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This creamy gnocchi with sausage recipe is an easy, quick, and incredibly delicious comfort food meal made all in one pan. It’s ready in just 30 minutes!

If you’re wondering what to make with Italian sausage, try my Creamy Sausage and Peppers Pasta or Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup next for more inspiration.

a skillet with italian sausage gnocchi and a wooden spoon

Why you’ll love it

Tender gnocchi and flavorful Italian sausage is one of my favorite combos. It’s just such a tasty protein that goes with all kinds of pasta, and gnocchi is no exception. Pair it with a mouthwatering creamy tomato sauce, and it’s pure heaven. This one pan gnocchi recipe tastes like it came from a restaurant, but it’s super simple to make.

Like several of my gnocchi recipes, this Italian sausage gnocchi is a one pan wonder as well. The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce, so no need to boil it separately. Fewer dishes means more time spent enjoying this cozy treat with your family or guests that’s sure to dazzle!

What you’ll need

  • Italian sausage – use either ground sausage meat or buy a pack of mild Italian sausages, take out of the casings, and crumble it
  • Onion and garlic – our base aromatics. I prefer sweet (Vidalia) onions
  • White wine – adds a touch of elegance! Use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio, one you actually enjoy drinking (not cooking wine).
  • Diced tomatoes – a convenient way to get that concentrated tomato taste since they’re canned at the peak of ripeness
  • Heavy cream – for making the sauce luxurious
  • Gnocchi – I buy the shelf-stable potato gnocchi found in the pasta aisle of most major grocery stores
  • Parmesan cheese – always use freshly grated for optimal flavor and texture
  • Basil – it gives a burst of freshness and is a classic pairing with tomato sauces
ingredients for italian sausage gnocchi in prep bowls

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • This garlic press is my go-to since you don’t even need to peel the cloves before mincing them.
  • I like this trusty can opener, and these angled measuring cups make it easy to measure out the liquid ingredients.
  • I often make this recipe in this cast iron skillet.

How to make creamy sausage gnocchi

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

cooking italian sausage in a skillet

Prep the ingredients. Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet until lightly browned, then stir in the garlic for about half a minute. Pour in the wine and cook for a minute or so.

cooking one pan gnocchi in a skillet

Add in the tomatoes, gnocchi, and cream. Let it bubble, then cover and reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir, then let it cook uncovered until thickened and the gnocchi is soft. Add in the parm, basil, and season with salt & pepper. Enjoy!

Pro tips

  • I have homemade gnocchi. Can I use that instead? Not for this recipe. It’s very delicate and won’t hold up to the one pan recipe method.
  • Am I supposed to cook the gnocchi first? Nope! The beauty of this one is that it cooks right in the sauce. In fact, the starch released is an important component of the sauce.
  • Why isn’t my sauce thickening? Stoves and cookware are all different, so if it’s not thickening up, simply give it more time. On the other hand, if your stove runs hot, just turn down the heat a little.

Substitutions and variations

  • If you can’t use white wine for whatever reason, try replacing it with chicken broth plus 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
  • For a spicy kick, add in some crushed pepper flakes or use a hot variety of sausage. You could also try my Spicy Italian Sausage Gnocchi recipe instead.
  • Many of my readers add in some spinach at the end until it wilts to get in some greens.
  • Our kitchen doesn’t recommend substituting the heavy cream for something with a lower fat content. You could get away with using half-and-half, but it won’t be as rich or flavorful, and there’s always a chance of curdling due to the tomatoes.
closeup of creamy gnocchi with sausage on a wooden spoon

What to serve with this gnocchi

Leftovers and storage

  • Leftovers of this gnocchi will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container.
  • I suggest re-warming it in a saucepan over a low heat slowly. Keep in mind that as time goes on, the gnocchi will release more starch, so you can always add a splash more wine or cream to thin it a bit.
  • Freezing pasta with creamy sauces isn’t something I recommend. The texture is liable to change.
a bowl of creamy gnocchi with a fork

Hope you love this simple gnocchi recipe! I’d love it if you left me a review below. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram to showcase any recipe of mine you made.

a skillet with italian sausage gnocchi and a wooden spoon
4.99 from 199 votes

One Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage

This creamy gnocchi with sausage recipe is an easy, quick, and incredibly delicious comfort food meal made all in one pan. It's ready in just 30 minutes!
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounces Italian sausage see note
  • 1/2 small onion chopped finely
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine (e.g. sauvignon blanc)
  • 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Handful fresh basil torn
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Sauté the sausage and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.
  • Add the garlic to the pan and sauté for about 30 seconds.
  • Add the wine and let it cook for about a minute.
  • Stir in the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. Once the sauce starts to bubble again, cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes. 
  • Uncover the pan, give it a good stir, and let it cook for another few minutes, or until the gnocchi has cooked through and is nice and soft and the sauce has thickened to your liking.
  • Stir in the parmesan cheese, basil, and salt & pepper, to taste. Serve immediately. 

