Name: Instant Pot Italian Gnocchi Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 2 celery stalks, sliced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning; 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 (16-ounce) package potato gnocchi; 2 cups fresh spinach leaves; 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Alright, friend, let me paint you a picture: it’s raining, and I have exactly half a bag of potato gnocchi, some sad-looking spinach, and zero bandwidth for fussy cooking. The result? This Instant Pot Italian Gnocchi Soup—creamy and loaded with veggies—was born from one of those, you-know-what-do-I-have-left-in-the-fridge nights. Honestly, it turned out way better than my first risotto attempt (let’s not talk about that disaster). Plus, this soup’s basically my edible hug for chilly days or whenever someone drops by–it happens more than you’d think, usually right after I’ve mopped the floors, naturally.

Why You’ll Love This (Or at Least I Do!)

I make this gnocchi soup when I’ve run out of dinner ideas but still want to look like I tried. My family goes bananas for it, mainly because it feels like you ordered in from a cozy little Italian spot, but you didn’t have to change out of your pajamas. (Actually, the first time I made this I was still in my flannel pants. No shame.)

But really, the best part is you toss everything in, hit some buttons, and—presto—it tastes like you’ve been simmering it all day. And if you’ve ever tried to get kids to eat spinach (without ninja-level sneakiness), this is one soup where the green stuff disappears mysteriously fast. Full disclosure, there was a brief phase when I forgot the cream, and it’s just not as magic; so don’t skip it unless you want the “Hey, did you change something?” interrogation.

What You’ll Need (or What I’ve Thrown in Before)

1 tablespoon olive oil (Totally fine to use butter if you prefer—for a richer taste, go wild… I have!)
1 onion, diced (I always use yellow, but red works if that’s what you’ve got. Once I substituted in a shallot; no one noticed.)
3 garlic cloves, minced (If you’re feeling lazy, garlic powder does in a pinch. Don’t tell my Nonna.)
2 carrots, sliced (I sometimes swap in diced bell pepper or leave carrots out if I’m out. Won’t break the soup, promise.)
2 celery stalks, diced (Don’t sweat it if you skip this; it’s fine.)
4 cups chicken broth (Or veggie broth if I want it vegetarian. Low sodium is nice so you can go heavy on salt at the end, if that’s your thing.)
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes (Any brand. My grandmother swore by San Marzano, but honestly, whatever is on sale works.)
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (Or just throw in a little oregano, thyme, maybe some basil… use whatever herb stash you’ve got.)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Optional, but I like a bit of a kick. Half the time I forget this, never hurts the soup.)
1 pound potato gnocchi (The shelf-stable kind from the pasta aisle. Fresh is lovely if you find it; frozen, yup, that’ll work too.)
2 cups baby spinach (Kale if you must, or skip greens if the fridge is down to condiments!)
1 cup heavy cream (Half-and-half works if you want it lighter. Once I tried coconut milk. It was…interesting, let’s just leave it there.)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Handful of grated Parmesan (Not essential, but c’mon, it’s cheese!)

How I Throw This Together In the Instant Pot

Switch your Instant Pot on to ‘Sauté’. Add the olive oil, let it heat up just a tad, then chuck in the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Stir ‘em around and let things get a bit soft and fragrant – about 3-4 minutes. (This is where I usually sneak a bite of raw carrot. Bad habit, I know.)
Pour in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Give it a good stir to scrape up those lovely brown bits. Don’t worry if it looks a mess yet; it’s meant to.
Dump in the gnocchi. No need to toss them or thaw if frozen, just get them in there. Stir again, but don’t stress if some float, some sink. (Actually, that’s my favorite part—watching them bob around… maybe I’m easily entertained.)
Lock your Instant Pot lid. Set to ‘Pressure Cook’ (or ‘Manual’ on older models) for just 2 minutes. Yes, you read that right. It’ll take a while to come to pressure, but your patience will pay off.
Once it beeps, do a quick release (watch your fingers, it’s like a whistling kettle on steroids). Open up, give everything a gentle stir, and then dump in your spinach. It’ll wilt right down after a minute or so.
Switch back to ‘Sauté’, pour in your cream, and keep stirring until it’s all cozy and creamy. Taste, adjust your salt and pepper, and, honestly, this is when I nick another spoonful ‘just to be sure.’
Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with cheese, and let the steam fog your glasses! (Or, if you’re me, try not to eat straight from the pot. Again. I’m working on it.)

