• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cadry's Kitchen
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Soups

    Creamy vegan gnocchi soup with sausage & kale

    Published: Jan 26, 2020 · Modified: Mar 9, 2023 by Cadry Nelson
    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Text overlay: Vegan gnocchi soup with sausage and kale. Hands holding bowl of soup.

    Creamy vegan gnocchi soup is hearty, warming, and cozy.

    It’s loaded with pillowy potato dumplings, savory vegan sausage, softened kale, and a luxurious cashew broth.

    Hands holding bowl of roasted gnocchi soup.

    Creamy vegan gnocchi soup is maximum coziness.

    With a velvety cashew cream base, softened curly kale, savory sausage, and pillowy gnocchi, it’s hearty & comforting all at once.

    It’s the kind of food that makes you want to curl up inside of a bowl on a chilly day.

    • Roasted gnocchi adds texture and satisfying carbs
    • Veggie sausage is toothsome and savory
    • Creamy cashew broth adds luxurious body
    • Kale adds bite & a hit of good-for-you nutrients

    In this post:

    Jump to:
    • What is gnocchi?
    • Is gnocchi vegan?
    • The magic of roasted gnocchi
    • What kind of sausage should I use?
    • Step by step instructions
    • Make it your own
    • Storage instructions
    • 📖 Recipe

    What is gnocchi?

    Spoon hovering over bowl of soup.

    It is an Italian potato dumpling that’s typically used like pasta.

    Is gnocchi vegan?

    No and yes.

    Homemade gnocchi is usually not vegan. It’s typically made with potato, flour, and egg.

    However, it’s easy to find packaged vegan gnocchi in stores.

    Plus, you get the bonus of not having to make it from scratch!

    Look for packaged gnocchi in the center aisles of the grocery store by other types of pasta.

    Sometimes you’ll also find it in the frozen section.

    Just read the ingredients, of course.

    The magic of roasted gnocchi

    Bowl of vegan soup with gnocchi, sausage and kale by floral napkin.

    To cook gnocchi, it only has to be boiled. (And it’s much quicker cooking than most types of pasta!)

    But for added texture, I love roasting it afterwards. It becomes a little crusty around the edges and has added bite.

    Roasted gnocchi is also really nice in this soup, because it gives added oomph.

    It almost acts as a soft crouton.

    What kind of sausage should I use?

    There are loads of plant-based sausages on the market that would be terrific in this soup.

    I used Beyond Meat hot Italian.

    You can find it with other vegan meats in the refrigerated section at natural grocery stores. Or sometimes it’s kept in the frozen section.

    I like to keep Beyond Meat sausages in the freezer, right in their package, with a freezer bag around it.

    Then whenever I want one for pasta, soup, air fryer stuffed peppers, or pizza, I remove one sausage.

    I quickly bring it to temperature using the thaw function on the microwave.

    It’s so handy. And it makes the sausages really last.

    For this recipe, one sausage link, like you’d put in a hot dog bun, serves two people as a meal.

    (I give other vegan sausage options below in the “make it your own” section.)

    Step by step instructions

    Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

    Gnocchi boiling in pot of water.

    Boil gnocchi in water until it floats to the top.

    Collage with gnocchi drying on towel and gnocchi on a parchment paper covered baking sheet.

    Drain & dry gnocchi on a clean kitchen towel. (It doesn’t roast as nicely if it’s wet.)

    Put gnocchi on a parchment paper covered baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and roast for 10 minutes in the oven, stopping once to flip.

    While the gnocchi roasts, make cashew cream.

    Cashew cream in Vitamix blender pitcher.

    In a high-speed blender, combine water with raw cashews until smooth. Then set aside.

    (If you don’t have a high-speed blender, check out alternative directions in the notes section of the recipe box!)

    Collage with browned Beyond sausage and onions.

    Brown slices of vegan sausage in a pot with oil.

    Once browned, add onions & garlic to the pot.

    Sauté for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and fragrant.

    Add seasonings:

    • Dried basil
    • Dried oregano
    • Granulated onion

    Sauté for a minute more.

    Add water & bouillon. Then bring to a simmer.

    Collage with kale in soup + added cashew cream.

