Gnocchi, Lemon, and Spinach Soup

I love to experiment in the kitchen, and this experiment was so fun that I just have to share. 

You may remember that I recently posted a recipe for avgolemono, which is a Greek lemon soup. It is a chicken based soup, one that my husband and I love. 

Ever since mastering that recipe, I’ve been thinking of ways to make a vegetarian version. My first thought was to try a version that uses a good homemade vegetable broth and small pasta, with maybe some greens, such as spinach or kale. 

But then I thought, why not have a little bit more fun? Why not put even more of an Italian twist on the dish and use gnocchi? 

Gnocchi is one of my favorite comfort foods. It is an Italian dumpling, often made with potatoes and flour, but there are many wonderful variations, including ricotta gnocchi, sweet potato gnocchi, and even cauliflower gnocchi. For this recipe, I used a simple potato gnocchi. 

Although I have made homemade gnocchi before (a fun adventure that I will include on this blog someday), I often have frozen store-bought gnocchi in my freezer. (For any Columbus residents reading this, Carfagna’s has excellent gnocchi in their freezer section. It is the one I use the most.)

Usually when I cook gnocchi, I keep it very simple, and just serve it with cheese, butter, olive oil, and maybe some herbs and veggies. But gnocchi can also be a fun addition in soups, and I really loved the way it worked with the lemon and spinach in this dish. 

Think of this recipe has the beginning of a quest to find the perfect vegetarian avgolemono soup. Is this the perfect recipe? Nope, but it is so good and such a fun starting point. I hope you enjoy it too!

Print Recipe

Gnocchi, Lemon, and Spinach Soup

(7 votes, average: 2.86 out of 5)

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A vegetarian avgolemono soup with an Italian twist. You can use either store bought or homemade gnocchi, but use the best vegetable broth you can find (homemade is best).

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 cups of vegetable broth (homemade is best or good quality store bought)
• 1 pound of gnocchi (I used frozen)
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yoke
• 5 tablespoons of lemon juice, plus more to taste
• Spinach, chopped if the leaves are large
• Parsley

Instructions

1

Begin by heating a few drizzles of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium low heat. Add the onion, carrot, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper and saute until very tender, about 10 minutes.

2

Now add the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Partially cover and let the broth simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

3

Turn up the heat slightly and add the gnocchi. Cook until they float to the top. Add a few handfuls of spinach and some parsley.

4

In a heat proof bowl or measuring cup, whisk the eggs and egg yoke until well combined. Add the lemon juice and a small pinch of salt. Keep whisking the eggs while you slowly pour in a ladle of the hot broth. Repeat with a second ladle of broth. Be sure to pour slowly while constantly whisking the eggs. This creates your lemon and egg sauce.

5

Turn the soup down to low and slowly pour the lemon and egg sauce into the soup. Turn off the heat and stir the soup until well combined. Taste and see if it needs more lemon or salt. Serve immediately and enjoy!