One of my favorite places to have lunch is the Olive Garden. Between their soup, salad and breadsticks lunch special and their Roscato wine, I could eat there every single day without complaint! Being that our nearest Olive Garden is 20 minutes away and I knew that I could replicate the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe to some degree at home...I decided to just try to make it myself instead of heading down to Florida City for a bowl!
I found a copycat recipe online, but I was missing too many of the ingredients to actually follow it.
I am not afraid to experiment...so I kind of winged it and came up with my own version of the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe.
These are the ingredients I had on hand - including some buy-one-get-one-free potato gnocchi from my local grocery store and leftover chicken breast from dinner the previous night.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin oil
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 (14 ounce) can of chicken broth
- 1 cup finely shredded carrots
- 2 cups cooked and diced chicken breast
- 1 package gnocchi, cut in half and cooked
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
My version of the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Saute your onion and garlic in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until the diced onion is translucent. Add your flour and make a roux. What is a roux? It's a butter/flour saucy mixture - simple as that for us non-professionally trained home cooks!
Let the butter and flour mixture cook for about a minute and then add in your milk and heavy cream. Stir until completely mixed.
Cook your gnocchi according to package directions - most instructions will tell you to bring salted water to a boil and add your gnocchi. They are "done" once they begin floating to the top of the water. It should only take about 2 minutes, since we've cut all of our gnocchi in half for this recipe.
If your kitchen counter looks like this, don't worry. That just means you're doing it right...
Add in the carrots and chicken and stir well.
Add in the chicken broth. The copycat version of the Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup recipe noted that if you want a thinner consistency to your soup to use 2 cans of chicken broth - but I wanted a thick soup. Just something to keep in mind as you are cooking - you can always add an extra can if your soup is thicker than you'd like!
Stir until your soup regains a thick consistency, and then add the cooked gnocchi and your seasonings.
Mellisa
Oh Jenn, I'm going to have to hug you when I see you! I lovvvvve this soup at Olive Garden 🙂 Can't wait to make it at home anytime!
Rachel
That looks really good. I am going to add it to my list of things to try!
Dee
You are really tempting my taste buds with this one. Looks yummy!
Anne
Looks delicious. I like adding gnocchi to soups, it makes them seem more substantial.
nicole
Oh how my mouth is watering! I absolutely love lunch at Olive Garden too. I'm going to have to try this version. I make a knock of pasta e fagiole! Perhaps we could get together one day before I leave for lunch there! xo
Fiona N
Woa! It looks really delicious!!! Definitely I will try to cook it soon! Love your recipe!
Thank You So Much for sharing!
Tammy
It looks like a yummy soup.
Liz
That looks positively fantastic!
Jenn
This looks so amazing. You had me at gnocchi and butter!
Crystal
That looks yummy.
When we go to Olive Garden, I always get the Zuppa Toscano soup. Super delish.
Tesa
This looks so good! I tried this soup once at the restaurant and there was only 3 pieces of gnocchi in it. I love gnocchi and was so disappointed! But now I'll have to try your recipe so I can put in as many pieces as I want. Yum!
Alicia
Oh yum! I must make this. I have been on a soup kick lately. I think I'm trying to make it fall already:)
Anne - Mommy Has to Work
Yumm! Looks wonderful!
Emily
This looks amazing!
Toni
OMGosh I LOVE you right now well I loved you before too but even more right now LOL. That's my favorite thing to get at Olive Garden. I am going to have to try this soon.
Megan
I am so going to make this! I love me some Olive Garden!
Leilani
I used to eat at Olive Garden all the time, but after we moved, it's just too far away to make the trek. I have to try this!
Marysa
This sounds so good! We did a knockoff recipe for Olive Garden's soup that has the sausage, potatoes, and kale.. it is SO good as well!
Andi C.
I was just checking back at the posts that I missed and glad I found this one! Looks like a great soup now that it's cold outside!!
Jennie
Oh I love this soup! We are definitely making this soup soon (but maybe with leftover turkey instead.)