Creamy Sausage Gnocchi
This sausage gnocchi is a quick, comforting one-pot dish that's perfect for busy weeknights. Crispy crumbled vegetarian sausages in a creamy tomato sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and pillowy soft gnocchi - all ready in under 20 minutes.
This creamy sausage gnocchi has become one of my most-requested weeknight dinners, and for good reason. It's incredibly easy to throw together, uses simple pantry ingredients, and tastes like something you'd order at a restaurant. The crispy sausage pieces contrast beautifully with the soft gnocchi and rich, creamy sauce.
If you're into quick gnocchi dishes, you might also love my creamy pesto gnocchi, baked gnocchi with mozzarella, or French onion gnocchi.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
"Loved how saucy this turned out - feels like a really healthy, comforting dinner. Will definitely be making again!" - Abi H
This is the kind of recipe that impresses without any effort. One pot, 20 minutes, and minimal washing up. The sun-dried tomatoes add a rich sweetness, the cream brings it all together, and the Pecorino on top is the perfect salty finish. It's comfort food at its finest.
If you're into quick gnocchi dishes, you might love recipes like my Creamy Pesto Gnocchi or this Baked Gnocchi with Mozzarella. If you're more into creamy pasta, try this French Onion Gnocchi too.
Ingredient Notes
The exact quantities of the ingredients that you need in this recipe are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Below, I've listed out the ingredients and included a few potential substitutions.
- Gnocchi: You can use fresh gnocchi or shelf-stable gnocchi. Fresh will cook faster, but either works well for this dish.
- Vegetarian Sausages: Choose your favorite brand of vegetarian or vegan sausages. I love the THIIS brand or the Richmond vegan sausages. You can also use regular sausages if you're not vegetarian.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: They add a nice, rich sweetness. If you can't find them, you could use roasted red peppers or cherry tomatoes.
- Onion & Garlic: These are a great base for so many recipes, and that's no different here.
- Double Cream: You can swap this for heavy cream or a plant-based alternative if needed.
- Pecorino: Parmesan or Grana Padano will work if you don't have Pecorino, but they're not always vegetarian.
- Spinach: I add in some chopped fresh spinach for extra nutrients! Some kale would also be a nice touch.
- Seasonings: We use a blend of salt and pepper, Italian herbs, and dried oregano for this recipe. You could also want some chili flakes or chili powder if you want a little extra spice.
Variations & Substitutions
- Vegan Option: Use vegan sausages, replace the double cream with a plant-based cream, and swap the Pecorino for nutritional yeast.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free gnocchi and check that your sausages are also gluten-free.
- Add more vegetables: I loved adding diced red pepper and sliced mushrooms to this recipe to pack it out with even more goodness. You could also add diced zucchini, eggplant, or swap out the spinach for chard, or even add some puy lentils for extra protein and fiber.
How to Make This Sausage Gnocchi Recipe
Step 1: Cook the Sausages
Heat oil in a pan and add the crumbled sausages. Fry for 4-5 minutes until crispy and golden, stirring frequently. Remove the sausages from the pan, keeping as much of the oil in the pan as possible.
Step 2: Build the Sauce
Tip the diced onion and minced garlic into the same pan and sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and seasonings, then stir in the tomato paste.
Step 3: Add the Cream and the Gnocchi
Pour in the cream and water, then add the gnocchi directly to the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gnocchi is soft and the sauce has thickened.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
Stir in the chopped spinach until wilted, then add the crispy sausage pieces back to the pan. Grate in the Pecorino, scatter over fresh basil, and season to taste. Serve straight from the pan!
Expert Tips for the Best Sausage Gnocchi
- Cook the gnocchi in the sauce: Don't pre-boil the gnocchi. Cooking it directly in the sauce means it absorbs all the flavor and stays beautifully soft. I use fresh gnocchi, but you could use a shelf-stable one - you'll just need to let it simmer in the sauce for longer.
- Get the sausages crispy: Fry them until they're properly golden and crunchy. The crispy texture contrasts perfectly with the pillowy gnocchi. My favorite vegetarian sausage brand is the Richmond vegan sausages - but use whatever brand you most prefer!
- Loosen the sauce if needed: If the sauce gets too thick, add a splash more water or cream to loosen it up. The gnocchi will continue to absorb liquid as it sits. This recipe does make a lovely "saucy" dish, though.
- Use a good quality chopped tomato brand: I love the Mutti brand of chopped tomatoes because they're pulsed to a really smooth consistency, so there are no chunks of diced tomato overwhelming this dish (which is already quite tomato'y thanks to the sun-dried tomatoes! The cream does balance everything out, though.)
Storage
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or cream to loosen the sauce.
Freezer: I wouldn't recommend freezing this one - the gnocchi can turn mushy after thawing.
How To Serve?
This is a pretty complete meal on its own, but if you want to add a side:
- A chunk of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce
- Garlic bread
- A simple side salad
FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen gnocchi-just add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time.
You can make this ahead and reheat, but the gnocchi is best served fresh as it can become softer after sitting.
Absolutely! It's creamy, mild, and packed with flavor, so it's a hit with kids. If your kids don't like spinach, you can skip it or swap it for something milder like peas.
Sausage Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g gnocchi
- 6 vegetarian sausages
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 white onion diced
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian mixed herbs
- 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 120 ml double cream
- 100 g spinach chopped
- 20 g Pecorino grated
- Fresh basil to garnish
- 1 tablespoon red chili oil optional, to garnish
Method
- Heat your oil in a pan and tear your sausages into chunks, adding them to the pan. Fry them until crispy and golden, which should take approximately 6-8 minutes, flipping the sausage chunks a couple of times to ensure all sides get evenly cooked. Remove the sausages from the pan, trying to keep as much of the oil in the pan as possible.6 vegetarian sausages
- Add the onion and garlic into the pan and saute for 3-5 minutes.1 white onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the tomato paste and the seasonings. Stir into the onions and cook down for a minute or two until the spices bloom and the tomato paste is fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon Italian mixed herbs, 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, Salt and pepper
- Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chopped tomatoes, and stir them into the sauce along with 2-4 tablespoon water. Simmer for 5-8 minutes.6 sun-dried tomatoes, 400 g chopped tomatoes
- Add the fresh gnocchi, chopped spinach, and cream. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 3-4 minutes until the gnocchi is cooked and the spinach is wilted.300 g gnocchi, 100 g spinach, 120 ml double cream
- Serve with the Pecorino cheese grated on top, along with the fresh basil and a drizzle of red chili oil, if using.20 g Pecorino, Fresh basil, 1 tablespoon red chili oil
