Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach, and Peppers is an easy skillet meal that’s ready in 30 minutes.
Potato gnocchi are tender little dumplings that adapt as easily as pasta to various sauces. They also take only a few minutes to boil. This hearty dish features a rich chicken broth/cream sauce. First, sliced sausage is pan-browned along with shallots and garlic. Lightly sauteed spinach and roasted bell peppers add color and veggie goodness. A finishing sprinkle of Parmesan tops each serving, and dinner is served!
Tweaks & Tips – Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach & Pepper
The original Taste of Home recipe specifies chicken sausage. But I had some leftover smoked beef sausage so that’s what I used for this recipe. Plus, the hubby isn’t a big fan of chicken sausage. I am a fan and think a variety of flavored chicken sausages would work well in this dish. I would also recommend andouille sausage. Some heat would be a great counterbalance to the rich sauce and hearty gnocchi.
Roasted Peppers – I was inspired to add roasted bell peppers to this recipe. I felt the dish could benefit from some additional color. So I used a jar of yellow and red roasted peppers in oil. First, I patted off most of the oil. Then I coarsely chopped them and added them to the cream along with the spinach.
Sauce – I increased the cream in this recipe by 1/4 cup because I felt a little more sauce was needed. If you have leftovers, I also recommend adding a splash of chicken broth and/or heavy cream or half & half when you reheat.
Are You A Pasta Fan?
Here are a few of my other favorite pasta recipes you can try. You can also find additional inspiration in my Recipe Index.
Gnocchi with Sausage, Spinach and Peppers
Ingredients
- 1 package 16 ounces potato gnocchi
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces fully cooked sausage links halved and sliced
- 1/3 cup shallot finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach if leaves are large, tear into pieces
- 1/2 cup roasted bell peppers patted dry and coarsely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup or more, shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Start water for gnocchi. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and add sausage. After a few minutes, once the sausage starts to brown, add the shallots and cook until the sausage finishes browning and the shallots are tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
- Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half, a few minutes. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and 1/2 cup broth and then stir into sausage mixture. Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
- Add gnocchi to pasta water and cook according to package directions.
- Add spinach, pepper, and cream to the skillet. Cook and stir until spinach is wilted, a minutute or two. Season with salt and pepper.
- Drain gnocchi; add to pan and heat through. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Flavor! Flavor! Flavor!! We loved this recipe! I had never made gnocchi before and this was such a winner introduction. I used smoked andouille sausage and served it with garlic cheese bread. Thank you for this new dish to add to my favorites!
So glad you enjoyed it! Its a flexible as pasta, so now you get creative and conjure tasty gnocchi creations. šš