Sausage and Gnocchi Marinara

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This sausage and gnocchi marinara recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes and simmered in a garlicky tomato-basil sauce.

This cozy, one-pot, 30-minute meal is everything I’m craving right now. ♡

Pillowy potato gnocchi and zesty Italian chicken sausage nestle together in a bubbly tomato-basil sauce until perfectly tender. Then each serving bowl is finished with a very generous shower of freshly-grated Parmesan, adding the perfect pop of salty, nutty flavor to each bite. It’s a high-protein, low-fuss meal that can be ready to go stat — one of those perfect back-pocket recipes for busy weeknights or anytime you’re craving some Italian comfort food!

Feel free to switch up the protein, toss in some extra veggies, or add a splash of heavy cream to the sauce if you’d like. This recipe is endlessly adaptable and pretty much guaranteed to be a hit no matter how you make it. So the next time you’re craving a quick and cozy dinner, grab some chicken sausage and gnocchi and let’s make a batch together!

Sausage and Gnocchi Marinara

Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this sausage and gnocchi marinara recipe:

• Italian chicken sausage: Chicken sausage adds loads of zesty, savory seasonings and lean protein to this dish. Feel free to used sliced or ground sausage, mild or spicy, whichever you prefer.
• Gnocchi: Soft, pillowy gnocchi does a beautiful job of soaking up the marinara sauce and balancing the sausage and marinara. I just use a package of store-bought potato gnocchi, but you can also make homemade gnocchi if you’d like to go the extra mile!
• San Marzano tomatoes: Sweet and richly-flavored San Marzano tomatoes form the delicious base for our marinara sauce. I recommend purchasing a can of whole tomatoes, which you can break up with a wooden spoon as the sauce cooks. (Also, if you can’t track down San Marzanos specifically, I just recommend buying a good-quality brand of canned whole tomatoes.)
• Spinach: Spinach wilts into the marinara sauce to provide extra nutrition and a pop of vibrant green color.
• Onion and garlic: Diced onion and minced garlic serve as the base aromatics for our sauce, sautéed until lightly golden in olive oil.
• Tomato paste: Tomato paste gives the marinara a boost of concentrated tomato flavor.
• Basil: I recommend adding a generous amount of roughly-chopped fresh basil to the sauce as well as adding extra as a garnish for a pop of fresh, fragrant, herby flavor.
• Seasonings: We’ll add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce to add a very subtle amount of heat (although you’re welcome to add more!), as well as fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.
• Parmesan: Finally, we’ll finish the dish with a generous shower of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, whose salty umami flavor brings everything together!

Recipe Variations

Here are a few more variations that you’re welcome to try with this sausage and gnocchi marinara recipe:

• Add veggies: Sauté extra veggies to add to the mix, such as bell peppers, mushrooms or zucchini.
• Add cream: Add a swirl of heavy cream to the sauce to make it extra creamy.
• Add extra herbs: Add in any other fresh or dried Italian herbs that you may love, such as rosemary, oregano, parsley or thyme.
• Make it spicy: Use your favorite spicy Italian sausage or marinara sauce or add some extra crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Make it vegetarian/vegan: Use your favorite plant-based Italian sausage to make vegan sausage gnocchi marinara.
• Use a different protein: Swap out chicken sausage and your choice of meatballs, chicken (shredded, diced or ground), ground beef, ground turkey, pancetta or shrimp in its place.
• Bake it: Using an oven-proof skillet (or transferring to a baking dish), top the finished sausage and gnocchi marinara with sliced or grated mozzarella cheese. Then pop it under the broiler briefly and bake until the cheese is bubbly and lightly golden.

More Gnocchi Recipes

Looking for more easy gnocchi recipes to love? Here are a few of our favorites:

• 20-Minute Ricotta Gnocchi
• Easy Gnocchi Zuppa Toscana
• Gnocchi with Lemony Sage Brown Butter
• Gnocchi, Mushroom and Kale Soup

Sausage and Gnocchi Marinara

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Ali
• Prep Time: 7 mins
• Cook Time: 23 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x

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Description

This sausage and gnocchi marinara recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes and simmered in a rich tomato-basil sauce.

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Ingredients

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 pound Italian chicken sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole San Marzano tomatoes, not drained!
• 1 (1-pound) package potato gnocchi
• 2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup roughly-chopped fresh basil leaves
• fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• freshly-grated Parmesan

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Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, flipping occasionally, until browned on both sides. Transfer the sausage to a clean plate and set aside.
2. Sauté the veggies. Add the remaining oil and onion to the pan and toss to combine. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, tomato paste, crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Simmer. Add the tomatoes (with the juices from the can) and stir to combine, using a wooden spoon to gently break up the tomatoes as they cook. Once the sauce reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to medium to maintain a low simmer. Add in the gnocchi and cooked sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.
4. Finish. Add in the spinach and basil and gently toss until the spinach has wilted. Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. Serve. Serve warm, garnished with lots of Parmesan, and enjoy!

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Equipment

Fine Grater

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Nonstick Pans

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San Marzano Tomatoes

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