    Add curly kale to the pot.

    It will look like a lot of kale at first. But it will quickly wilt as it comes into contact with the warm broth.

    Add reserved cashew cream. Then let all of the flavors intertwine.

    Gnocchi in creamy soup pot.

    Just before serving, add roasted gnocchi, salt, and pepper to the soup.

    Make it your own

    You can make this soup your own by varying the cooking methods and/or ingredients.

    Cook gnocchi in the soup

    If you’re short on time, roasting the gnocchi isn’t essential.

    You can just drop the shelf-stable potato dumplings into the soup pot during the last five minutes of cooking to heat them.

    They will obviously be a lot softer, but the flavors are still exceptional.

    Vary the sausage

    There are loads of vegan sausages on the market. I used Beyond hot Italian sausage.

    However, you could go with any veggie sausage you like.

    Impossible sausage or Field Roast apple sage sausage would both be good here.

    Prefer a whole foods option? Use Great Northern beans or cannellini beans instead. Sauté the onions & garlic on their own. Then add the beans with the kale.

    Replace the kale

    If you don’t like kale, replace it with any dark leafy green you like or other sturdy vegetable.

    Collard greens or broccoli would work well here.

    If you opt for spinach, I recommend adding it at the same time as the roasted gnocchi. Spinach wilts in seconds in hot liquid.

    Storage instructions

    Spoon holding vegan gnocchi soup.

    Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

    The cashew cream may separate a little in the refrigerator. Just give it a stir while reheating.

    Reheat the soup in a pot on the stove, or in the microwave.

    If the soup has thickened a lot, add another splash of water to bring it to your preferred viscosity.

    Be aware that the roasted gnocchi will continue to soak up & soften in the liquid over time. So they will be less toothsome after some time in the fridge.

    Hands holding bowl of vegan gnocchi soup.

    📖 Recipe

    Red bowl of creamy soup with gnocchi, sausage, and kale.

    Creamy vegan gnocchi soup with sausage and kale

    Author: Cadry Nelson
    5 from 12 votes
    Warming & fragrant, this satisfying soup is the definition of cozy. It's packed with curly kale, veggie sausage, and roasted gnocchi.
    (Want to skip a step? You can warm the shelf-stable gnocchi right in the soup pot instead. Look for the directions in the "notes" section below.)
    Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a starter. Nutrition & calorie information is for a meal-sized portion.
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 people
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian, Vegan
    Keyword: comfort food, winter food
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup gnocchi from shelf stable package
    • 1 ½ teaspoons avocado oil divided, or your preferred oil
    • 2 ½ cups water divided (plus extra for boiling gnocchi)
    • ¼ cup raw cashews
    • 1 veggie sausage sliced. I use a Beyond Meat hot Italian sausage link (roughly 3 ounces of sausage)
    • ¾ cup chopped yellow onion
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • ½ teaspoon dried basil
    • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
    • ½ teaspoon granulated onion
    • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon, no chicken base or vegetable bouillon cube
    • 3 packed cups chopped curly kale About 3-4 large leaves, with ribs removed
    • Pinch of salt or to taste
    • Pinch of pepper or to taste

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
    • Fill a medium sized pot with water, and bring to a boil.
      Add gnocchi* to pot. Boil for a couple minutes, until the gnocchi rises to the top of the pot.
      Drain in a colander. Then move the gnocchi to a clean kitchen towel to dry. (It roasts better when it's dry.)
    • Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper.
      Then lay the gnocchi on it and drizzle with ½ teaspoon oil. Spread the gnocchi evenly across the baking sheet. Then move to the oven.
      Roast for 10 minutes, stopping once to flip. Once it has finished cooking, remove from the oven & set aside.
    • While the gnocchi roasts, continue with the recipe.
      First, make the cashew cream. In a high speed blender,** blend ½ cup water with ¼ cup raw cashews until completely smooth. (Stop and scrape down the sides if needed.)
      Set aside to use later.
    • Bring a soup pot to a medium heat with remaining teaspoon of oil.
      Add sausage pieces to pot & brown them. As they cook, break the pieces up with your spatula.
    • Once the sausage pieces are browned & a little crisp around the edges, add onions and garlic.****
      Saute for a few minutes, until they onions are translucent and fragrant.
    • Add dried basil, dried oregano, and granulated onion. Saute for a minute more.
    • Add remaining 2 cups of water to the pot & Better Than Bouillon or your preferred bouillon.
      Stir the soup & use a spoon to pick up any remaining bits of sausage stuck to the inside of the pot. Bring the water to a simmer.
    • Put the chopped kale into the pot. It will look like a lot of kale, but it will quickly wilt as it comes into contact with the hot liquid. It should be even with the liquid in a few minutes.
    • Finally, add the cashew cream to the pot. Stir to evenly combine.
      Cook for 5 more minutes while the flavors intertwine.
    • Just before serving, add the roasted gnocchi to the soup pot. Add a pinch of salt & pepper (or more to taste).

    Notes

    *Be sure to read the ingredients for your gnocchi.
    Many shelf stable varieties are vegan, but some contain eggs.
    **Standard blender instructions
    If you don’t have a high speed blender, grind dry raw cashews in a coffee grinder until they’re like a flour. Then move them to the blender with water to blend completely.
    If you don’t have a coffee grinder, then you’ll need to soak the raw cashews in water for several hours until they have softened. Otherwise, it will be hard for them to become completely smooth in a standard blender. Once they have softened, drain & move them to the blender and continue with recipe.
    ***Sausage options
    I used one Beyond Meat hot Italian sausage link for this recipe.
    However, feel free to use the veggie sausage of your choice. Field Roast apple sage or Herbivorous Butcher garlic sausages would also be very good.
    For a whole foods option, replace sausage with white beans like cannellini or Great Northern. Add them at the same time as the kale. (I’d use about ½ cup of beans, but go with your gut!)
    ****Crispy sausage tips
    If you’d like to keep the sausage really crispy, remove it from the soup pot before adding the onions & garlic. Then add it back into the soup with the roasted gnocchi.
    Otherwise, you can keep it in, as directed in the recipe, and it will continue adding flavor to the soup.
    Short on time?
    Roasting gnocchi makes a firmer texture that holds up nicely in the soup. However, if you’re short on time or just want to skip a step, you can heat it in the soup pot instead. It will have a softer texture, but the flavor is still very nice.
    To warm gnocchi in soup pot, don’t boil it separately first. Simply add it to the pot during the last five minutes of cooking (when you add the cashew cream).
    Note that this is for gnocchi in shelf stable packaging. I haven’t tried adding frozen gnocchi to the soup pot. That may require a longer cooking time to get up to the correct temperature.
    How to triple the recipe
    For this recipe, it’s one cup of gnocchi for two people. If you’d like to triple the recipe, you can use the entire package 16 ounce package of shelf-stable gnocchi.
    Otherwise, save the remaining gnocchi for later in the refrigerator.
    How to store & reheat
    Store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days.
    Reheat in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. If the soup has become too condensed, add another splash of water until brothy again.
    Subscribe to Cadry’s KitchenSign up today! JOIN BY CLICKING HERE

    Nutrition

    Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 717mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 15mg

    More Soups

    • Bowl of plant-based chicken noodle soup with crackers.
      One pot vegan chicken noodle soup
    • Loaded vegan baked potato soup.
      Creamy vegan potato soup (dairy free)
    • Bowl of vegan ramen noodles with corn, jalapenos, peas, cucumbers, and pickled onions.
      Vegan ramen noodles with tahini miso broth
    • Bowl filled with wild rice soup by bread.
      Creamy vegan wild rice soup with seitan
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    About Cadry Nelson

    Cadry Nelson is the writer, photographer, and recipe creator behind Cadry’s Kitchen, a vegan food & lifestyle blog started in 2009. Through approachable recipes, vegan travel guides, and down-to-earth discussions on the social aspects of being vegan, Cadry shows that living a vegan lifestyle is deliciously uncomplicated. Cadry has been featured on NBC News, Mashable, Today, Reader's Digest, Yahoo, Delish, Shape, and Huffington Post.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Earlene Giglierano

      March 27, 2023 at 4:13 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe for a cozy night at home. I tripled the recipe using 3 beyond burger Pattie’s that I seasoned with Italian sausage seasoning, A great way to get in some greens too. My gnocchi was vegan and gluten free.

