Best Instant Pot Potato Gnocchi Soup

If you ask me, soup from the Instant Pot is one of the best weeknight shortcuts.

This cozy potato gnocchi soup brings together tender chicken, pillowy gnocchi, and fresh vegetables in a creamy broth that tastes like it simmered all day. The pressure cooker does the heavy lifting while you get on with your evening.

Carrots and celery add a classic soup base, while spinach stirred in at the end keeps things fresh. The gnocchi make it hearty enough to satisfy even the pickiest eaters at your table.

It’s a comforting bowl of goodness that comes together in about 30 minutes, perfect for those busy nights when you need something warm and filling.

What Kind of Gnocchi Should I Use?

For this soup, you’ll want to grab the shelf-stable potato gnocchi that you find in the pasta aisle, not the refrigerated kind. The shelf-stable variety holds up better in the Instant Pot and won’t turn mushy on you. Most brands will work just fine, whether you go with a store brand or something like De Cecco. If you can only find refrigerated gnocchi, it’ll still work in a pinch, but keep in mind it might be a bit softer in texture. Whatever you choose, there’s no need to pre-cook the gnocchi – it’ll cook perfectly right in the soup.

Options for Substitutions

This soup is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Chicken breast: Chicken thighs work great here and actually stay more tender during pressure cooking. You can also use rotisserie chicken – just shred it and add it at the end with the gnocchi to avoid overcooking.
• Potato gnocchi: This is the star of the soup, so I’d recommend sticking with potato gnocchi. If you absolutely need a substitute, try small cheese tortellini, but keep in mind the soup will have a different character.
• Spinach: Kale or Swiss chard make good swaps for spinach. Just chop them finely since they’re tougher greens. You could also use frozen spinach – about 1 cup thawed and squeezed dry.
• Milk: Heavy cream makes this soup richer, or you can use half-and-half. For a lighter version, stick with whole milk or even 2% milk.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works if you want to make this vegetarian – just skip the chicken and add extra veggies like mushrooms or white beans for protein.
• Cornstarch: You can use flour instead for thickening. Mix 1 tablespoon of flour with the milk before adding it to the soup.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with Instant Pot soup is doing a quick pressure release instead of natural release, which can cause the liquid to spray everywhere and make your chicken tough and stringy – always let it naturally release for at least 5 minutes like the recipe says.

Another common error is adding the gnocchi too early, since they only need about 2 minutes to cook through and will turn mushy and fall apart if they sit in the hot soup too long.

Make sure to mix your cornstarch with the milk before adding it to the pot rather than dumping it straight in, otherwise you’ll end up with clumps that won’t dissolve.

Finally, don’t skip shredding the chicken into bite-sized pieces – leaving it in large chunks makes the soup harder to eat and the chicken won’t soak up the flavors as well.

What to Serve With Potato Gnocchi Soup?

This hearty soup is pretty filling on its own, but I love serving it with some crusty bread or warm dinner rolls for soaking up all that creamy broth. A simple side salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, and a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the soup without making the meal feel too heavy. If you want to make it even more of a complete dinner, garlic breadsticks are always a hit with my family, and they’re perfect for dunking. Since the soup already has plenty of protein and veggies, you really don’t need much else to make it a satisfying meal.

Storage Instructions

Store: This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Just keep in mind that the gnocchi will soak up some of the broth as it sits, so the soup will get thicker over time. You might want to add a splash of chicken broth or milk when reheating to thin it back out.

Freeze: I usually don’t recommend freezing this soup because the gnocchi can get a bit mushy after thawing. If you want to freeze it anyway, leave out the gnocchi and add fresh ones when you reheat. The soup base will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Reheat: Warm it up on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can also microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add a little extra broth or milk if it’s gotten too thick while sitting in the fridge.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1300-1500
• Protein: 80-90 g
• Fat: 26-32 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 sticks celery (sliced into 1/4-inch crescents)
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1.75 cups milk
• 2 tsp cornstarch (whisk with 1 tbsp water to prevent lumps)
• 2 carrots (peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 16 oz potato gnocchi
• 2 cups spinach

Step 1: Prepare Mise en Place

• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 sticks celery
• 2 carrots
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp water

Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, slice celery into 1/4-inch crescents, peel and slice carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, and whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until smooth to prevent lumps when added to the soup later.