Little Notes from Too Many Tries

I once forgot to sauté the onions. Soup still edible, but missing that mellow sweetness. Do the sauté if you can. Or not, if you’re in rush hour mode.
Cream goes in last. Trust me, it splits if you add it earlier (learned that one the messy way).
If you’ve got day-old bread, always toss some in on the side. Makes the whole thing twice as comfy.

Gnocchi Soup Twists (Some Winners, One Flop)

Sausage version: Brown up some Italian sausage as your first step. Adds a ton of flavor, and my partner prefers this way (I think they just like the extra protein, to be honest).
Veggie overload: Once I added zucchini, mushrooms, and even some tiny chopped broccoli. Tasted great, but got a little too crowded–like a clown car of veggies.
Coconut cream: Tried it for a dairy-free friend. Flavor was nice, but texture got weird; would not do again unless out of options.

What If I Don’t Have an Instant Pot?

No Instant Pot? It’s fine. Big ol’ pot on the stove works, just simmer longer till the gnocchi’s soft (10-12 minutes, maybe more if you’re using frozen). I’ve even used a slow-cooker, but honestly, that took hours and I got bored waiting. Still tasty though.

Storing Leftovers (if you ever have any…)

Just pop any leftovers into a sealed container in the fridge. They keep for 2–3 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Soup thickens up a bit, so splash in a little water or broth when reheating. I think the flavors deepen overnight. Sadly, doesn’t freeze super well because the gnocchi go a bit mushy, but if you’re not fussy, go ahead and try—I won’t judge.

How I Like to Serve It

My personal favorite: big mugs, a wedge of crusty bread (or leftover garlic knots, if I’m lucky) and a scatter of fresh herbs if I remembered them at the store. Sometimes my youngest requests parmesan “snow” on top, and we all pile on too much. Oh, and if you’re feeling ambitious, a little green salad on the side is never a bad idea—something like this bright Italian salad pairs great.

Mistakes I’ve Made (So You Don’t Have To)

Rushing the sauté? Regretted it–raw garlic flavor can clobber the other tastes.
Adding gnocchi too early: they disintegrate, turning soup into something resembling paste. Wait until pressure step.
Forgetting to taste and salt at the end–once I under-seasoned, and it was a little like hospital food (no offense to hospital chefs, but still…)

Questions Folks Have Actually Asked Me

Can I use frozen gnocchi?: Yup! No need to thaw. Just pop it in. Maybe add 30 seconds to the pressure cook if you’re nervous, but I don’t bother.
This soup is too thick for me. Fix?: Oh, just add more broth (or water) right at the end! Sometimes I get carried away and mine ends up more like stew, so I get it.
Can I make this dairy-free?: You can try coconut milk or any plant-based cream. Like I said above, the texture’s a bit funny with coconut, but flavor’s nice! There’s also a good run-down of alt milks on Minimalist Baker’s guide if you’re curious.
My gnocchi fell apart! What happened?: Probably overcooked or stirred too hard. Don’t stress—soup still tastes good, just not pretty. Next time, less stirring after pressure step!

Oh, and totally random, but the other day I spilled half my grated parm straight into the soup – was going to cry, but actually it got ultra creamy. So sometimes mistakes make happy accidents. If you’re new to Instant Pot cooking, there’s a good beginner guide here at Pressure Cook Recipes—wish I’d read it before melting a sealing ring, oops. Anyway, let me know if you give this a go. And if you mess it up, just claim that’s what makes it rustic. Works for me, anyway!