Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Gnocchi is a rich, creamy, and comforting twist on classic broccoli cheese soup — made even heartier with soft, pillowy gnocchi! This one-pot wonder is easy, delicious, and perfect for keeping cozy all season long.

broccoli and cheese soup recipe with gnocchi

5-Star Review

“2024 Thanksgiving meal! This was so delicious and a huge hit with my husband!” -Angela

Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Gnocchi

If you like gnocchi soup like—Olive Garden copycat Chicken Gnocchi Soup— you’ll adore this recipe! It’s a rich, cheesy blend of cheddar, broccoli, hearty veggies, and soft gnocchi. Made with simple ingredients, this cozy, flavorful soup is perfect for chilly nights!

Recipe Card

Broccoli and Cheese Soup with Gnocchi

4.67 from 56 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Becky Hardin
Broccoli and Cheese Soup is a winter time favorite, but we're taking it up a notch by adding gnocchi into the mix! This cheesy broccoli gnocchi soup is so easy and so delicious. It'll warm you right up all season long!
Broccoli and Cheese Soup with gnocchi is a cozy, cheesy delight! This one-pot soup is easy, delicious, and perfect for warming you up all season long. It’s my favorite hearty twist on classic broccoli cheese soup!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 head broccoli cut into bite-size florets
  • 2 pounds gnocchi
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • ½ small fennel diced, optional
  • 2 medium cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • cups unsalted chicken broth or vegetable broth
  • ¼ cup medium-dry white wine a nice drinking wine
  • cups half-and-half
  • 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions 

Blanch the broccoli

  • To blanch the broccoli, fill a large saucepan 2/3 the way full with water. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. While the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice water.
    Once the water boils, add the prepared broccoli florets and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes once the water returns to a boil.
    1 head broccoli
    boiling broccoli florets in hot water and taking them out.
  • Transfer the broccoli to the ice water to stop the cooking and let cool for 1 minute. Pour the broccoli/water through a strainer and set the broccoli aside until ready to use.
    broccoli in ice water bath

Prepare the gnocchi

  • Using the same saucepan, cook the gnocchi (without salt) per package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
    2 pounds gnocchi
    cooking gnocchi as per instructions

Preparation for soup

  • Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add butter and oil and heat until butter foams.
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Add onion, carrots, and fennel. Cook for 4 minutes or until slightly softened. Keep stirring occasionally.
    1 medium yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, ½ small fennel
    cooking chopped vegetables in butter-oil mix.
  • Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Stirring often.
    2 medium cloves garlic
  • Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir. Cook, stirring often, until mixture begins to brown on the bottom of the Dutch oven.
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • Gradually pour in the chicken broth while deglazing the bottom of the pan.
    2½ cups unsalted chicken broth
    pour chicken stock gradually while deglazing the pan
  • Add the blanched broccoli and stir.
    add blanched broccoli and stir
  • Whisk in the wine and half-and-half, mixing until well incorporated.
    ¼ cup medium-dry white wine, 2½ cups half-and-half
    add white wine and cream.
  • Add the red pepper flakes and bay leaf.
    1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 1 bay leaf
  • Increase the heat to medium and bring the soup just to a boil, stirring often.
    Reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables soften.
  • After the vegetables have softened, add the cooked gnocchi, stir gently.
    adding cooked gnocchi and stirring
  • Remove the soup from the heat and discard bay leaf. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts.
    12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Taste the soup and, if necessary, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with baguette slices.
    Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Calories: 731kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 28gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 985mgPotassium: 690mgFiber: 7gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5025IUVitamin C: 94.1mgCalcium: 609mgIron: 7.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

How to Make Broccoli and Cheese Gnocchi Soup Step by Step

boiling broccoli florets in hot water and taking them out.
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Blanch the broccoli: To begin, cut the 1 head broccoli into bite-sized florets. Fill a large saucepan 2/3 way full with water. Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. While the water comes to a boil, fill a large bowl with ice water and keep it ready.

Once the water boils, add the prepared broccoli florets and bring the water back to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes once the water returns to a boil.

broccoli in ice water bath

Transfer the broccoli to the ice water to stop the cooking and let it cool for 1 minute. Pour the broccoli/water through a strainer and set the broccoli aside until ready to use.

cooking gnocchi as per instructions

Prepare the gnocchi per instructions: Using the same saucepan, cook the 2 pounds Gnocchi (without salt) per package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.

cooking chopped vegetables in butter-oil mix.