Notes

  • There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It’ll cook right in the sauce. 
  • For the sausages, anything around the 16 ounce/1 pound ballpark is fine – it doesn’t need to be exact. Buy ground sausage meat or take the sausage meat out of the casings if using whole sausages.
  • This recipe can also be found on page 16 of the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.

Nutrition

Calories: 874kcal, Carbohydrates: 51g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 62g, Saturated Fat: 29g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 164mg, Sodium: 1592mg, Potassium: 602mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1152IU, Vitamin C: 14mg, Calcium: 236mg, Iron: 7mg

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.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This recipe was originally published on December 22, 2017. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!


Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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4.99 from 199 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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584 Comments

  1. Chloe says:

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! I’m not a fan of most tomato-based pasta sauces but this was so yummy. The only substitutions I made were to use spicy Italian sausages and to use passata instead of diced tomatoes and it worked really well! The sauce was smooth and flavourful and the gnocchi was soft and perfectly cooked as per the recipe.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so pleased you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

    2. Jessica Shuler says:

      I love how the tomatoes added just a tiny bit of zest to the creamy sauce!

      1. Natasha says:

        ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Abby Smith says:

    5 stars
    This was seriously one of the best things I’ve made in a long time. Very easy and yummy!

    1. Natasha says:

      Wonderful!! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Abby ๐Ÿ˜€

    2. Jessica Shuler says:

      AGREED!!!

  3. Bri Kamran says:

    5 stars
    so yummy!! substituted the heavy whipping cream for vegan cream cheese and omg yum without the stomach ache (: thanks for sharing!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy it worked out for you!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. Jeff Blackwell says:

    Hello Natasha. I stumble into your recipe for Gnocchi with sausage from GoddTaste TV. Is there a brand of gnocchi you recommend? And can I use deer sausage? I hunt and usually process regular and jalapeno with cheese sausage. I’m a beginner cook and like to give certain recipes a try and you nailed it. I appreciate Italian recipes. Your website is neat, simple, and clear. I like it. Thanks.

    1. Natasha says:

      Hi Jeff! I live in Canada, so I am usually pretty hesitant to recommend brands because most of my audience is in the USA, and I have found that gnocchi brands don’t seem to be the same. Honestly, I just buy what’s available in the grocery store since there usually isn’t a huge selection where I live. With that said, I LOVE DeLallo products (I’ve worked with them on blog posts before and got to sample some of their products), so I would try their gnocchi if you can find it. I have yet to try it, but based on their other products, it should be good! I think deer sausage would be fine! It’ll definitely have a slightly different flavor, but I think it’ll be delicious. I’m so glad you like the website!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. Laura M says:

    5 stars
    I added fresh spinach at the end and let it wilt. Very yummy with focaccia bread to soak up the sauce.

    1. Natasha says:

      Great!! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. Now I want some focaccia bread haha. ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. tara says:

    5 stars
    This is so good and easy enough for a busy weeknight! There are never any leftovers, which I’m sure would be amazing!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy it’s a hit in your house, Tara!

  7. Kay Nickels says:

    5 stars
    Super easy and really good! Used chicken broth instead of wine!! Would definitely make again!

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so glad you liked it, Kay!

  8. Anne Rock says:

    Made this for dinner tonight and my hubby and I loved it! I made my gnocchi from scratch, I used ground breakfast sausage (thatโ€™s all we had) and used italian style diced tomatoes. It was fantastic! I will definitely be putting this in my rotation of meals!

    1. Natasha says:

      Awesome!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  9. Tom says:

    5 stars
    Excellent. The only changes I made were , I used 16oz bulk sausage and owed 1cup 1\2 & 1\2 in place of the heavy cream. A definite keeper.

    1. Natasha says:

      Glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Jess says:

    Any ideas on what you could use instead of the wine?
    Canโ€™t wait to try it tonight!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Chicken broth will be fine. ๐Ÿฅฐ