Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi (One Pan, 20 Minutes)

This creamy Tuscan sausage gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food! Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, cream, and fresh basil make the most amazing sauce.

My husband loooved this recipe, and he doesn’t even like creamy sauces. I had steak planned for dinner on the day I made this recipe, and I couldn’t stop sneaking bites of this despite the very real risk of ruining my dinner. 😛

This recipe was inspired by my Tuscan sausage pasta, which has been a big hit – especially with my Instagram audience. 

To make this recipe, I use the shelf-stable gnocchi found in the dry pasta aisle. I’ve had readers test similar recipes with fresh homemade gnocchi, and the one pan technique does not seem to work as well, so I would stick with the dry stuff. 

I used half of a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages. Feel free to use hot Italian sausages if that’s your thing! Oh, and if you feel so inclined, replace the chicken broth with white wine… it’ll taste amazing. 

I list basil as optional because the sauce is flavorful enough without it, but in my opinion, fresh basil is one of the true joys of life, so I use it whenever I can. I do not have a green thumb at all, but I look forward to growing fresh basil in my plant pots every year. Just use a small handful in this recipe and it’s elevated to another dimension of OMGthisisgood. 

More one pan gnocchi recipes you may like:

• Chicken Bacon Gnocchi
• 15 Minute Creamy Alfredo Gnocchi
• Spinach and Artichoke Gnocchi
• 15 Minute One Pan Creamy Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Gnocchi
• One Pan Gnocchi alla Vodka
• One Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage (it’s quite similar to this recipe!)
• Creamy Tomato Gnocchi
• Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Gnocchi

These one-pan gnocchi recipes are just so good and easy to make that there’s sure to be one that suits everyone’s tastes. I’ve had a lot of happy readers use this gnocchi cooking method, so I’m always encouraged to keep the recipes coming. 😉

What to serve with Italian sausage gnocchi 

It’s quite rich and filling, so I recommend a salad or steamed veggies on the side.

This “Tuscan” sauce is pretty popular on the internet these days, and so I certainly jumped on that bandwagon. The Olive Garden made it famous, and for good reason. There’s something magical about this flavor combo. As you can see, I have a bunch of similar recipes… 

Love this sauce? Try these Tuscan-inspired recipes:

• Creamy Tuscan Ravioli (One Pan, 15 Minutes!)
• Creamy Tuscan Salmon Recipe
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken
• Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta Recipe
• Easy Creamy Tuscan Shrimp Recipe

Let me know if you’ve made this Tuscan gnocchi recipe!

Questions? Leave me a comment below.

5 from 5 votes

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Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi

This creamy Tuscan sausage gnocchi is the ultimate comfort food! Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, garlic, cream, and fresh basil make the most amazing sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword sausage gnocchi, Tuscan gnocchi

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4

Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

• 8.8 ounces Italian sausages crumbled
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 pound potato gnocchi
• 1.5 cups (packed) fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• Fresh basil (optional) to taste
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Take the sausage meat out of the casings and crumble it into a deep skillet. Sauté the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up as you go along, until browned (about 5-7 minutes).

2. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the chicken broth, cream, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, and gnocchi to the pan. Give it a good stir.

4. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.

5. Give the gnocchi a stir and then add in the spinach. Cover the pan again for 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.

6. Stir in the parmesan and basil (if using). Ensure the gnocchi is cooked through and the sauce is thickened to your liking (cook for another minute or two if necessary). Season with salt & pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

• There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It cooks right in the sauce and the starch released from the potatoes will thicken the sauce.
• Anything around the 8.8 oz ballpark for the sausages will work. I bought a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages and used half of it. Feel free to just buy sausage meat if that's easier. 
• I used the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes that come in a jar. I drained the oil prior to adding them to the skillet.