Baked Gnocchi combines Italian Sausage, onions, mushrooms, baby spinach, and garlic; all smothered in marinara and mozzarella cheese. This tasty dish is excellent for hearty appetites and large families. Serve with a simple Italian salad and a glass of cabernet sauvignon.
How to make Baked Gnocchi
First, melt a little butter in a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it up with a spoon or spatula. Cook for a few minutes or until the sausage starts to brown. Then add the onions and mushrooms, cooking until the onions are soft, the mushrooms are brown, and the Italian sausage is cooked through and no longer pink.
Reduce the heat to low and the spinach in increments cooking until wilted. Then add the Italian Seasoning and garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove the cooked sausage and veggies to a large plate. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook for several minutes, flipping to lightly brown on both sides. Add the cooked sausage and veggies back to the skillet. Then stir in the marinara and top with the shredded mozzarella. Baked uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. Top with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Helpful recipe tips
- Both cremini and white button mushrooms work well in this recipe.
- Ground beef or ground turkey can be substituted for the Italian Sausage.
- For a change of pace, swap out the marinara sauce for alfredo sauce. So yummy!
- Add some steamed broccoli or sweet baby peas.
- Use an ovenproof skillet and cook it all in one pan or finish mixing and baking it in a casserole dish.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, basil, or thyme.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze, first, fully cool. Then store in a sturdy freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
What to serve with baked gnocchi
- Italian Salad
- Cheese Garlic Bread
- Minestrone Soup
- French Baguettes
- Breadsticks
- Lentil Soup
- Garden Salad
- Easy Panzanella Salad
- Arugula Salad
- Tomato Salad
More pasta recipes to try!
Easy Baked Gnocchi Recipe
Cheesy Baked Gnocchi is an easy weeknight recipe with Italian Sausage, onion, mushrooms, spinach, and mozzarella cheese, all baked in one ovenproof skillet.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: main meal pasta
- Method: stovetop/bake
- Cuisine: Italian American
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage
- ½ medium yellow onion chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms sliced
- 4 ounces of fresh spinach
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 24 ounces refrigerator potato gnocchi
- 24 ounces marinara or tomato sauce
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or basil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break it up with a spoon or spatula. Cook for a few minutes or until the sausage starts to brown.
- Add the onions and mushrooms to the skillet, cooking until the onions are soft, the mushrooms are brown, and the Italian sausage is cooked through and no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the spinach in several increments cooking until wilted. Add the Italian Seasoning and garlic, cooking for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Remove the cooked sausage and veggies to a large plate.
- Melt the remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and cook for several minutes, flipping to lightly brown on both sides. Add the cooked sausage and veggies back to the skillet.
- Stir in the marinara and season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with the shredded mozzarella. Baked uncovered for about 22-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through. Top with chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Notes
- Both cremini and white button mushrooms work well in this recipe.
- Ground beef or ground turkey can be substituted for the Italian Sausage.
- For a change of pace, swap out the marinara sauce for alfredo sauce. So yummy!
- Add some steamed broccoli or sweet baby peas.
- Use an ovenproof skillet and cook it all in one pan or finish mixing and baking it in a casserole dish.
- Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, basil, or thyme.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave at reduced power.
- To freeze first, fully cool. Then store in a sturdy freezer-safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Keywords: gnocchi bake, gnocchi dishes, how to cook gnocchi
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