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Tuscan Gnocchi

Tuscan gnocchi in a creamy sun-dried tomato and spinach sauce, finished with Italian sausage and Parmesan melted throughout. Golden-seared gnocchi gets tossed right in the sauce for a quick, cozy main-dish texture.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 820
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Potato gnocchi
  • 1 lb potato gnocchi
Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
Spinach
  • 3 cup baby spinach
Sun-dried tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
Garlic
  • 4 garlic, minced
Heavy cream
  • 1 cup heavy cream
Chicken broth
  • 0.5 cup chicken broth
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Fresh basil
  • 1 fresh basil for serving
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the sausage
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the Italian sausage until cooked through and browned, then drain and set aside.
Build the creamy sauce
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the sun-dried tomato oil in the skillet. Sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the heavy cream and chicken broth, then stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 4 minutes, until slightly thickened and bubbly around the edges.
  3. Add the grated parmesan and stir until melted and smooth through the sauce, with no dry flecks.
Cook and finish the gnocchi
  1. Add the gnocchi directly to the sauce and cook according to the package directions. Stir occasionally until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce clings to it.
  2. Return the browned sausage to the skillet, then add the baby spinach. Toss until the spinach wilts completely and turns bright green.
  3. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh basil for a fresh, fragrant finish.

Notes

For the creamiest sauce, keep the simmer gentle once the cream goes in so it thickens without splitting. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat over low heat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce. Freezing isn’t recommended because gnocchi and cream sauce can change texture. If you want a lighter option, swap heavy cream for half-and-half (expect a slightly thinner sauce).