Skip the boiling and cook everything for this Tuscan sausage sheet pan gnocchi on one pan. It takes less than 20 minutes to make and is bursting with Italian flavors.
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When I found out you could cook gnocchi directly on a sheet pan without boiling my imagination ran wild! I started coming up with all the gnocchi recipes you can throw on a sheet pan and I landed on this Tuscan sausage because it's packed full of flavor with minimal ingredients.
Ingredient Notes
- Gnocchi: you can use refrigerated, frozen or dry from the pantry. You can also use traditional gnocchi, gluten free or cauliflower gnocchi all without boiling. Keep reading for more specifics!
- Italian Sausage: I try to get one with minimal or no added sugar. You could also use ground pork and add 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning to it.
- Sun-dried tomatoes: we cannot get enough of these and we're using the whole jar for this recipe.
- Fresh spinach: it wilts down and gets a little soft and slightly crispy in the oven. It's amazing! Plus a great way to add extra greens.
- Fresh basil: we're adding this before cooking and garnishing with it after. Never too much basil in a Tuscan recipe!
- Olive oil: try to get a good quality olive oil. Because there isn't a true sauce for this dish, the olive oil really shines.
- Garlic: fresh pressed garlic is best for this recipe. Minimal ingredients means we want the quality of them to be fantastic for the best flavor.
- Seasoning: kosher salt and Italian seasoning
What gnocchi to use
There are several options when it comes to choosing gnocchi for this recipe. Pretty much any gnocchi goes, but here are some notes and some of our favorites.
- Frozen, pantry and refrigerated gnocchi are all acceptable. You don't need to boil any of them before cooking. You can cook them directly from frozen without thawing.
- Traditional gnocchi: get a good quality gnocchi from the store for an authentic pasta. DeLallo is a great gnocchi brand.
- Gluten free gnocchi: DeLallo also makes a great gluten free gnocchi. We tested this recipe with their potato and rice flour gnocchi and it was perfect. Nocca is a great option too.
- Cauliflower gnocchi: Trader Joe's has the famous cauliflower gnocchi you can use, but we also have a homemade cauliflower gnocchi or sweet potato gnocchi you could make for this. No need to boil it first!
How to make sheet pan gnocchi
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and basil to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil then spread it out in an even layer. Top with crumbled Italian sausage then sprinkle with salt and Italian seasoning.
- Cook: Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sausage is cooked all the way through and no longer pink in the middle and the gnocchi is fork tender.
- Serve: stir well on the sheet pan so the ingredients soak up all the oil and flavors. This is kind of like your sauce! Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired.
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Gnocchi FAQs
pan frying the gnocchi needs boiling, but if you're making it in the oven no need to boil first. However, youo can buy skillet gnocchi specifically to skip the step of boiling.
Good gnocchi shouldn't be hard, crunchy or chewy. Gnocchi should be light, pillowy and soft to chew.
Mushy gnocchi is a result of them being overcooked so be sure to keep an eye on them. This typically happens when you're boiling gnocchi, which we aren't doing in this recipe.
Customize this recipe
- Mixed mushroom: use a mix of your favorite mushrooms, chopped shallot and 4 ounces of crumbled goat cheese. Top it with fresh thyme and parsley.
- Caprese chicken: try using 1lb diced chicken breast, 1 pint of grape tomatoes and mini mozzarella balls.
- Shrimp asparagus: 1lb of raw shrimp, 1lb of chopped asparagus, fresh lemon juice, nutritional yeast and garlic. Add the shrimp 6-8 minutes before it's done because it cooks much faster.
- Fall favorite: diced butternut squash, sliced pre-cooked chicken sausage, goat cheese, rosemary and thyme. Give the butternut squash an extra 15 minutes to cook before adding everything else!
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
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Recipe
Tuscan Sausage Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 (12 ounce) packages gnocchi frozen, gluten free, or pantry
- 2 cups fresh spinach
- 1 (8.5 ounce) jar sun dried tomato drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil plus more for garnish
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb Italian sausage casings removed and crumbled into pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Add the gnocchi, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, and basil to a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil then spread it out in an even layer. Top with crumbled Italian sausage then sprinkle with salt and Italian seasoning.
- Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sausage is cooked all the way through and no longer pink in the middle and the gnocchi is fork tender.
- Stir well on the sheet pan so the ingredients soak up all the oil and flavors. This is kind of like your sauce! Top with fresh basil and red pepper flakes if desired.
Perdita says
Hi, would ground turkey or chicken also work? Looks so delish. Thanks!
Molly Thompson says
Hey there! I've had a few people let me know they did ground turkey and loved it. I love the sausage for all the flavors, but the turkey would work!
Kristin says
This was delicious! Used both frozen cauliflower gnocchi and pantry gnocchi. The whole family loved it! Will definitely make again.
Molly Thompson says
That's so great to hear! We love this one too. Thanks for taking the time to share, Kristin!