This cheesy bratwurst gnocchi recipe is made in one pan and has tasty pieces of bratwurst sausage smothered in a creamy tomato cheddar sauce. It's ready in only 30 minutes!
My Italian Sausage Gnocchi recipe is a reader favorite, so I am always tempted to try out riffs on that recipe. This one is a bit different, but it still has that tasty sausage-gnocchi combo that works so well.
I had fun with this recipe. I suppose it's a little out there, but I'd say that the flavors work. I included some Dijon mustard in there because it goes so fabulously with brats, and it's one of my favorite additions to any sauce to build layers of flavor.
The tomato sauce and cream are thickened up by the starch released by the potato gnocchi as it cooks for a luxurious sauce. I've used this method in my one pan gnocchi + sauce recipes since 2017, and it's a game changer.
Love brats? Try my Simple Bratwurst Soup.
I hope this easy cheesy gnocchi recipe becomes a weeknight favorite for you! One pan means fewer dishes, and who doesn't love some brats and carbs. 🙂
Recipe notes & tips:
- I use the shelf stable gnocchi found in the dry pasta aisle. The refrigerated kind works too. I find homemade gnocchi a bit delicate for these one-pan meals, so I would make the sauce separately if you're going that route. Cauliflower gnocchi may not thicken the sauce up the same, so keep that in mind if you're planning on using it for this recipe.
- I recommend grating your own cheddar - it tastes better and melts better.
- As always, sub the cream for something else at your own discretion. I don't recommend it as the acidity of the tomato sauce is likely to curdle something with less fat e.g. milk or half-and-half.
Other sausage + gnocchi recipes to try:
Questions about this gnocchi with bratwurst recipe? Did you try it? Let me know in the comments below!
Cheesy Bratwurst Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 10.6 ounces bratwurst sausages see note
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup chicken broth
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the sausage meat out of the casings and crumble it into a skillet. Add the chopped onion and sauté over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes or until the sausage has browned and the onion has softened up.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the Dijon mustard and chicken broth. Give it a good stir and let it bubble for about a minute, while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the tomato sauce, cream, and gnocchi. Reduce the heat to medium. Once it starts to gently bubble, cover the pan and cook for 4 minutes.
- Give the gnocchi a stir. It should be just about cooked, but you may need to cook it for a little longer if the sauce hasn't quite thickened up enough yet (cook it uncovered and stir it often).
- Stir in half the cheddar, and once it's melted, take the pan off the heat. Top the gnocchi with the rest of the cheddar and cover the pan for a couple of minutes until it's melted. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville Brats. Feel free to use anything in that ballpark weight-wise... it doesn't have to be exact. You could use ground-up sausage meat if you prefer.
- There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It cooks in the sauce and thickens it as it cooks.
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Sylvie Weller says
Hi, Natasha, it's not such a big problem with the different sizes an measures... there are very useful and simple tables for conversion, I found them in the web.
Two of my daughters are vegetarian (absolutely nothing from animals) , but they like simple and delicious meals, too, now I try to change your recipes into suitable ones. Some nice substitutes are available here in Germany. Maybe you like to hear about the results after trying? Greetings 👋🏼
Natasha says
Sure, I'd definitely appreciate your thoughts on how you adapted recipes based on what you can find in Germany. Just leave a comment on the recipe (like you did here), and other readers will find it helpful too, I am sure. 🙂
Sylvie Weller says
Hello, i'm from Germany and i love your recipes,
although it's sometimes a bit difficult with the weights and sizes and the name of some foods...
but learning by doing and i like nearly all of your ideas
Natasha says
Hi! I'm glad you're enjoying the recipes, Sylvie! Yes, unfortunately ingredients vary a lot between Canada, USA, and Europe. And I do use the US measuring system since the majority of readers are in USA. I've looked into adding the other system too, but I don't feel confident in doing it myself. I would not want to get it wrong and add further confusion.
Frank says
Super tasty and the mustard added a bit of 'zing' that we loved. It's rich, so a smaller portion is recommended by us!! Thank you for the tasty, fun and easy recipe!
Natasha says
Excellent!! I'm so glad it was a hit. Agreed.. it is for sure rich!
Terri says
I made it exactly as written, including.grating the cheese and it waa delicious. We all voted 5 stars!! I put the extra sausage i. The freezer and look forward to making it again.
Natasha says
Wonderful!! Thanks for leaving me a review, Terri.
Julie says
Delicious and easy, the whole family loved it!
Natasha says
Fantastic! Thanks so much for leaving me a review! 🙂