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30-Minute, One-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage

Busy weeknights? No problem. This easy and fast Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach is wonderfully tasty! All you need is 20 minutes and one pan. Deliciously simple!

Gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes in a pan
Fluffy, tender gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes

Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes

With all the busy ongoings of daily life, if you’re ever asked yourself who has time to cook? then you’re in the right place today.

Feeding the family deliciously nutritious meals doesn’t have to take hours to accomplish. Especially when there are fail proof one-pan meals that require minimal effort for maximum results.

This 20-minute Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Tomatoes is packed with big flavors the entire family will adore. Fluffy soft gnocchi, savory sausage, and fresh vegetables are combined into a tasty meal you’ll feel great about serving.

Bonus: you’ll appreciate the fact that there’s only one skillet for this easy gnocchi recipe.

gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes in a pan
Weeknight meal-in-one, in just 20 minutes

Buying and Storing Gnocchi

Though we won’t pretend store-bought gnocchi is synonymous with the variety that comes from a masterful chef’s restaurant kitchen, we will vouch for the simplicity and ease that pre-made gnocchi provides. Not to mention, it tastes pretty incredible when treated right.

You’ll generally find vacuum sealed packages of gnocchi in the refrigerated section of your major grocery store. It can sometimes be found in the pasta aisle as well. Packaged gnocchi will feel soft to the touch, unlike other dry pasta. Gnocchi differs from pasta, as it’s made with potatoes. Thus, its characteristics are soft and fluffy, rather than chewy.

Once you bring your gnocchi home, store it in either your fridge or pantry at moderate room temperature in its original vacuum sealed container. We recommend using the entire package once opened, in order to enjoy it as freshly as possible.

Gnocchi with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes
Just a handful of ingredients and one big skillet

Prep-Ahead Tips

Although this easy gnocchi recipe is already unbelievably simple and quick, we’re still fond of any streamlining strategies that make dinnertime even easier.

Here are a few tips for you to make our fast and easy gnocchi recipe even quicker:

  • Whenever you have a recipe or need for chopped onions and/or garlic, go ahead and chop plenty of extra. Place extras in an airtight container and freeze until your next recipe calls for chopped onions or garlic.
  • Buy ground Italian sausage without casings. This eliminates the need to remove casings when you go to cook the sausage.
  • Buy baby spinach leaves in the pre-packaged salad section of your grocery store, pre-washed and ready to use.
  • You can buy pre-shredded cheeses, or better yet — shred your own blocks of cheese one night and place in airtight containers to keep in fridge for recipes that call for shredded cheese.

This 20-Minute, One-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage with Spinach is a completely fuss-free recipe that will satisfy your carb lovers, carnivores, and and melty cheese eaters. Enjoy.


Try This One-Pot Creamy Gnocchi with Chicken, Too:


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gnocchi with spinach and sausage and tomatoes

30-Minute, One-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage

4.88 from 112 ratings
Busy weeknights? No problem. This easy and fast Gnocchi with Sausage and Spinach is wonderfully tasty! All you need is 20 minutes and one pan. Deliciously simple! Serve with a loaf of French or Italian bread to eat up any leftover sauce.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, bulk, no casings
  • 1 16 oz package potato gnocchi (from refrigerated or pasta aisle)
  • 1 14.5 oz can Italian flavored diced tomatoes with juices (do not drain)
  • ¼ cup low sodium chicken broth
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • ½ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a large nonstick skillet, add oil and heat over medium high until hot. Add onion and garlic and stir/cook until fragrant, 30 seconds.
  • Add sausage; stir and break it up into pieces, until nicely browned. Don't drain. Add uncooked gnocchi. Stir 1 min, gently breaking up any clumps.
  • Stir in tomatoes with juices and chicken broth. Cover and cook on medium heat, 5 min, or just until gnocchi is fluffy and cooked through. Turn off heat.
  • Add spinach and pepper. Stir until spinach leaves are wilted. Sprinkle with cheeses and cover for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melty. Serve immediately. 

Notes

Sliced French or Italian bread is a great accompaniment, for soaking up leftover sauce.
Make it meatless: Simply skip the sausage and add another veggie instead. Sub veggie broth for chicken broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.4g | Protein: 10.8g | Fat: 12.6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20.8mg | Sodium: 516.5mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 2.9g
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: Italian
Method: Stovetop

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4.88 from 112 votes (68 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




103 comments

    • Marcie
    • 5 stars

    This is by far the yummiest and easiest dinner I make for my family. It’s so easy and seriously one of my all time favorites. It can be made so many different ways and is unbelievably delicious regardless of the variation. No spinach, lots of spinach, no parm, tons of parm, no mozzarella, lots of mozzarella, mild sausage, spicy sausage, small gnocchi, large gnocchi, ITS LITERALLY DELICIOUS NO MATTER HOW YOU MAKE IT.
    I never eat gnocchi any other way now, lol.
    I’m so glad I found this recipe. Being a mom of 2 crazy boys is a lot easier when you have easy, quick, yummy recipes up your sleeve.

    • Susan j Kingsbury
    • 5 stars

    Fabulous.

    • Dorothy A Shull
    • 5 stars

    I made this the other night, downsizing for 2. It was very light and easy. I’d make it again.

      • Amy Dong

      So happy to hear that, Dorothy! 🙂

    • Rachel
    • 5 stars

    It seemed a little meat heavy for me so next time I’ll only use half a pound of Italian sausage and sub veggies or mushrooms for the other half.

      • Marcie
      • 5 stars

      Sometimes I just cup up Italian sausage links into little mealball sized chunks rather than using a ground meat. You could try that if you don’t like having meat in every bite. I actually prefer it that way.

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