Creamy Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup

ingredients

• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, more or less to taste
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), drained and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay (alcohol-free, use 2 1/3 cups chicken stock + 1 tablespoon lemon juice)
• 5 cups chicken stock, low-sodium preferred
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 pound potato gnocchi (DeLallo is my preference)
• 3 cups baby spinach, large stems removed
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Salt, to taste

the making of it

1. Cook the Sausage: Add the Italian sausage to a Dutch oven or large stockpot over medium-low heat. Cook, breaking the sausage into crumbles as it browns, until completely cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Remove the excess grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind.
2. Sauté Aromatics: Add the diced onion to the reserved sausage drippings and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, just until fragrant.
3. Add Seasonings: Stir in the Italian seasoning, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the tomato paste and stir until evenly incorporated, then add the sun-dried tomatoes. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste deepens slightly in color.
4. Thicken: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the mixture. Stir continuously for about 1 minute, until the flour is completely incorporated and no dry streaks remain.
5. Deglaze: Slowly pour in the white wine while whisking, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2-3 minutes, allowing the wine to reduce slightly and its sharp alcohol aroma to mellow.
6. Add Liquids: Gradually pour in the chicken stock while stirring, followed by the heavy cream. Return the cooked sausage to the pot and stir to combine.
7. Cook the Gnocchi: Bring the soup to a boil, then add the gnocchi. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until plump and tender. Avoid overcooking.
8. Finish: Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the baby spinach and stir just until wilted. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted into the broth.
9. Taste and Serve: Add salt only if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm with additional Parmesan and crusty bread or buttery breadsticks for dipping.