A perfect crockpot soup for those cold winter days! This one is a family and friend favorite and is easy to make. My family loves gnocchi and kale so I typically double up on the gnocchi and kale which is how the below recipe is written, however you might want to half the recipe if you’re not as big of a fan. If you’re having trouble finding ground chicken Italian sausage, you can do what I do and buy the sausage already cased in links from your butcher and just remove the casing yourself. Any flavor of chicken Italian sausage will work and it really comes down to your preference. For my recipe I like to use a mild kale chicken Italian sausage or just a plain mild chicken Italian sausage. This recipe also goes perfectly with a fresh artisanal bread loaf!
Serves: 8
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 0 minutes
Cook Time: 4-6 hours on high temp setting or 6-8 hours if your crockpot is set to low
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground chicken Italian Sausage, browned
- 1 pound gnocchi
- 3 carrots (sliced)
- 3 celery sticks (sliced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 5 garlic cloves or 1 ½ Tbsp minced garlic
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ⅓ tsp pepper
- 2 ⅓ cups half & half
- 2 cups milk
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 cups chopped kale leaves (stems removed)
- parmesan cheese for topping
Directions:
If you had to buy the chicken Italian sausage from your grocery store or butcher already cased (in links), you first want to de-case the sausage by removing the casing (or thin wrapper on the sausage). Throw the casing away and set aside the sausage.
In a large saute pan add 2 TBS of olive oil and brown the de-cased sausage until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Place the browned sausage into the crockpot and using the same saute pan, saute the sliced carrots and celery for about 3 minutes. Add the diced onions and cook for an additional 2 minutes or until the onions appear translucent in color. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just long enough to release the aroma. Place the sauteed carrots, celery, onions, and garlic into the crockpot with the sausage. Add the chicken broth, chicken bouillon, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to the crockpot. Stir to combine all ingredients and let cook either on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Once you are about 40 minutes away from wanting to eat, mix the 3 Tbsp cornstarch into the 2 cups of milk and stir until combined. Add the half and half, milk and cornstarch mixture, and the gnocchi to the crockpot. Give it a stir and replace the crockpot lid and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. Adding the extra liquid will have cooled down your soup, so sometimes I will let mine sit for an extra 15 minutes. (so a total of 45 min)
Lastly, add the chopped kale and let it sit for another 5 minutes. Serve immediately with fresh grated parmesan cheese on top. The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
