Creamy One Pan Gnocchi plus Sausage & Zucchini

At a glance

What stands out: A steaming bowlful of creamy one pan gnocchi with sausage and zucchini is just what you need for dinner this week. This gnocchi recipe is straightforward to mix so it’s a great weeknight dinner idea, but you could totally serve it to guests, too.

How long it takes: 40 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: a large pan with a lid or a Dutch oven
Servings: 6

An Straightforward Dinner Idea

Doesn’t that photo of tender gnocchi with creamy tomato sauce just get your mouth watering? We could go for some right now. It looks kinda fancy, too, with the basil sprig and shredded Parmesan, but it’s a simple recipe.

So get this recipe cooking! Dinner will be on the table before you know it.

One Pan Gnocchi Dinner

Straightforward to mix. This dinner may look a little fancy, maybe like what you order at your favorite Italian restaurant, but we think you’ll be surprised how straightforward it is to make. Forty minutes from start to finish, and only one pan to wash after dinner! The prep work is pretty minimal and the ingredients are straightforward to find at the grocery store.

Good alternative to pasta. Gnocchi are tender little potato dumplings, made from mashed potatoes, flour, and egg. They cook quickly and have a chewy texture that is satisfying. Buy shelf-stable or frozen gnocchi to keep on hand for recipes like this. (Gnocchi is pronounced nyow·kee. It almost rhymes with “donkey”.)

Kid friendly. If you have children who like to help out, give them the chore of cutting up the zucchini. Zucchini squash are straightforward to chop. You don’t need to peel them and they slice quite easily. It won’t matter a bit if the pieces are a little unevenly sized.

Straightforward to adapt. The recipe is straightforward to adapt to your family’s preferences or to what you happen to have on hand. Don’t have any heavy cream? This recipe is actually quite good without it, too. Have a red bell pepper or mushrooms that need to be used up? Go ahead and add them! Look for more ideas further on in the post.

Janet Said:

“This is one of a standby recipes we've tried! Such great flavor. Thank you!”

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What goes in

• Italian Sausage: We try to keep a roll of Italian sausage in the fridge. It has a fairly long shelf life and is a straightforward way to add tons of flavor to a speedy soup or stew. A couple of our favorites are Instant Pot pasta with sausage, spinach, and tomatoes or lasagna soup.
• Gnocchi: We love these soft, bite-sized potato dumplings. They are a great alternative to pasta.
• Garlic & Onion: A couple of cloves of garlic add a nice savory flavor to the dish. Add more if you like, or less. A yellow cooking onion works well but use what you have in the house.
• Zucchini: Zucchini are sometimes called courgettes. The skin is tender and edible so there’s no need to peel this squash. You’ll need a couple of medium-sized zucchini or one large one. Look for a zucchini with shiny dark green unblemished skin.
• Diced Tomatoes: Canned or fresh, use whatever is available.
• Baby Spinach Leaves: These tender leaves cook quickly and add lots of good nutrition. Other tender dark greens can be substituted if spinach isn’t available.
• Fresh Basil: The licorice-like flavor of basil is so wonderful. Save some for garnishing, too.
• Heavy Cream: You don’t need much cream to add richness and a velvety texture to the sauce, just half a cup.
• Parmesan Cheese: You can either stir the shredded cheese in or top each serving with it. If you prefer, substitute shredded mozzarella cheese.

Wooden Turner

This simple flat-edged wooden implement is so handy. We use ours all the time for skillet dinners like this one. It’s sturdy and safe for nonstick pans.

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How it comes together

Get ready. Assemble all the ingredients you’ll be using. You’ll need a big skillet with a lid or a Dutch oven. Prep the onion, garlic, and zucchini; open the can of tomatoes. You’re ready to get started!

Brown meat and onion. Over medium heat, brown the sausage and chopped onion. Break up the large pieces of sausage with a wooden turner or sturdy spatula as it cooks. It’s ready when you no longer see any pink or red color remaining.

Add garlic and zucchini. Once the meat is thoroughly cooked, add the minced garlic and chopped zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to soften. It will cook more so don’t overcook it at this stage.

Make the sauce. Add a big can of diced tomatoes and a splash of water. There’s no need to drain the tomatoes first. The juice becomes part of the sauce. Bring the contents of the skillet to a good simmer.

