Description
Pillowy tender gnocchi bake in a hearty tomato sauce loaded with sausage, veggies, & greens. Thanks to a few flavor-building secrets, this cozy baked gnocchi tastes like it’s simmered all day but it’s an easy, one-pot recipe that comes together in 40 minutes or less!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound bulk sweet or spicy Italian sausage (see Recipe Notes)
- 1 bell pepper, deseeded & diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cups shredded kale or baby spinach
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- optional: 2 tablespoons finely chopped Calabrian chili peppers or ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 cups DeLallo Pomodoro Fresco Tomato Basil (roughly 2/3 of 25-ounce jar)
- 16 ounces DeLallo Potato Gnocchi
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, grated
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
- for serving, as desired: grated parmesan or pecorino romano, finely chopped basil or parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, positioning the oven rack in the top 1/3 of the oven, about 10 inches below the broiler. Prep the veggies, dicing the bell pepper & onion, & shredding the kale. Gather & measure remaining ingredients according to Ingredients List, above, placing them within an arm’s reach of the stovetop for a smooth cooking process.
- Brown the sausage & sauté the pepper & onion: Add the olive oil to a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the sausage, bell pepper & onion, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook 5-6 minutes until the veggies are softened & the sausage is browned. Use a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage into bite-sized pieces as it cooks. If anything starts to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Stir in the shredded kale, cooking 2-3 minutes until wilted slightly.
- Build the tomato sauce: Add the garlic, tomato paste, & chili peppers (if using). Stir to coat the sausage & veggie mixture & cook 1-2 minutes, until deeply red. Deglaze the skillet with white wine. Once the wine simmers, stir in the pasta sauce. Simmer 1-2 minutes more, just until everything is combined, then remove from the heat.
- Build the gnocchi bake: Add the gnocchi into the skillet, stirring well to combine. Dot the ricotta cheese over the top of the saucy gnocchi, then top with a sprinkling of grated fresh mozzarella & parmesan.
- Bake the gnocchi skillet: Transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted & the gnocchi is tender. If desired, broil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve immediately, topped with additional grated parmesan, chopped basil or parsley, &/or a sprinkling of crushed red pepper, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Italian sausage: I highly suggest using traditional pork Italian sausage in this baked gnocchi; its fat content is crucial in building deep, rich flavor in a short amount of time. If you’d like to swap it out with chicken or turkey Italian sausage, be sure to add 1-2 tablespoons more olive oil to help compensate the loss in richness & flavor. If you’re not a fan of spicy food, you can simply swap the spicy sausage with mild or sweet – be sure to omit the Calabrian chili/crushed red chili pepper, too!
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover baked gnocchi will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this baked gnocchi comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance – it takes 10 minutes, tops – & you can jump straight in to cooking during the week:
- Dice 1 medium yellow onion & 1 bell pepper. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (<5 minutes active)
- Remove kale leaves from ribs. Thinly slice or tear until you have 4 cups shredded (roughly 1 medium bunch of kale). Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active)