Creamy Italian Sausage & Gnocchi Soup

Okay it's not typical for me to blog recipes but several people ask me for recipes so I thought this would be a good place to start!

Creamy Italian Sausage & Gnocchi Soup in the Crockpot

1 package of Italian Sausage (out of casing, coarsely broken apart)
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch of green onion diced
2 garlic cloves diced
4 tablespoons of flour
1 quart half and half
14 oz chicken broth
1 cup sliced or chopped carrots
1 cup fresh baby spinach coarsely chopped
1 tsp Thyme
1 tsp parsley
Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
1 package of Gnocchi
salt and pepper to taste


You can use 1 cup of shredded chicken in lieu of Italian sausage if you'd like.  I used turkey Italian sausage and fat free half and half to make it a little less fattening.  So while you are browning the Italian sausage in a skillet, melt your butter in another skillet and start to saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent.  Then add 1 tablespoon of the flour at a time and whisk in.  You want to make a roux of sorts.  After it thickens slowly add in half of the half and half, whisking it in and simmering until thicken again.  In the bottom of the crockpot put your chicken or Italian sausage.  Then top with carrots.  Pour your roux mixture on top of that.  Then add the rest of the half and half and mix.  Then add the chicken broth and mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours.  Add the uncooked Gnocchi and cook an additional hour.  Allow crockpot to go to the warming setting and add the spinach, spices and Parmesan cheese.  Allow to warm for about 30 minutes to an hour.  I served mine with rosemary artisan bread!  Yum!