Description
This One-pan Creamy Sausage Gnocchi is a quick and comforting Italian-inspired meal made by sautéing Italian pork sausages with garlic, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes, then simmering with fresh gnocchi and finishing with cream and spinach for a luscious, creamy sauce. Topped with freshly grated Parmesan, basil leaves, and a sprinkle of chili flakes, it delivers a hearty and flavorful dinner in just 20 minutes with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Dairy
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) Italian pork sausages, casings removed
- 1 cup (250 ml) thickened (heavy) cream
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
Vegetables and Herbs
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 120 g (4 oz) fresh baby spinach
- Basil leaves, to serve
Pantry
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- ½ cup (125 ml) white wine (or chicken stock as a substitute)
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh gnocchi (from the refrigerated section, not dry)
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- Chilli (red pepper) flakes, to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil and cook sausages: In a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Remove the casings from the Italian pork sausages and crumble the sausage meat into the pan. Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add garlic and tomato paste: Stir in 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste with the cooked sausage. Cook for about 1-2 minutes until fragrant, allowing the tomato paste to deepen in flavor.
- Deglaze with white wine or stock: Pour in ½ cup white wine (or chicken stock as a substitute) to deglaze the pan. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan, then allow the wine to reduce slightly for about 2 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes and simmer: Stir in 400 grams canned crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Incorporate gnocchi and cream: Add 500 grams fresh gnocchi to the pan, gently stirring to coat them with the sauce. Pour in 1 cup thickened cream and stir to combine. Let the gnocchi cook in the sauce until tender and the sauce has thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add spinach and cheese: Stir in 120 grams fresh baby spinach and ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, allowing the spinach to wilt and the cheese to melt into the sauce. Season with sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy sausage gnocchi onto plates. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of chili flakes if desired. Serve immediately for a delicious, hearty meal.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken stock for the white wine if preferred or to keep it non-alcoholic.
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, but the sauce will be less rich.
- Fresh gnocchi cooks quickly, so avoid overcooking to prevent them from becoming mushy.
- Adding chili flakes provides a gentle heat; adjust amount to your taste.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor and texture.
