Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup

Creamy, flavorful, and full of veggies and chicken, this Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Gnocchi Soup is perfect for chilly days. All the textures and tastes are there from the potato gnocchi to the shredded chicken, carrots, spinach, cheese, and aromatic seasonings. Let your slow cooker help you make this popular soup right in your own kitchen!

Who doesn’t love a copycat recipe that’s as delicious as the original? Here, I’ve got an easy crock pot version of Olive Garden’s chicken, veggie, and gnocchi soup. It’s the perfect comfort food soup that’s just as delish in the spring and summer as it is in the fall and winter. It’s seasonless!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s practically a dump-and-go recipe. There’s no sautéing of the ingredients before you add them to the slow cooker!
• It makes enough for leftovers. If not, just double the recipe!
• You can swap out veggies for your favorites.

Ingredients Needed

Chicken Breasts – Use skinless and boneless.

Carrots – Use pre-packaged matchsticks or grate your own.

Onion, Celery, And Garlic – Diced and minced, they’re used to flavor the soup as it slowly cooks.

Italian Seasoning – Use your favorite dried Italian seasoning to help infuse the soup with flavor.

Chicken Stock – For the base liquid of the soup.

Potato Gnocchi – Use your favorite store-bought brand. You’ll add this toward the end of cooking to soften and become tender.

Heavy Cream – You’ll add this toward the end of cooking to make the soup ultra creamy and thick.

Spinach – Add in fresh spinach prior to serving for extra vegetable goodness.

Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated cheese tastes the best. You’ll add it toward the end of cooking.

Salt And Pepper – Add these seasonings, to taste.

How To Make Gnocchi Soup

Step 1: Add the boneless chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, and Italian seasoning to the slow cooker.

Step 2: Pour the chicken stock in and put the cover on.

Step 3: Set to cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6.

Step 4: 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add it back into the slow cooker.

Step 5: Add in the gnocchi and heavy cream and cook for 30 more minutes.

Step 6: Right before serving, stir in the fresh spinach leaves and Parmesan cheese.

What Is Gnocchi?

Gnocchi is an Italian dumpling made from potatoes, flour, egg, and occasionally, cheese. It’s sometimes used as a replacement for pasta.

In fact, when you’re looking for it in the grocery store, you’ll usually find it next to the fresh pasta in the refrigerated and frozen sections.

Do I Need To Sauté The Chicken And Veggies?

No, you don’t. What I love about this recipe is that you can put them all in, raw, and the slow cooker will take care of thoroughly cooking them.

That said, if you want to take the time to brown the chicken and onion, celery, and garlic, that’s perfectly fine, but not necessary. Totally up to you!

How To Thicken The Soup

If the soup isn’t thick enough for you, you can always make a cornstarch slurry to add at the end.

Make the slurry by adding 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Whisk it until combined and add it to the slow cooker during the last 10 minutes or so of cooking. Stir it a little to combine.

Variations

This soup is so tasty as it is, but if you’re looking to change it up a bit, here are some ideas:

Veggies
Swap out the fresh spinach for chopped kale. You can also add other veggies, such as peas, green beans, and diced squash to customize it to your tastes.

Chicken
You can swap out the chicken breasts for chicken thighs. And, if you’re in a pinch, you can always use canned chicken or leftover rotisserie chicken. I would add it in during the last 30 minutes of cooking, just so it can warm up.

Gnocchi
Swap out the gnocchi for diced potatoes. Add them at the beginning of the cooking so they have time to become tender.

You can also swap out the gnocchi for cheese tortellini.

What To Serve With This Soup

If you’re looking for a classic Olive Garden experience, make a leafy green side salad with Italian dressing and serve it with breadsticks.

I also like to serve this soup with my Cheesy Garlic Bread or even my Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread.

How To Store Leftovers

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop.

I don’t recommend freezing leftovers because of the heavy cream and gnocchi textures when it all thaws. However, if you do decide to freeze it, it will keep for 2- 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stove.

More Slow Cooker Soup Recipes

Slow Cooker White Bean and Chicken Enchilada Soup

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Crockpot Ham and Bean Soup

Slow Cooker Kielbasa Soup Recipe