Description
This one-pan creamy sausage gnocchi recipe is a hearty and comforting meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Italian pork sausages cook with garlic, tomato paste, wine, and crushed tomatoes to create a rich sauce, which is then finished with creamy heavy cream, fresh gnocchi, baby spinach, and parmesan cheese. The dish comes together quickly in a single pan, making it both convenient and delicious with a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
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
Produce
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 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)
- 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh gnocchi (not dry, from the refrigerated section of the supermarket)
- Sea salt flakes, to taste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- Chilli (red pepper) flakes, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Add the Italian pork sausages with the casings removed, breaking them up with a spatula. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add garlic and tomato paste: Stir in the freshly minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze with wine: Pour in white wine (or chicken stock) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom to lift any browned bits. Let the liquid reduce slightly for about 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and simmer: Add the canned crushed tomatoes, stirring well. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce and blend flavors.
- Incorporate cream and gnocchi: Stir in the thickened cream until the sauce is creamy and well combined. Add the fresh gnocchi, stirring gently to coat them in the sauce. Cook until the gnocchi puff up and float, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add spinach and cheese: Fold in the fresh baby spinach and grated parmesan, cooking until the spinach wilts and the cheese melts into the sauce, about 2 minutes. Season with sea salt flakes and cracked black pepper to taste.
- Serve: Serve the creamy sausage gnocchi hot, garnished with fresh basil leaves and a sprinkle of chilli flakes for added heat if desired, along with extra parmesan on the side.
Notes
- You can substitute white wine with chicken stock for a non-alcoholic version.
- Using fresh gnocchi is important for a soft texture; avoid dry gnocchi for this recipe.
- For extra heat, add crushed red pepper flakes when cooking the garlic.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated gently on the stovetop or microwave.
- To make it vegetarian, substitute pork sausages with plant-based sausage alternatives and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