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        March 29, 2023 at 12:45 pm

        Yum! That sounds delicious, Earlene! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply
    2. Janie

      January 04, 2023 at 9:52 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this twice. Most recently over the holidays and it was a huge hit!! I used Beyond ground beef as I’m not a huge sausage fan. I was told it tasted similar to Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana! The cashew cream really makes it!
      I do wish the recipe defaulted to a serving of 4 or 6. I don’t think maybe people would make 2 servings. It’s just too delicious. I was making it for 12 servings so got a little confusing but I made it work. THANK YOU!!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        January 04, 2023 at 10:03 pm

        Thank you for the great feedback, Janie! I’m so glad you & your guests enjoyed the soup. I’ve never had Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana, so that’s good to know!

        That’s a good point about the default serving amount. Maybe I’ll switch it to use one package of gnocchi instead of a partial package. In the meantime, you may not be aware that the recipe card is adjustable. Just hover over the serving amount, and you’ll see a scroll bar. You can move it up & down to how many people you’re serving. And the ingredient amounts will adjust accordingly! It’s a pretty cool feature. It will go up to 20 people.

        (The only thing I’d change in the adjustable amounts is the oil. You surely won’t need that much.)

        Thanks again!

        Reply
    3. Stacy Grossman

      October 22, 2022 at 5:20 pm

      What vegan cream can I use in place of cashew cream? My family has to avoid nuts, but the soup sounds delicious and we would love to try it!

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        October 24, 2022 at 10:36 am

        Thanks, Stacy! I’m glad you think it sounds delicious.

        Here are some substitution ideas:

        * Use 1/2 cup of unsweetened non-dairy creamer like oat or soy.

        * Use 1/2 cup of your preferred non-dairy milk. Since that’s a little thinner than cashew cream, you could make a slurry of flour & milk to thicken it like a roux, if necessary.

        * You could blend 1/2 cup water with 1/4 cup silken tofu, roasted cauliflower, or Great Northern beans.

        I haven’t tried these substitutions, but they seem like they would work. Let me know if you make it!

        Reply
        • Janie

          January 04, 2023 at 9:59 pm

          5 stars
          I’ve made this twice, most recently over the holidays and it was a huge hit both times!! I was told it tasted similar to Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana! The cashew cream really makes it! I don’t love sausage so I used Beyond ground beef and that worked well.
          For ease, I wish the recipe defaulted to a serving of 6. I don’t think many people could make only 2 servings as it’s just too delicious for that! I was making it for 12 servings and confused myself a little but it all worked out great. THANK YOU!!

          Reply
    4. Noel

      December 01, 2021 at 11:27 pm

      Could I use cauliflower gnocchi?

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        December 02, 2021 at 6:49 am

        Yes, you could use cauliflower gnocchi. But I wouldn’t boil it first before roasting. It is softer than flour-based gnocchi, and it can get a little mushy if overworked. So I’d heat the oven to 425 degrees (instead of 400), put frozen gnocchi straight onto a parchment paper covered baking sheet, spray or toss with oil, and then roast for 20 minutes. Stop halfway through to flip.

        Or if you have an air fryer, you could air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, stopping to shake the basket halfway through.

        Let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    5. Sonya

      November 17, 2021 at 10:23 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is BOMB! Rarely comment on recipes but I’m certifiably obsessed with this soup. I doubled it and it was perfect for 2 tall people with big appetites. Roasting the gnocchi was game-changing.

      Reply
      • Cadry Nelson

        November 21, 2021 at 8:02 am

        I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying it, Sonya! Thank you for the great feedback!

        Reply
    6. Jenna

      April 19, 2021 at 5:49 pm

      5 stars
      This was absolutely incredible, the flavour was so good and it was so filling. Sharing this recipe with every human I know!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        April 22, 2021 at 9:28 am

        Aw, that makes my day! Thank you for letting me know. I’m really glad you enjoyed it.