Having everything prepped before cooking begins ensures the sautéing step flows smoothly.

Step 2: Build the Aromatic Base and Pressure Cook

• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 sticks celery
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb chicken breast

Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and melt the butter, then add the diced onion, minced garlic, and sliced celery.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the garlic powder, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to bloom the dried spices and deepen the flavor.

Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken breast whole—it will be easier to shred after cooking.

Seal the pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes (this will cook the chicken through while building a flavorful broth base).

Step 3: Release Pressure and Shred Chicken

• cooked chicken breast from Step 2

Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.

Remove the cooked chicken breast with tongs and place it on a cutting board.

Let it cool for 1-2 minutes, then shred it using two forks, pulling the meat apart into bite-sized pieces.

I find natural pressure release helps the chicken stay incredibly tender rather than tough from the sudden temperature change.

Step 4: Finish the Broth and Add Gnocchi

• shredded chicken from Step 3
• 1.75 cups milk
• cornstarch slurry from Step 1
• 2 carrots
• 16 oz potato gnocchi

Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode and stir the shredded chicken back into the pot.

Pour in the milk and add the cornstarch slurry from Step 1, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until the soup thickens slightly and becomes creamy—the cornstarch will help create a silky texture without making it heavy.

Add the sliced carrots and potato gnocchi, then simmer for 2 minutes until the gnocchi floats and the carrots begin to soften.

I like to taste and adjust seasoning at this point since the milk can mellow the spice profile.

Step 5: Wilt Spinach and Serve

• 2 cups spinach

Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh spinach, folding it gently until wilted, about 1 minute.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

The residual heat will wilt the spinach perfectly while keeping it bright and fresh rather than overcooked.

Best Instant Pot Potato Gnocchi Soup

Delicious Best Instant Pot Potato Gnocchi Soup recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

Calories 1400 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion (diced into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 sticks celery (sliced into 1/4-inch crescents)
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 lb chicken breast
• 1.75 cups milk
• 2 tsp cornstarch (whisk with 1 tbsp water to prevent lumps)
• 2 carrots (peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds)
• 16 oz potato gnocchi
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

 

• Dice the onion into 1/2-inch pieces, mince the garlic cloves, slice celery into 1/4-inch crescents, peel and slice carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, and whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl until smooth to prevent lumps when added to the soup later. Having everything prepped before cooking begins ensures the sautéing step flows smoothly.
• Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode and melt the butter, then add the diced onion, minced garlic, and sliced celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic powder, dried thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper to bloom the dried spices and deepen the flavor. Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken breast whole—it will be easier to shred after cooking. Seal the pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 8 minutes (this will cook the chicken through while building a flavorful broth base).
• Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove the cooked chicken breast with tongs and place it on a cutting board. Let it cool for 1-2 minutes, then shred it using two forks, pulling the meat apart into bite-sized pieces. I find natural pressure release helps the chicken stay incredibly tender rather than tough from the sudden temperature change.
• Switch the Instant Pot to sauté mode and stir the shredded chicken back into the pot. Pour in the milk and add the cornstarch slurry from Step 1, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until the soup thickens slightly and becomes creamy—the cornstarch will help create a silky texture without making it heavy. Add the sliced carrots and potato gnocchi, then simmer for 2 minutes until the gnocchi floats and the carrots begin to soften. I like to taste and adjust seasoning at this point since the milk can mellow the spice profile.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the fresh spinach, folding it gently until wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot. The residual heat will wilt the spinach perfectly while keeping it bright and fresh rather than overcooked.