out so well for you.
I fave found that this recipe goes well with any twist you put on it, we eat it without the chicken and adding in more veggies instead and wow it is very good both ways. The way it is on this site and with most any twist you put with it.
That’s awesome that it works well with any twist you put on it.
Pretty good!
Thanks!
Ashley I hope you try other recipes.
Just made this soup and it came out just like the one in restaurant. Thanks. I am exited to try more recipes.
Let me know what recipe you try next.
Made this last night thank you for the great recipe!
I hope you try more recipes.
I bought frozen gnocchi (all that was available). When do you suggest adding it in so that it doesn’t fall apart, yet gets done?
I would add it in shortly before serving, with enough time to allow it to cook fully if it isn’t already fully cooked.
This is a great recipe. I like it better than the Olive Garden. I make it all the time,but I keep forgetting to buy nutmeg. I don’t use nutmeg so I was wondering how much it would change the taste ?
I imagine it will impact the flavor profile slightly, not dramatically. I don’t think you are going to get a radically different bowl up soup if you add a little nutmeg.
I make this soup at least four times a year…the only thing I change is I am TIRED of chicken…so instead I pan fry some italian sausage and chop up and put it in the soup! OMG soooooo good! I made it for work during our “SOUPer bowl” and it was GONE before 3rd lunch had a chance to try it! Everyone elses soup was still more than half full! Thank you so much! My mom loves it and makes it and I gave some to my neighbor a year ago and she still talks about it! Home today with my son who is sick so made some up! LOVE it! Thanks!
Wow, thank you. I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe. I love it when you hit it out of the park with a recipe.I could see where this would be great with some sausage. I personally would like a lightly smoked sausage in here.
Absolutely delish and easy to follow recipe! Made soup for myself and others and expecting wonderful feedback. Thanks for sharing recipe!
Looks great 😉 Thanks for adding your photo.
Just made this tonight. AWESOME!! I laugh at people saying they want to freeze it because I will definitely eat all of it so there will be nothing left to freeze. =) I made it exactly as listed including the nutmeg. A keeper for sure.
I am happy to hear you enjoyed this soup and even thought it was awesome.
Just tried this out today and it was amazing. Thank you for uploading. Now I don’t have to go to Olive Garden to get my favorite soup. Here is a pic of how it turned out. Thank you.
Oh there is always a reason to go back to the Olive Garden! I am happy you enjoyed the soup.
Absolutely. All their food is good and we usually go there once a month at a minimum. I even learned how to make the Toscana soup from there too.
I love making this recipe. The only thing i do different is I throw everything in my crock pot and let it cook all day. I have 3 little boys so I can not stand at my stove and cook. I have made it for other people that I go to Olive Garden with and they love it to. I also freeze left overs in individual bowls so I can heat up a serving when I want more.
It sounds like you have your hands full. I am happy you enjoy the recipe.
This soup was amazing!! I made it without the chicken and it was still divine! This is one Ill make again and again. Fabulous!
It’s good to know you can make it without the chicken.