Easy Sheet Pan Sausage and Gnocchi
Melt in your mouth gnocchi combined with savory sausage makes an easy dinner in under 30 minutes!
If you’re looking for a quick dinner for a busy weeknight, this recipe is for you! It’s a deliciously easy way to put a complete meal on the table that the entire family will enjoy.
While gnocchi is oven thought of as a comfort food, this recipe can be made healthy by choosing lean sausage and vegetable-based gnocchi. You can even add veggies to the sheet pan to make a delicious dinner. Or, you can lean into the gourmet deliciousness of those little dumplings and make it as written!
Why you want this recipe
- super fast
- tastes gourmet
- budget-friendly
- beginner-level
- huge hit with the whole family
- one pan recipe
What do I need to make Baked Gnocchi and Sausage?
- Pre-made Gnocchi: You can make this recipe with just about any store-bought gnocchi (you’ll find them in the pasta aisle or the chilled section of the supermarkets). My favorite way to make this is with Trader Joe’s sweet potato gnocchi — they’re delicious and the most melt-in-your-mouth, pillowy gnocchi I’ve ever had. You can also use homemade gnocchi. In short, just about any kind of gnocchi will work here.
- Chicken Sausage: This is another place where variety is the spice of life. My favorite flavor here is chicken apple sausage, but you can use any flavor you’d like. This will even work with hot italian sausage, or pork sausages. If you can slice it into medallions, it will work!
- Olive Oil: High quality olive oil tastes delicious. However, I’ve been in the tight budget space before, and you can make this work with any quality level. You can even sub canola or vegetable oil, if you need to!
- Garlic Powder and Italian Seasoning: These are here to add flavor to your dish.
How do I make Easy Sheet Pan Sausage and Gnocchi?
Step 1 | Slice Sausage
Start by cutting your sausages into 1/4″ medallions. You need 4 sausages, or about 12 ounces of sausage. Take your sausage medallions and toss them into a medium sized bowl.
Step 2 | Toss Ingredients
Add the gnocchi to the bowl, then drizzle with olive oil and the garlic powder and Italian seasoning. Then, use a wooden spoon to toss everything until the sausage and gnocchi are coated with the oil and seasonings.
Step 3 | Bake
Line a baking sheet with foil, then spread your sausage mixture into a single layer on the pan. Bake your easy meal at 425° for 20-25 minutes, or until the tender gnocchi are golden brown.
Step 4 | Serve!
Let your sausage and gnocchi cool. You can serve with basil pesto drizzled on top, sprinkled with a little parmesan cheese, or with a few fresh basil leaves as a garnish. Add steamed veggies, garlic bread, or a side salad to make a full meal.
Did you know?
- Gnocchi is the plural of gnocco. A singular piece would be called a “gnocco.”
- The first gnocchi recipe dates back to the 1st century CE in Rome.
Substitutions and Variations
While this recipe is delicious as written, you can make a few changes to work with what you have or to create something new!
- For the gnocchi: This recipe works with just about any kind of gnocchi. Trader Joe’s offers cauliflower and sweet potato gnocchi. You can get several different varieties of potato gnocchi at standard grocery stores. If you’d like to experiment, here are a few homemade recipes for some different types that also tastes delicious!
- Carrot Gnocchi from Delish
- Fresh Potato Gnocchi from An Italian in My Kitchen
- Spinach Gnocchi from Food with Feeling
- Pumpkin Gnocchi from Vincenzo’s Plate
- For the sausage: To create a cheesy sausage gnocchi, you can use any chicken sausage with cheese included. I love Aidell’s roasted garlic and gruyere cheese and and Marketside’s chipotle and monterery cheese options, both of which I can get at my local Walmart.
- For the seasonings: If you’d like to change the flavor of this recipe, you can simply change up the seasonings! To add a kick, add sprinkling of red pepper flakes. Choose sesasonings that match the flavor of the sausage and gnocchi you have chosen!
FAQs
No need to parboil! The gnocchi will cook perfectly on the sheet pan along with the sausage and veggies.
Absolutely! This recipe is quite versatile. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables like bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, or broccoli. Make sure to toss them in olive oil before baking.
Make sure the gnocchi are well-coated in oil before baking. This helps prevent them from sticking together.
While it’s best enjoyed fresh, you can prep the ingredients ahead and store them in the fridge. Just assemble and bake when ready to serve.
How do I store my leftovers?
You can store your leftover sausage and gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
I don’t recommend freezing your sausage and gnocchi, as the freezing and thawing process can change the texture of the gnocchi.
Sheet Pan Sausage and Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 12 oz chicken apple sausage
- 14 oz gnocchi
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- pesto optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Chop sausage into 1/4 inch coins.12 oz chicken apple sausage
- Put sausage and gnocchi into large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add garlic powder and Italian seasoning.14 oz gnocchi, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- Toss until sausage and gnocchi are coated with oil and seasoning.
- Line a pan with foil. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
- Pour sausage and gnocchi onto pan, then separate into single layer.
- Bake for 25 minutes.
- Serve warm, drizzled with pesto if desired.pesto
