Creamy Tomato Sausage Gnocchi (Printable)

Pillowy gnocchi with savory sausage in a velvety tomato-cream sauce for a comforting meal.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta & Dairy

01 - 1 pound potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ Meats

04 - 10 ounces Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 14 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 3.5 ounces baby spinach (optional)
09 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus extra for garnish

→ Oils & Seasonings

10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
03 - Add the finely chopped onion to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, dried oregano, and chili flakes; cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and let simmer gently for 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in heavy cream, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce attains a creamy consistency.
06 - Incorporate baby spinach (if using) and chopped fresh basil, stirring until the spinach wilts.
07 - Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in the boiling water according to package directions until they float to the surface, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
08 - Drain the gnocchi and add them directly to the sauce. Toss gently to coat and warm through for 1 to 2 minutes.
09 - Stir in freshly grated Parmesan cheese, adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve immediately garnished with additional fresh basil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those pillowy gnocchi absorb the sauce like little clouds of comfort, and you get that perfect tender-meets-slightly-crispy texture when they warm through at the end
  • The sausage does all the heavy lifting for flavor, so there's no need to fuss with complicated techniques or hours of simmering
  • It's ready in thirty minutes flat, which means you can have something that tastes like you spent all afternoon cooking without actually spending all afternoon cooking
  • The cream transforms a simple tomato sauce into something velvety and luxurious that feels like a celebration, not a weeknight meal
02 -
  • If you add the cream too early or simmer it at too high a heat, it can break and look curdled—keep the heat low once it's in, and you'll have a silky sauce every time
  • Overworking the gnocchi when you toss them in the sauce will make them fall apart; use a gentle hand and a light touch, letting them rest in the heat for just a minute or two
  • The timing of when you add the fresh basil matters enormously—cooked basil tastes musty and sad, but basil added at the very end stays bright and makes the whole dish taste lighter and fresher
03 -
  • Save a cup of gnocchi cooking water before you drain them—a splash of this starchy water stirred into the sauce at any point will help it cling to the gnocchi and makes the whole dish taste more cohesive
  • Taste your sauce at every stage and adjust seasonings as you go rather than all at the end; building layers of flavor is easier than trying to fix something too salty or bland at the finish line
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