Creamy Gnocchi Recipe with Italian Sausage
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A dreamy creamy gnocchi recipe made with all of your favorites: fresh parmesan cheese, spicy hot Italian sausage, store bought gnocchi for convenience and lots of fragrant sage. ILY!
If there is one creamy gnocchi pasta recipe you’re making, it’s gotta be this one.
It’s rich and comforting in all of the best ways and something magical happens when soft, pillowy gnocchi meets savory sausage in a cream sauce.
It’s a minimal meal but delivers maximum flavor and aside from cooking the gnocchi in a pot, it’s all made in one skillet!
Weeknight meals and one skillet recipes go hand in hand. Some of our other favorite one pan and one skillet meals include this Chicken Marsala Pasta, Chicken Fajita Pasta and this Mediterranean Chicken and Rice recipe is always a hit!
Alright. So are you ready for it?! Best creamy gnocchi recipe of your life waiting for you to dive in. Maybe you just might face plant into the pot I won’t judge!
Ingredient Notes
You can scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
- Gnocchi: Don’t ask me why Italian Sausage and fluffy gnocchi pair so well together, they just do! I use a store bought gnocchi for ease ( 16 oz. package).
- Hot Italian Sausage: I use a pork sausage but you can use a turkey sausage if you prefer.
- Shallots: Shallots are favored for their mild onion flavor and can be used in the same manner as onions, I just love the shallot flavor in this meal. Feel free to use a white or yellow onion if you don’t have shallots on hand.
- Fresh sage: A quintessential fall ingredients dontcha think?!
- Flour & Butter: The ratio of fat to flour determines the thickness of your sauce. This recipe uses 2 Tbsp. flour and 2 Tbsp. butter for a medium thickness. The ratio should always be 1:1.
- Heavy cream & Milk: Cold milk and cream will cause the sauce to clump so let the cream and milk sit out at room temperature before adding to the roux. I like using cream for a creamier, thicker sauce but feel free to use all milk if you prefer.
Step by Step Directions
Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.
- Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain, drizzle with olive oil so they don’t stick together and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, add shallots and garlic, then the sausage; cook.
- Add butter to same pan, whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk and cream.
- Bring sauce to simmer to thicken, add in salt, pepper and sage.
- Stir in gnocchi and parmesan cheese and enjoy.
Tips and Variations
- Add in fresh spinach or kale for some greens.
- I love using the combination of milk and cream but use all milk for a less rich sauce.
- Use turkey sausage or even ground turkey if preferred. Or you could leave the meat out altogether!
- Add chili flakes for even more spice.
- The sauce thickens as it cools, so when reheating add cream or broth before serving.
- Be sure to use fresh sage for optimal flavor.
FAQ
What pairs well with gnocchi?
A yummy salad, garlic bread, wine, green beans, buttery garlic mushrooms, roasted veggies, etc.
What is gnocchi?
Gnocchi are generally shaped into little balls, cooked in boiling water and served with a savory sauce. Gnocchi is Italian for “dumplings” and typically made from potatoes.
Do I have to pre-cook the gnocchi?
I have only made this recipe by boiling the gnocchi separately. However, the gnocchi also can be added right to the sauce and it will cook in the creamy sauce.
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Creamy Gnocchi with Italian Sausage
Ingredients
- 1, 16 oz. pkg. gnocchi
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 shallot, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 lb. hot Italian sausage
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 2 Tbsp. flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
- 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
- pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain, drizzle with olive oil so they don't stick together and set aside.1, 16 oz. pkg. gnocchi, 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add shallots and cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.1/2 shallot, minced, 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- Add in Italian sausage and cook, crumbling it up, until browned. About 5-7 minutes.1 lb. hot Italian sausage
- Add butter to pan and allow it to melt. Whisk in flour and stir all together with the sausage.2 Tbsp. butter, 2 Tbsp. flour
- Slowly and gradually whisk in milk and cream. Stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to boil and thicken. Sauce may appear thin, but it will thicken as it cooks, and thicken further when gnocchi is added in.1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature, 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temperature
- Season with salt & pepper. Stir in sage and Parmesan cheese.1/2 tsp. salt, plus more to taste, 2 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped, pepper to taste, 1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
- Stir in gnocchi and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
- Heavy cream & Milk: Cold milk and cream will cause the sauce to clump so let the cream and milk sit out at room temperature before adding to the roux.
- Use turkey sausage or even ground turkey if preferred.
- Add chili flakes for even more spice.
- The sauce thickens as it cools, so when reheating add cream or broth before serving.
- Be sure to use fresh sage for optimal flavor.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
This was about a 5 out of 10 in prep complexity and everyone in the house loved it. I used premade Gnocchi and used cream and milk as you suggested. The sage and the shallots made the taste pop! Def keeping this one for future use.
Hi Connie! Thank you soo much, I am glad it was a hit! I just love fresh sage so much!
Very tasty! I substituted half and half since I didn’t have cream and that worked just fine, though I added maybe a teaspoon or 2 of extra flour to thicken it. As the recipe says, fresh sage is best for optimal flavor; I would not recommend dried sage, as the flavor is hard to taste over the spice of the sausage. I’m probably going to try some tweaks to better fit my preferences and I’ll update the results!
I agree, fresh sage is best! Thank you!
Oh my goodness, it’s too late for a picture of the wonderful creation! It was my granddaughter’s 17th birthday, and she requested gnocchi! This was so easy to make, yet I felt a little like a chef 👩🏻🍳 😉. My husband said this was the best! My Granddaughter gave it rave reviews as well. I sent all the leftovers home with her to share with her sister, who wanted to skip volleyball practice to have gnocchi. I have a question, do you usually drain off a little sausage grease or do you leave it all in the pan? I dobbed up a bit, I’m just curious what you do! Thank you for your lovely recipe.
Thank you so much for making it! I didn’t drain the grease, but you totally can! Good question 🙂
I have a question for the registered dietician. This recipe contains 24g of saturated fat per serving. In what universe is this healthy? I am on statins and have been told not to exceed 11gms of saturated fat PER DAY. It’s damn near impossible, especially when a tasty morsel such as this contains twice my daily allotment. Is this meal truly dietician-recommended and am I labouring under a false understanding of my condition? Because I want to eat this, but I “can’t”.
Hello! Thanks for visiting my website. Although I am a dietitian, I cannot legally speak to you on this matter. All information provided regarding nutrition on my website is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Content related to nutrition is not medical advice nor is it intended to replace medical advice. Regarding content I post that contains nutritional facts, such as servings, calories, etc., this information is automatically calculated and I cannot guarantee the accuracy. For more information you can read my disclaimers https://krollskorner.com/disclaimer/ and talk to you doctor for more information. Thank you!
Very hearty and definitely a comfort meal! While I was cooking this, it dawned on me, this is essentially biscuits and gravy but with gnocchi!
You’re right, it kinda is! 🙂 thank you so much for making it!
Thaks
I loved it. It was my birthday dinner so glad of your free recipe.it is the best thing I ever tasted.
I am so glad! Happy birthday! Thank you so much.
Can you swap out the whole milk for almond milk?
I have not tried that variation, but it would change the consistency and taste.
This was a REALLY easy & DELICIOUS recipe to follow & eat! I will definitely be making this again for when friends come over. It was very filling & my picky eater husband loved it!!
Yayyy I am so glad!! Thank you so much 🙂 Looks great!!
Soooo delicious and super easy to make!
Thank you so much Patricia! So glad you enjoyed this one.