Sunday Soup #49: Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup (Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)

I usually hesitate to make copycat recipes because it is most often tough to beat the original, and people always come to the table with a preconceived idea of what those dishes should taste like. But, there is a reason why restaurants have certain soups that they've served for years: because they're good! Did this one live up to the hype?

This recipe came from: https://scrummylane.com/crockpot-chicken-gnocchi-soup-olive-garden-copycat/

*Pic 1 - https://scrummylane.com/crockpot-chicken-gnocchi-soup-olive-garden-copycat/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I made one and half times the recipe. Other than that, I followed the recipe as written.

General Thoughts: This soup was very easy to make. Prep was very minimal, requiring some chopping/slicing (the carrots, celery, and onions) up front, but that was about it. Any recipe that involves dumping things in a crockpot and turning it on is bound to be simple, so (if you have the time) they are usually winners. Heck, even if you don't have 4-6 hours to let it slow-cook, you could accomplish the same thing in an Instant Pot in a fraction of the time.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

So, how did it taste...? Hmm. Well, the biggest impression I was left with after eating a bowl of this soup is that it was just unremarkable. The soup was poorly spiced (depending, as written, on the Italian herb mix, and an unspecified amount of salt and pepper, for most if its flavor) and wound up rather bland. I suppose that makes sense for the mass appeal Olive Garden would generally go for, but I want more out of the soups I make at home.

Beyond the spicing, the veggies were also a bit of an issue... The spinach leaves, though wilted in the garlic oil, remained a bit large and my eaters said they might prefer kale to the spinach if we ever made this soup again. The carrots were a bigger problem... The slices I used were cut on the bias (i.e., at an angle) so were longer and larger than would be produced from a standard-sliced (squarely-cut) carrot. The result was slices that were a little "too much" for those that do not love cooked carrots, and a carrot taste that (in my opinion) pervaded the entire soup.

Finally, finding quality gnocchi in the super market can be difficult. Plenty of people have told me that homemade gnocchi can't be beat, and I believe them, but I am not a pasta wizard myself, so I rely on my local market. In this case, the gnocchi I used were lackluster and somewhat mealy; not bad, but definitely not really good.

My favorite things about this recipe were the nice garlic bread Lisa made to go with it (butter, garlic powder, salt, paprika, and parsley), which greatly added to my enjoyment of the meal, and the shaved parmesan cheese we used as a garnish. Other than that, not a great deal to recommend this one...

Potential Improvements? Where do I start? I'd use fewer carrots and likely dice them instead of slicing. I'd use whole cream instead of evaporated milk. I'd like to try kale instead of spinach, or cut the spinach leaves a little smaller before adding them to the pot. And I'd have to find a way to kick up the flavor profile significantly; Lisa made the suggestion that the addition of some white wine to the recipe could help a little.

Polling the Fam: Again, my reaction this recipe was just "meh," and I don't think I'd make it again unless specifically asked. Lisa liked it, but definitely agreed that the improvements above would be needed to make it something for which she'd ask again. Jayson thought it was bland (only "so-so") and was put off by the giant carrots. Hunter liked it overall, but didn't like the carrots and (like me) thought the carrot taste permeated every bite. Fox, unsurprisingly, did not care for it at all, disliking the spinach and the carrots, particularly.

Verdict: Not a fan. (2 stars)