Prepare the soup: Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Then add in 1 medium diced yellow onion, 2 medium diced carrots and ½ small diced fennel. Cook for 4 minutes.

Add in 2 medium minced garlic cloves and cook another 30 seconds.

sprinkle the flour and cook until brown

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the vegetables, then cook until the mixture starts to brown on the bottom of the Dutch oven.

pour chicken stock gradually while deglazing the pan

Gradually pour in 2½ cups of unsalted chicken broth while deglazing the bottom of the pan.

add white wine and cream.

Stir in the blanched broccoli, and then whisk in the ¼ cup medium-dry-dry white wine and 2½ cups half-and-half.

Then add in the 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1 bay leaf.

Increase the heat to medium and bring the soup just to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 10 minutes or until vegetables soften.

adding cooked gnocchi and stirring

After the vegetables have softened, add the cooked gnocchi, stir gently.

Remove the soup from the heat discard the bay leaf. Add 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese melts.

two bowls of broccoli and cheese soup with gnocchi

Serve and enjoy: Taste the soup and, if necessary, season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the soup while it’s hot! I always serve it with some baguette slices for dipping.

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat. If the soup thickens, simply stir in a bit of cream or chicken stock to adjust the consistency.

Note: Keep the heat low, and whisk slowly to prevent the soup from separating. Due to dairy, I don’t recommend freezing this soup.

Serving Suggestions

I love scooping up this cheesy, comforting soup with my soft Hawaiian Rolls or warm, homemade Dinner Rolls. For a crustier option, my go-to is freshly baked Rosemary Bread!

More delicious soup recipes to try

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.67 from 56 votes (49 ratings without comment)
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19 Comments
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Angela
Angela
November 28, 2024 6:52 pm

2024 Thanksgiving meal! This was so delicious and a huge hit with my husband! I didn’t have half and half so I substituted with half whole milk and half heavy cream. Also did not have carrots or fennel but added two cooked chicken breast diced, for more filling. I’m so glad I stumbled upon this recipe. Absolutely wonderful!5 stars

Diana
Diana
November 18, 2024 3:49 pm

Can I make this with frozen broccoli?

Samantha Marceau
November 19, 2024 8:22 am
Reply to  Diana

Sure!

Chef Paul
Chef Paul
January 12, 2021 8:34 am

Hey Becky. Just stumbled onto your site looking for recipe ideas. I made the Baked Chicken Tacos last night. OMG! Easy, beautiful and delicious! I read a lot of recipe sites but yours are so much more….. doable than a lot of the others. Thanks so much!

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
January 14, 2021 2:35 pm
Reply to  Chef Paul

Why thank you, Paul! I hope you enjoy all the other recipes just as much!

Mandy Dillon
Mandy Dillon
September 23, 2020 7:58 am

Yesterday was the first day of autumn! I found this soup recipe and prepared it for dinner… o.m.goodness! Simple & delicious! I did omit the white wine and fennel and it was still amazing. Our tummies were so full and happy! I’ve shared this recipe with others. LOVE!!5 stars

Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin
September 27, 2020 2:26 pm
Reply to  Mandy Dillon

I’m so happy you loved it so much!!

Lynn
Lynn
November 13, 2019 4:33 pm

Can you please recommend a substitute for the wine?

Heather
Heather
March 10, 2021 12:57 am
Reply to  Lynn

I sub white grape juice for white wine and regular grape juice for red wine or chicken broth or water depending on the recipe. Hope this helps even though it’s been awhile since you posted your question.

Heather Seeley
Heather Seeley
January 21, 2019 1:48 pm

This is the perfect comfort food for a cold day. Going to make for my husband this weekend.5 stars

Courtney
Courtney
January 21, 2019 12:43 pm

So delicious – we will make this recipe again and again!!5 stars

Erin
Erin
January 21, 2019 11:57 am

My favorite soup just got better! Gnocchi is the best addition!5 stars

Kimberly
Kimberly
January 21, 2019 11:52 am

This is absolute heaven, so creamy and delicious!5 stars

Rachael Yerkes
Rachael Yerkes
January 21, 2019 11:26 am

Best comfort food for this cold weather!5 stars