Cook gnocchi. Add the gnocchi, and continue simmering until the gnocchi is tender. It will take six to seven minutes, depending on the type of gnocchi you chose. Test one to check.

Add spinach and basil. Stir in the spinach leaves and the basil. They will wilt almost instantly. If you aren’t quite ready to serve dinner yet, let the gnocchi simmer a bit longer. Wait to add the spinach until you’re ready to serve the meal so it retains its bright green color and fresh flavor.

Make it creamy. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Tip

When adding heavy cream to a recipe like this, be sure to use gentle heat. High heat and a vigorous boil may cause the cream to separate and look curdled. It will taste okay but it’s not nearly as appetizing.

Cool. Turn the heat off and put the cover on the pan. Let it sit for 5 minutes or so.

Serve. You may have noticed that the recipe doesn’t include any salt or pepper. We found that the Italian sausage and Parmesan cheese add enough saltiness and flavor. However, it’s a good idea to check the seasoning before you serve this gnocchi recipe and add salt and pepper, if you think it needs it.

Scoop the gnocchi into shallow bowls. Top with more Parmesan and fresh basil leaves, if you want.

Straightforward Recipe Variations

• Substitute a different type of meat. Choose turkey sausage instead of pork, or hot Italian sausage instead of sweet. Smoked sausage is another alternative. Instead of sausage, try boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces. Shrimp would be another great choice. Sauté the shrimp first, remove from the pan, and stir them in right before serving.
• Add extra veggies. Sauté diced bell pepper, mushrooms, or coarsely shredded carrots with the onions and sausage.
• Spice it up! Spice things up a little with a pinch of red pepper flakes stirred in with the garlic and zucchini.
• Reduce the calories or make it non-dairy. This dish is tasty even if you skip the cream. Use a dairy-free Parmesan cheese, or vegan cheese, if you like.
• Try pasta instead of gnocchi. Dry pasta should be cooked before adding it to the recipe because there isn’t enough liquid in this recipe to properly hydrate it.

Make-Ahead Ideas

If you are planning on freezing this meal, hold off on adding the cream and cheese. Simply prepare it up to that point and remove the portion you want to freeze. Cool it off, put it into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a saucepan or skillet until warm, then stir in cream, and then top with cheese.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Leftover one pan gnocchi with sausage and zucchini can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Individual portions can be heated in the microwave at medium power; larger portions can be gently reheated on the stove in a skillet or saucepan. Try not to overheat it because that can cause the sauce to curdle. It will still taste fine but it won’t look as great.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #15. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

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One Pot Pasta Recipes

• Yield: 6
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 25 minutes
• Total: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 ounces sweet or mild Italian sausage (see note #1)
• 1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 ounces (1 large or 2 medium) zucchini, quartered and cut into ½ inch pieces (about 3 cups)
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (see note #2)
• ¼ cup water
• 16 ounces potato gnocchi (see note #3)
• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup chopped fresh basil, more for topping if desired (more for garnishing, if desired)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, additional for serving

Method

1. Measure out ½ cup heavy cream; set aside to warm up slightly while you prepare the recipe.
2. In a 5 to 6 quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, brown sausage and onion, breaking up large pieces of sausage. Cook until sausage is no longer pink and onions are beginning to soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and garlic to the skillet, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until zucchini is beginning to soften.
4. Add tomatoes and ¼ cup water to the pan, and bring to a simmer.
5. Add gnocchi, stirring to combine. Cover pan, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or until gnocchi is tender, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in spinach and basil until spinach begins to wilt. Stir in heavy cream and Parmesan. Turn heat off and cover pan for 5 minutes. Stir well before serving.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Scoop into shallow pasta bowls, topped with additional shredded Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.

Notes

Sausage: There are several kinds of Italian sausage you can choose from: mild, sweet, or hot; bulk or link; pork or turkey. Choose the one you like best. If you buy link sausage, remove it from the casing.

Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes (3½ cups) can be substituted for the canned diced tomatoes.

Gnocchi: we usually use shelf-stable (vacuum-packed) or refrigerated gnocchi for this recipe. You can also buy frozen gnocchi but cooking time may be longer.

Storage: Cover leftover gnocchi and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, microwave at medium power until warm or gently warm in a skillet. Try not to overheat leftovers because that can cause the creamy sauce to separate.