Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

A plate of sausage and gnocchi with cheese and pesto.

5 from 15 votes

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi combines lean chicken sausage with mini potato dumplings, fresh spinach, pesto sauce, and other Italian flavors - all topped with fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese. A quick one pot meal for busy work nights.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword creamy pesto gnocchi, one skillet meal, sausage and gnocchi skillet

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 25

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 621kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion - diced
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes - halved
3 garlic cloves - minced
15 oz. turkey or chicken sausage (pre-cooked) - sliced
32 oz. Gnocchi (mini potato) - I use DeLallo
2-3 cups fresh spinach - stems removed
4 Tablespoons pesto sauce - homemade or store bought
10 oz Rotel - WITH liquid
2/3 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls
1 cup ricotta cheese
additional pesto and parmesan cheese for serving - optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sauté veggies. In a large cast iron skillet (see link below) over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and then the diced onion and cherry tomatoes. Cook for a few minutes, until softened.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 small yellow onion, 1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
Add sausage and seasonings. Then add the fresh garlic, sliced sausage, plus seasonings (salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian Seasoning) and stir. Cook for a couple more minutes.
3 garlic cloves, 15 oz. turkey or chicken sausage (pre-cooked), kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Add remaining ingredients. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add the remaining ingredients to the pan – the gnocchi, fresh spinach, pesto sauce, Rotel, and chicken broth. Stir well to get the ingredients evenly distributed in the skillet.
32 oz. Gnocchi (mini potato), 2-3 cups fresh spinach, 4 Tablespoons pesto sauce, 10 oz Rotel, 2/3 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
Top with cheese. Then top the mixture with the fresh mozzarella and ricotta cheese.
8 oz. fresh mozzarella balls, 1 cup ricotta cheese
Bake. In a preheated 375 degree oven, bake the sausage and gnocchi skillet for approximately 25 minutes, or until everything is cooked and the top is slightly browned.
Serve. Serve this with a spoonful of extra pesto sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
additional pesto and parmesan cheese for serving

Notes

Possible variations to this one-skillet meal:

Use another type of sausage (any turkey, chicken, or pork version), or even a crumbly one that needs browning first.
Add/substitute a variety of other veggies, like zucchini, summer squash, broccoli, etc.
Try other types of cheese, like a regular shredded mozzarella or some smoked gouda.
Use regular diced tomatoes instead of the Rotel/pesto combination like I used.
Try another type of gnocchi. I’ve seen gluten-free versions, tomato, and cauliflower gnocchi in the stores (but prefer the regular version).

Nutrition