Description
Hearty Creamy Sausage Gnocchi brings Italian comfort straight to dinner tables with rich, indulgent flavors. Savory sausage and pillowy potato dumplings meld perfectly, promising a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 15 ounces (425 grams) Italian spicy sausage (crumbled)
- 5 ounces (142 grams) fresh spinach
Starch and Base:
- 16 ounces (454 grams) potato gnocchi
- 13 ounces (369 grams) tomato sauce
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
- Salt (to taste)
- Coarsely ground black pepper (to taste)
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
- Scatter crumbled sausage into the pan and sauté for approximately 5 minutes, breaking it into smaller pieces while cooking.
- Introduce uncooked potato gnocchi, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning to the skillet with sausage. Increase heat to bring mixture to a vigorous boil, stirring thoroughly to combine ingredients.
- Cover skillet and allow gnocchi to simmer for 5 minutes, enabling the sauce to develop and thicken naturally.
- Pour in tomato pasta sauce and integrate completely. Gently fold fresh spinach into the mixture, continuing to cook for an additional 5 minutes until spinach wilts and sauce reaches desired consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Select your preferred sausage variation – spicy, sweet, or mild Italian – ensuring casings are removed if using links.
- Experiment with liquid options: chicken broth can be substituted with white wine, red wine, or water without compromising flavor profile.
- Choose any tomato sauce variant – traditional, basil-infused, arrabbiata, or garlic-enhanced – based on personal preference.
- Consider using half-and-half as an alternative to heavy cream for a lighter sauce texture.
- Leverage gnocchi’s natural starch to organically thicken the sauce, eliminating the need for additional thickening agents.
- Remove from heat once spinach is perfectly wilted and sauce reaches ideal consistency.
- Garnish with additional herbs or grated cheese if desired before serving hot.
Notes
- Choose spicy Italian sausage for a kick of heat, or opt for mild sausage and add red pepper flakes to control the spice level.
- Swap heavy cream with half-and-half or milk for a lighter version, keeping the creamy texture intact.
- Customize the dish by using different tomato sauces like arrabbiata or garlic tomato sauce to change the flavor profile.
- Quick one-pan cooking method saves time and reduces cleanup, with gnocchi releasing starch to naturally thicken the sauce.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg