Spicy tomato soup with gnocchi and spinach

Chewy potato dumplings and tender spinach take this spicy tomato soup to the next level. For its base, canned crushed tomatoes get infused with fresh basil, garlic and spices, and sweetened with frizzled onions. (Working over high heat speeds up the sear on the onions.) A pleasant kick from the crushed red pepper balances each bite. Right before serving, store-bought gnocchi are simmered in the tomato soup alongside fresh (or frozen) spinach, instantly thickening the soup and adding more body. For added protein, cubed firm tofu or a can of rinsed and drained beans simmered in the soup will do the trick.