Easy Skillet Tuscan Gnocchi Recipe with Sausage
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Tuscan Gnocchi recipe is a simple one-skillet dinner made with tender gnocchi, savory Italian sausage, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a creamy tomato sauce. It's cozy, flavorful, and ready in about 30 minutes-perfect for busy nights when you want comfort food made easy.
If you love easy skillet dinners like this, you might also enjoy my Crispy Gnocchi Caprese Salad, a warm, fresh take on gnocchi, or this cozy Creamy Tuscan Chicken Skillet with spinach and a garlicky cream sauce.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email, and we'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get delicious new recipes from us every Friday!
Recipe Overview
- This Tuscan Gnocchi recipe is a simple one-skillet dinner that combines gnocchi, Italian sausage, spinach, and a creamy tomato sauce.
- It cooks in one pan, making cleanup easy, and uses simple, readily available ingredients.
- To prepare, cook the sausage, add gnocchi and sauce, then mix in sun-dried tomatoes and spinach until tender.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and reheated easily in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Try other Italian recipes, such as Crockpot Chicken Gnocchi Soup, for more delicious options.
What I Love About This Recipe
On busy weeknights-or lazy weekends when you want something homemade without a lot of effort-this skillet gnocchi is my answer. It's creamy, cozy, and simple to make with just a handful of ingredients.
If you love pillowy gnocchi, savory Italian sausage, and Tuscan-inspired flavors, this is an easy recipe to make again and again.
- One skillet: Everything cooks in one pan, from the sausage to the gnocchi and creamy tomato sauce, which makes cleanup wonderfully easy.
- Simple ingredients: This recipe uses easy-to-find ingredients like Italian sausage, packaged gnocchi, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, and a splash of cream.
If you love Italian soups, try this iconic Ribollita, a Tuscan bean soup we love, or this creamy Tuscan white bean and kale soup.
For another quick Tuscan-inspired dinner, try my One Pan Tuscan Chicken and Rice Skillet, made with tender chicken, rice, zucchini, tomatoes, herbs, and melty mozzarella.
Jump to:
What is gnocchi, and how do you pronounce it?
Gnocchi is the plural of gnocco, an Italian variety of dumpling that has been around since Roman times. Although recipes vary from region to region, the three most basic ingredients are cooked mashed potato, flour (farina), and eggs (uova).
Most English speakers pronounce gnocchi in one of two ways: "naw-kee" (UK) or "noh-kee" (US). To pronounce it in Italian, watch this video:
Ingredients:
This one-pan meal combines tender gnocchi with Italian sausage, garlic, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and a creamy tomato sauce. I love that it relies on simple, ready-made, and pantry ingredients I often have on hand.
- Gnocchi: You can use fresh, vacuum-packed (which I'm using here), dried (found in the pasta aisle at the market), or frozen.
- Sausage: Look for bulk Italian sausage with the casings removed, although you can also use Italian sausage links and remove the casings before cooking. Use your favorite mild, sweet, or spicy Italian sausage.
- Aromatics: Garlic, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs like parsley or basil add flavor. I especially like a pinch of red pepper flakes when using mild Italian sausage.
- Tomato sauce: Broth, tomato paste, milk or coconut milk, and a splash of cream or half-and-half create an easy creamy tomato sauce. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes add extra flavor and are one of my favorite ingredients to keep stocked in the refrigerator.
- Greens: I love fresh baby spinach in this dish, but you can also use frozen spinach that's thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, substitute your favorite green like kale, chard, beet leaves, or mustard greens.
How to Make Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi in One Skillet
These easy step-by-step instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Cook sausage
Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add crumbled sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the tomato paste.
Step 2: Add gnocchi and tomato cream sauce.
Add the uncooked gnocchi, broth, milk, cream, and garlic to the skillet with the sausage. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the gnocchi is tender.
Step 3: Toss in tomatoes and greens
Uncover and add the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts. For a thicker sauce, cook a little longer-season with salt and black pepper to taste. I also like to sprinkle some red pepper flakes for extra flavor!
Gnocchi Recipe Leftovers: Storing and Reheating
Leftover gnocchi makes a delicious lunch the next day and reheats well with a splash of milk, cream, or broth to bring the sauce back together.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Microwave: Reheat refrigerated gnocchi for about 1 minute, then continue heating in 30-second intervals as needed.
- Stovetop: Warm gently in a skillet over low to medium-low heat with a splash of cream, half-and-half, milk, or broth to loosen the sauce.
Easy Skillet Tuscan Gnocchi Recipe with Sausage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¾ pound sausage cooked and crumbled
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup chicken broth or water
- 1 cup milk or coconut milk
- ¼ cup whipping cream (or additional coconut milk)
- 1 lb gnocchi
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup herbs like fresh parsley or basil
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add crumbled sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste.
- To the skillet with sausage, add uncooked gnocchi, broth, milk, cream, and garlic, stir and bring to a boil. Cover and let the gnocchi cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
- Uncover and add the sun-dried tomatoes and fresh spinach. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the spinach wilts. For a thicker sauce, cook a little longer-season with salt and black pepper to taste. For serving, I like to sprinkle Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes for extra flavor!
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
More Italian Recipes You Might Want to Try
If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear your comments and consider giving it a 5-star rating. Explore the recipe index for more easy, delicious ideas, and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
So flavorful! We made this with precooked sausage crumbles and coconut milk. Amazing! So filling!
I'm so glad you like the skillet gnocchi! I made this over the weekend as well.
I made this for my husband and I for a weeknight meal. Easy and Delicious. Thank you.
We love this gnocchi recipe too, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this Tuscan Gnocchi sausage for an easy weekday dinner recipe. Delicious and easy. Thank you!
You're welcome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
I have made this recipe twice now. It’s easy and delicious.
Yay! Thank you, Stacy for making it and letting me know how it worked for you!