        Reply
    7. Katherine

      January 20, 2021 at 2:17 pm

      5 stars
      I also made a triple batch of this soup! Just barely enough IMO! Haha. So delicious and comforting! I used Tofurkey Italian sausage. I like Beyond Meat sausage ok, but find them too greasy. Perfect winter soup, I love the gnocchi! Thanks for this recipe, it’s going into my regular rotation for sure 😊

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 21, 2021 at 4:59 pm

        I’m so glad that you enjoyed the soup! Good call on the Tofurky. I really like Beyond Meat, but it’s definitely the oiliest of vegan sausages. Thank you for the terrific feedback!

        Reply
    8. Susan

      July 26, 2020 at 4:15 am

      5 stars
      Made a triple batch of this to use a whole packet of gnocchi. So savoury and delicious, and I loved the roasted gnocchi l. Turns out roasted gnocchi is also great to snack on! I used baby spinach instead of kale, and apple sage Field Roast sausages.

      Reply
      • Cadry

        July 28, 2020 at 4:04 pm

        Yay! I’m so glad to hear it, Susan. It’s fun to see you enjoying my cold weather recipes right now while it’s winter on your side of the world.

        Reply
    9. Sharon Doak

      February 18, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      Cadry, I made this tonight and it was fabulous!! I used 2 sausages instead of one and next time I will airfry them because I thought a lot of grease came out of them. I used the Beyond Meat hot Italian sausages. I also added about 1/2 cup additional veggie broth. The flavor was wonderful and I really enjoyed the gnocchi and kale with the sausages in a creamy broth! Winner recipe!!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 19, 2020 at 7:11 am

        I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup, Sharon! Thank you for letting me know!

        Reply
    10. Angela Butler

      February 09, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe so have some yummy leftovers!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        February 10, 2020 at 5:24 am

        I’m so delighted to hear that, Angela! Thank you for the wonderful feedback. Enjoy your leftovers!

        Reply
    11. Carrie

      January 30, 2020 at 9:46 pm

      5 stars
      Love your recipes and also all of your interesting observations and personal additions!!!!! You are one talented (and compassionate) writer!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 31, 2020 at 8:28 am

        That really warms my heart, Carrie! Thank you so much!

        Reply
    12. Doug

      January 26, 2020 at 7:28 pm

      Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Cadry

        January 27, 2020 at 11:32 am

        Thanks, Doug! I think you’re going to love it!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Cadry!

    I’m a longtime vegan. (16 years!) But I grew up eating a Standard American Diet. I know that all of us crave foods that are familiar, comforting, and delicious.

    That’s why it’s my passion to share mouthwatering plant-based recipes that taste like home.

    More about me →

    Summer recipes

    • Air fryer radishes on white plate by cashew parmesan and salt.
      Air fryer radishes with vegan parmesan
    • Vegan banh mi on white marble.
      Vegan bánh mì sandwich
    • Bruschetta al pomodoro on platter & garnished with basil.
      Bruschetta al pomodoro: Tomato bruschetta
    • Hand holding cashew kale shake with glass straw.
      Creamy cashew kale smoothie with banana

    Cookouts & picnics

    • Collard greens with cranberries on plate by baked potato and vegan chicken strips.
      Smoky sweet vegan collard greens
    • Platter of tofu satay skewers.
      Tofu satay with peanut sauce (air fryer or baked)
    • Saucy BBQ jackfruit sandwich on table speared with a pepperoncini.
      BBQ jackfruit sandwiches
    • Pasta salad with fresh basil in blue bowl.
      Bowtie pasta salad with chickpeas & artichokes

    Air fryer recipes

    • A baked potato topped with chives and non-dairy butter on plate.
      Air fryer baked potato in about 35 minutes
    • Text overlay: 50 vegan air fryer recipes. Collage with fried pickles, onion rings, BBQ Soy Curls, and taquitos.
      50 vegan air fryer recipes you will love
    • Tahini dressing drizzled on baked tofu with kale chips and avocado.
      Baked tofu bowls with rice & crispy kale
    • Breaded pickle slices on plate with ranch dressing.
      Beer battered fried pickles in air fryer or pan
    Logos for sites where Cadry Nelson & Cadry's Kitchen have been featured.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Meet Cadry
    • Work with me

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Cadry's Kitchen