Looking for a new way to use Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi? How about as dumplings in homemade tomato soup?! This tomato soup recipe is veggie packed, creamy, and comforting and made into a complete meal with the addition of cauliflower gnocchi. Even better: it’s gluten free and vegetarian!
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I have no idea how I came up with this idea. I had planned on cooking something completely different when recipe testing for the blog, yet this is what I came up with. I’m not mad about the change of plans, and you shouldn’t be either.
How to Make Tomato Soup with Cauliflower Gnocchi Dumplings
We’re working with a pretty short ingredient list here (lucky us!).
Ingredients for Tomato Soup with Cauliflower Gnocchi Dumplings:
- Butter
- Onions
- Garlic
- Carrots
- Flour
- Tomato paste
- Chicken stock
- Diced tomatoes
- Basil
- Thyme
- Bay leaf
- Heavy cream
- Spinach (not pictured + optional)
- Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Parmesan
The soup is simple: saute, simmer, blend, stir in cream and spinach. For all soups, I like to use a heavy bottomed dutch oven. This is the one I have. Lucky me, the subletter in our apartment when we were living in Cape Town purchased it and LEFT IT BEHIND. What.
To prepare the gnocchi, I pulled out my new favorite kitchen gadget: the air fryer! I was reeeaaally skeptical of this gadget, but it’s quickly proven it’s worth. It preheats and cooks food lightning fast, and it’s perfect for side dishes, and in this case, toasting cauliflower gnocchi! If you don’t have an air fryer, simply toast the gnocchi in a skillet according to package directions.
Once the soup is done, ladle into bowls, top with gnocchi “dumplings”, lots of basil, and lots of parmesan. Now you have a bowl of the most delicious, yet wholesome, soup you’ve ever had.
Tips and Tricks for Soup Success
- Allow plenty of time for the carrots to soften. It can be easy to get impatient.
- Wanna crock pot this? You totally can! Add all ingredients except heavy cream, spinach, cauliflower gnocchi, and parmesan to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Then follow the directions from blending on!
- Get the gnocchi nicely golden – the soup will be easier on the eyes and on the palette.
- You can totally just stir in the gnocchi if you prefer – it just won’t have a “toasted” texture.
- This soup freezes well (even with dumplings!) and makes great leftovers.
- Need a little more carbs? Serve it with homemade focaccia bread or a roasted chicken for more protein.
View this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
Tomato Soup with Cauliflower Gnocchi Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 6 cloves of garlic, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 12.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp chopped basil
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups spinach, optional
- 1 bag Trader Joe's Cauliflower Gnocchi
- Parmesan, for garnish
- Chiffonade basil, for garnish
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom stock pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots and saute until veggies are soft.
- Add the flour, and cook for about a minute.
- Add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until carrots are soft.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the cauliflower gnocchi. If you have an air fryer, preheat to 380 degrees F. Add gnocchi to basket and spray with cooking spray. Cook for about 12 minutes, removing basket every 4 minutes to shake gnocchi, until gnocchi are golden brown. If you don't have an air fryer, cook according to package directions in a skillet.
- Remove bay leaf from soup. Add the chopped basil. Use immerison blender to blend the soup, or blend in batches in a blender.
- Return soup to low heat and stir in cream and spinach. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is completely wilted, about 5 minutes.
- Ladle soup into bowls to serve and top with toasted gnocchi (I recommend about 8 gnocchi per bowl). Top with parmesan and basil and serve.
Notes
- Want to spice things up? Add 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.
- Wanna crock pot this? You totally can! Add all ingredients except heavy cream, spinach, cauliflower gnocchi, and parmesan to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Then follow the directions from blending onward!
- Get the gnocchi nicely golden - the soup will be easier on the eyes and on the palette.
- You can totally just stir in the gnocchi if you prefer - it just won't have a "toasted" texture.
- This soup freezes well (even with dumplings!) and makes great leftovers.
What a great way to use cauliflower gnocchi! I like to toast it in the air fryer, too, but have never thought about putting it in soup. Can’t wait to try!