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A close-up of rich, orange-hued Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Skillet mixed with wilted spinach.

Creamy Sausage Gnocchi Skillet

This recipe cooks the gnocchi directly in the skillet with the sauce, which helps thicken it without needing extra cheese or cornstarch. It uses one pan for the entire meal.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 15 oz Italian sausage spicy, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 16 oz potato gnocchi uncooked
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth Can substitute with white wine, red wine, or water.
  • 1 cup heavy cream Half-and-half can also be used.
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
  • 13 oz tomato sauce such as tomato pasta sauce or marinara Any flavor works.
  • 5 oz spinach fresh
  • Salt and coarsely ground black pepper To taste. Check sausage saltiness first.
  • Red pepper flakes To taste.

Equipment

  • Large, high-sided skillet

Method
 

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a large, high-sided skillet.
  2. Add crumbled sausage and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks.
  3. To the same skillet with sausage, add uncooked potato gnocchi, chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Bring the mixture to a boil on medium heat and stir everything well. Cover with a lid and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat while the sauce boils.
  4. Add tomato pasta sauce and stir it well. Add fresh spinach, and cook on medium heat, stirring frequently for 5 minutes until the spinach wilts to your preference. Cook longer if you want a thicker sauce.
  5. Mix everything well. Remove the skillet from the heat.
  6. Season with salt, freshly ground coarse black pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Notes

You can use white wine, red wine, or water instead of chicken broth. I have used water with no loss of flavor. You can use any flavor of store-bought pasta sauce or marinara sauce, such as traditional, tomato basil, arrabbiata, or garlic tomato sauce. If you use Italian sausage links, remove the casings or slice the links before cooking. If you use sweet or mild Italian sausage, add extra spice. Gnocchi releases starch that thickens the sauce, minimizing cleanup since you use only one pan.

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