Creamy Tomato Minestrone Soup with Gnocchi
A cozy, hearty minestrone filled with tender vegetables, white beans, kidney beans, and potato gnocchi in a creamy tomato broth, finished with Parmesan and a splash of balsamic vinegar.
This minestrone soup is filled with tender vegetables, white beans, and potato gnocchi in a tomato-based broth with a little cream. Parmesan and a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end add just the right amount of flavor.
I was inspired to make this soup after watching the Netflix series Live to 100, which explores the Blue Zones, including Sardinia, Italy. They often make Minestrone as a way to use of whatever vegetables they have growing in their garden. I love the emphasis on simple, everyday cooking with ingredients like beans, vegetables, and other staples. This is my take on that kind of meal: hearty, full of vegetables, and easy to make for the whole family. It’s also one of those soups that tastes just as good, if not better, the next day.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and leek soften into the base, while green beans and finely chopped cabbage add texture. You can swap the cabbage for 3 cups of sturdy greens like kale or chard. Take time cutting the vegetables uniformly so they cook evenly.
- Tomatoes and broth: Crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried Italian seasoning, and fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, and thyme, if you have them) build the tomato flavor. If you have time, check out my homemade chicken stock, if not unsalted or low sodium chicken stock keeps the seasoning in your control, and you can add more as needed.
- Beans and gnocchi: Dark red kidney beans and white beans, both drained and rinsed, make the soup filling, and potato gnocchi turn it into a more comforting dinner. The gnocchi cook right in the pot, so there is no separate pot to wash.
- Creamy finish: Rao’s marinara sauce, heavy cream, and finely grated Parmesan cheese give the broth a creamy finish, and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar brightens the whole pot.
How I Make It
Drizzle olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, then cook the onion, carrots, and leek for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and fresh herbs, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, along with the salt, green beans, and cabbage, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the gnocchi, kidney beans, and white beans, and simmer following the gnocchi package directions, until tender.
Turn the heat low and stir in the marinara, heavy cream, and Parmesan until the cheese melts, then stir in the balsamic vinegar. Taste, adjust the salt, and add more stock for the consistency you like. The full ingredient amounts and step by step instructions are in the recipe card below.
Tips
- Cut the vegetables uniformly so they cook evenly and the soup has a consistent texture.
- Keep the heat low after adding the cream and Parmesan, so the cheese melts smoothly instead of breaking.
- Add more stock as needed. The gnocchi will thicken the soup as it sits, especially the next day.
- Serve with buttered toasted sourdough for dipping.
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More Cozy Soup Recipes
If you enjoyed this cozy dinner, here are a few more dinner recipes you might like:
- One-Pot Lasagna Soup From Scratch
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Extra Protein
- One-Pot Italian Tortellini Soup
- Creamy Red Lentil Vegetable Soup with Greek Yogurt
Creamy Tomato Minestrone Soup with Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 4 large carrots thinly sliced
- 1 leek white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs oregano, rosemary, thyme, optional
- 1 28oz crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock plus more as needed
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup green beans thinly sliced on a bias
- 2 cups finely chopped cabbage or 3 cups sturdy greens like kale or chard
- 1 14oz package potato gnocchi
- 1 15oz can dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15oz can white beans of choice (navy, cannellini, black eyed peas) drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Rao's marinara sauce
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, then cook the onion, carrots, and leek for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and fresh herbs, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and chicken stock, along with the salt, green beans, and cabbage, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the gnocchi, kidney beans, and white beans, and simmer following the gnocchi package directions, until tender.
- Turn the heat low and stir in the marinara, heavy cream, and Parmesan until the cheese melts, then stir in the balsamic vinegar.
- Taste, adjust the salt, and add more stock for the consistency you like. Serve warm with extra Parmesan.
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