This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This creamy Tuscan sausage gnocchi recipe is the ultimate comfort food! It has sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and fresh basil in a decadent garlic parmesan cream sauce.
Try my Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce or Sausage Gnocchi Soup next.
Why you’ll love it
The Italian-inspired sauce is really the star of this easy gnocchi recipe. It has that magical “Tuscan” ingredient combo that Olive Garden made famous of sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and basil. Flavorful Italian sausage and pillowy gnocchi make it even tastier!
I’ve had a lot of happy readers use the one-pan cooking technique for gnocchi. It’s quick, and there’s no fussing around with multiple pans, so cleanup is a breeze. This Italian sausage gnocchi will fast become a family favorite for cozy cravings.
What you’ll need
- Sausage – I use half of a 5-pack of mild Italian sausages. Feel free to use hot Italian sausages if that’s your thing!
- Garlic – for lots of savory flavor
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Heavy cream – to make it luxurious
- Lemon juice – it balances the sauce with a touch of acidity to add more dimension
- Sun-dried tomatoes – I prefer the ones packed in oil
- Gnocchi – I use shelf-stable gnocchi found in the dry pasta aisle
- Parmesan – for a cheesy quality. Grate your own for best results.
- Fresh spinach and basil – it elevates this dish so much with a pop of freshness!
Helpful tips
- Can I use homemade gnocchi? 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.
- Do I cook the gnocchi first? Nope! It cooks right in the sauce, and the starch released is really important to thicken the sauce.
- Mine is thickening too fast/slowly. Since ovens and cookware vary, make adjustments to any one pot recipe. Turn it down if your stove runs hot/add more liquid. Or just give it more time if it’s not thickening up.
How to make creamy sausage gnocchi
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a skillet, sauté the sausage meat until browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along. Stir in the garlic, and cook until fragrant. Stir in the broth, cream, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, and gnocchi.
Cover the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir, then add in the spinach. Cover and cook until the spinach has wilted. Stir in the parmesan and basil, and cook until thickened up as desired. Season with salt & pepper generously.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- I use this skillet.
- Grate your own parmesan for ideal taste and texture. I do with this handy Microplane zester.
- Quickly mince garlic with a garlic press.
Substitutions and variations
- If you feel so inclined, replace the chicken broth with white wine (e.g., pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc) . It’ll taste amazing.
- Sub the cream at your own risk. It might not turn out the way it should and could possibly curdle.
- You can swap the sun-dried tomatoes with a medium chopped tomato instead.
- Want to make this with regular pasta? Try my Tuscan Sausage Pasta instead.
What to serve with Italian sausage gnocchi
- It’s quite rich and filling, so I recommend a salad or steamed veggies on the side. My Creamy Pesto Dressing is a bright dressing you’ll love, or make this Super Simple Parmesan Arugula Salad.
- I like serving fresh crusty bread and olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping it in with any Italian-style dish.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover gnocchi for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat on the stove over a low heat, and you might want to add another splash of broth or cream when reheating.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one.
More Tuscan-inspired recipes
If you made this Tuscan gnocchi recipe, please leave a star rating and review below! I’d love to hear from you. You can also tag me on Instagram.
Creamy Tuscan Sausage Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 11 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
- 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).
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, cream, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, and gnocchi to the pan. Give it a good stir.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cover the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Give the gnocchi a stir and then add in the spinach. Cover the pan again for 1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
- 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.
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.
- I used 3 sausages from a 5-pack of Johnsonville hot Italian sausages. Anything in the 11 oz ballpark will work, or you can even use more sausage meat if you wish. You can use hot Italian sausages if you prefer.
- I used the oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes that come in a jar. I drained the oil prior to adding them to the skillet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on August 7, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
This was one of the best things I have ever tasted!!!!!
I’m so glad to hear that, Gail!
One of the easiest and best meals I’ve ever made. This is going on my weekly routine. Everyone loved it!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! And it is so easy to substitute items. I didn’t have sundried tomatoes to I added fresh diced san marzanos and it was delish!
That makes me so happy!
Question for now…I don’t have access to fresh spinach…would frozen spinach work, or should I just leave it out ?
Hi! I’d probably leave it out since I’m worried it would go a bit mushy.
So quick and so delicious! One pan to wash is a bonus. The whole family liked it.
So glad to hear it, Karen! 🙂
This is SO delicious and has become one of our household staples. Recommend doubling or even tripling the spinach for some more green goodness. I also divide the cream into half cream, half milk to reduce calories a little bit.
Great tips! So happy you like the recipe so much! XO
One question…
My wife has a reaction to milk products. What can be substituted for the heavy cream?
I heard Silk brand makes a dairy-free whipping cream… maybe you could try that?
Sooo delish! I doubled all ingredients except for gnocchi (gnocchi came in a 1 lb package but had 16 oz. of sausage and plenty of the other ingredients). Even better because we always like plenty of sauce and seasoning!
That’s great!! So happy you enjoyed it! XO
Made this tonight and it was AMAZING! I will definitely make this again! Thank you for posting this!!
You’re very welcome, Darren!
I don’t eat pork so I made this using chicken sausage and it turned out super yummy. Thank you!
I’m so glad it worked out! Thanks for commenting, Denise 🙂
Made this for a dinner party I hosted and this dish was amazing! It is very rich so I would definitely recommend serving with steamed broccoli and bread (to dip in the amazing sauce). I used white wine instead of chicken broth and added some lemon zest in addition to the lemon juice for added freshness. AMAZING and all my guests raved about it. Also was super easy to make so I pre-measured everything out and was able to entertain as I cooked the dish as well. A+.
Awesome!! I’m so glad it worked out so well! 🙂
“This is like eating at a nice restaurant. You should make this for company.” – my husband
Seriously so good! Thank you
Wonderful!! I’m so glad it was a hit. Thanks for taking the time to comment!