We just got our first real snowstorm of the winter and I am so craving another bowl of this hug in soup form, A.K.A. vegan tomato basil gnocchi soup.
I actually attempted to escape Baltimore on a flight to San Diego yesterday and after 4.5 hours of sitting on the tarmac (I’ll do a rare name and shame: American Airlines) watching the snow fall on our plane, only to be eventually sent home with a no-go, I was quite weary and propelled fully into comfort food mode. I sat down today to edit the photos of this luscious vegetarian tomato basil gnocchi soup, and started wanting it again something fierce.
(Seriously though. I’m legitimately headed to the store after this to grab some basil. Check my Instagram for proof later…) Luckily, the recipe only takes about 30 minutes with prep, so it’s quite easy to make on a whim!
As I discuss at more length in my 30-minute fresh tomato marinara recipe, for dishes that highlight tomatoes I believe in keeping flavors simple. Simple and garlicky. That way the natural brightness and sweetness of the tomato can really shine through. Italian cuisine is excellent at highlighting individual ingredients and I try to use that as inspiration.
So, I thought I’d turn my favorite tomato base into a soup, and make it filling too. Nothing better than using a soup as the main event! I turned this into a creamy tomato gnocchi soup concoction by blending together the tomatoes with the olive oil base using my immersion blender. You can also transfer it to a regular blender or food processor if you don’t have one, or even enjoy it chunky style (modification suggestions in recipe notes).
A lot of tomatoey, basil-y broths utilize milk or cream, and Parmesan cheese. Well, this dairy-free version doesn’t need any of those, or even a substitute for them. Naturally creamy and flavorful thanks to the goodness of garlic, heart-healthy olive oil, and tomatoes! Oh, and white wine. Wine always helps.
I added a little bit of vegan Italian sausage to one of my leftover bowls, and some spicy chickpeas (have we mentioned those lately?) would also be a nice addition, but even without any of that, it’s hearty already. Hope you enjoy!
Tomato Basil Gnocchi Soup
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow or white onion diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (see notes)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves (I do NOT recommend dried basil as a substitute)
- 16 oz uncooked gnocchi (I used store-bought, DeCecco brand)
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt, and cook it for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, and ground black pepper, and cook for about 60 seconds more, until fragrant. Immediately add the wine and stir.
- After the wine starts to bubble, stir in the tomatoes and vegetable broth. Bring the whole thing to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the fresh basil, and use an immersion blender to blend the whole thing until smooth (or leave a few chunks here and there, if you like).
- Return the pot to medium heat, and when simmering, add the gnocchi directly to the pan and stir them in. Cook for about 4-5 minutes or until the gnocchi are tender and float, or are done to your liking. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from A Couple Cooks.
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
stephanie says
I’m amazed by how creamy this looks! Did you use canned tomatoes or fresh? And if you used fresh, did you skin and seed them first?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Stephanie. I used canned crushed tomatoes for this. I find that crushed (or whole peeled, then pureed) canned tomatoes break down better for soup. The creamy appearance comes from the garlic and olive oil emulsifying with the tomato! I almost never skin or seed my fresh tomatoes for soups or sauces if using fresh. Check out the creamy roasted tomato sauce recipe I have on the site for a fresh option.
Leo says
Any suggestions for cooking a day ahead and reheating? I don’t have much experience with gnocchi – will it reheat ok? Making this for the vegan side of my family as part ofThanksgiving! Thanks!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi, I think this would reheat fine (I’ve always really enjoyed the leftovers)! If you want it to be “fresher” I think you could keep the gnocchi separate until the day of serving. Have a happy Thanksgiving!
Lula says
I have to say, this soup is heaven sent!!! Oh my, did it comfort me without weighing me down. What a delicious flavor! I will probably use the tomato basil base minus the gnocchi as my veg TB soup from now on – it’s so good I can’t believe it doesn’t have ANY added “cream” or “milk”. Wow!
Cyndi says
Is there anything I can add to give the dish more protein? I’m thinking nutritional yeast but would like to add something along with that to up it. Any thoughts?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Some ideas I would have are to add vegan meatballs, some chickpeas, or blend in some plain soy milk. You could also add some spinach or kale which have high protein-calorie ratios.
Sherry says
Looks like parm cheese on top in the photo. Is that vegan Parma or the real thing?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Everything on this site is vegan, per the name. That is a new low-fat vegan parmesan recipe that I’m working on which is made of rice and I haven’t published yet.
Kelly says
This sounds so cozy! Oddly enough, since going vegan nearly three years ago I haven’t done anything with gnocchi. I honestly didn’t even realize it was vegan! *facepalm* Now that I know, you better believe I’ll be whipping this up.
xoxo – Kelly