Gnocchi Bake with Sausage and Spinach

Perfectly comfy cozy, my gnocchi bake with sausage and spinach is a fantastic meal when you're craving a little extra TLC. Made with tender, pillowy potato gnocchi in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce with sausage, onions, and spinach, all topped with a gooey lid of melted mozzarella cheese, this easy baked gnocchi recipe is brimming with love in every warming spoonful!

The perfect bake when comfy-coziness is what you crave

Friends, I think I'm in love...

There are times when I prepare a dish and take my first bite, close my eyes and say “Mmmmm...” to myself, and know then and there that I will be making that dish over and over again for a long time to come. And this gnocchi bake? Well, it's that dish.

Actually, both my hubby and I couldn't get over how much this rustic, extremely simple recipe hit the spot for us, hit every texture and flavor note. It was unexpectedly luxurious tasting, and we couldn't get enough of it for the next several days.

Here's the thing about potato gnocchi: when cooked, they become extremely pillowy and tender, almost melting away on the tongue. And this is a very pleasurable food texture.

While I typically cook my gnocchi in simmering water and serve them as a base for a saucy main meal, I wondered what they'd be like mixed directly into a sauce and baked off from an uncooked state

The result? This scrumptious and savory gnocchi bake made with a rich tomato sauce (nothing quite like homemade), caramelized spicy sausage, onions, garlic, a kiss of red wine, plus a couple generous handfuls of baby spinach.

Folded together and topped with parmesan and mozzarella that bakes into an ooey-gooey lid, this gnocchi bake is pure heaven in a bowl, especially with a sprinkle of fresh basil over top.

The best part of this recipe? It's prepped and ready to spoon up in about an hour, piping hot and brimming with lots of love.

My baked gnocchi recipe with sausage and spinach

A big part of the appeal of this gnocchi bake (besides the flavor, of course!) is not having to do the extra step of cooking the gnocchi first before adding them to the recipe.

It all starts with a tomato sauce which is incredibly quick and easy, yet rich and savory, made with onions, caramelized spicy Italian sausage, garlic, red wine and a sprinkle of dried herbs.

Then, the uncooked potato gnocchi are added directly into the sauce with some baby spinach, and everything gets folded together.

Of course, gooey melted cheese over top of everything only makes it all even more mouthwatering and irresistible, so I add whole milk shredded mozzarella along with pungent grated parmesan for flavor.

Here's a glance my gnocchi bake with sausage and spinach recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I sauté my onion and then add in my spicy sausage.
2. Once the onion and sausage have caramelized, I add in a few aromatics plus my red wine, and allow that to bubble up.
3. I then add in my crushed tomatoes and a touch of water to create my sauce, and stir it all together with a touch of parmesan.
4. Next, I add in my spinach and my uncooked, potato gnocchi, and fold those into the sauce.
5. Once folded together, I sprinkle over the cheese, and bake the gnocchi bake for about 30 minutes, uncovered, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
6. I allow the gnocchi bake to sit for about 10 minutes once out of the oven (it's piping hot!), then sprinkle with fresh basil and serve.

Recipe

Gnocchi Bake with Sausage and Spinach

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This comfy-cozy gnocchi bake is made with a savory tomato sauce, spicy sausage, spinach, and an ooey-gooey lid of mozzarella cheese!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Italian-American

Yield: Serves 8

Nutrition Info: 588 calories (per serving)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 2 (16 ounce) packages uncooked, potato gnocchi (total of 2 pounds)
• Olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 12 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 8 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 (28 ounce) can organic crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup water
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 (packed) cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese (whole milk)
• Basil leaves, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°.
3. Place a deep braiser or heavy bottom pan (about 4 quart) over medium heat, and drizzle in about 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.
4. Add in the diced white onion and saute for just a few minutes until softened, then add in the spicy sausage, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, break it up a bit into a crumble. Saute together with the onion until the sausage is cooked through, about 4 or 5 minutes.
5. Next, add in the garlic, the Italian seasoning, and the red pepper flakes (if using), and stir to combine. Once aromatic, add in the wine and allow it to bubble up and slightly reduce (about 30 seconds), then add in the crushed tomatoes along with the water, and stir to incorporate.
6. Allow the sauce to a simmer for just a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat and sprinkle in a couple of generous pinches of salt and black pepper (to taste), and stir in ¼ cup of the grated parmesan cheese.
7. Add the spinach and the uncooked potato gnocchi to the pan, and carefully fold the spinach and gnocchi into the sauce until well coated and combined, evening out the top a bit.
8. Next, sprinkle over top the rest of the parmesan cheese, followed by the mozzarella cheese. Place the gnocchi into the oven to bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until bubbly and golden-brown.
9. Allow the gnocchi bake to sit for 10 minutes before serving (it will be very hot), then sprinkle with fresh basil leaves and serve.

Tips & Tidbits for my gnocchi bake with sausage and spinach recipe:

• Potato gnocchi, for tender, pillowy texture: Typically you can find packaged potato gnocchi in the section of the market where the pasta is kept, and it usually comes in 16 ounce (1 pound) packages. There's no need to pre-cook the gnocchi, which makes this recipe nice and easy. It does help to separate the gnocchi a bit, for even cooking, just so that they're not sticking to each other. Simply add the gnocchi directly into the sauce, and they will cook to a deliciously soft and pillowy texture in the oven.
• Spicy Italian sausage, or your favorite type of sausage: I love the slight kick from the spicy sausage here, but feel free to use sweet Italian sausage, even chicken sausage, or your own favorite variety. You can even omit the sausage altogether for a vegetarian gnocchi bake, or perhaps substitute or add some mushrooms.
• Red wine for depth, or leave it out: The red wine offers a touch of brightness to the gnocchi bake, and only a small amount is being added in. If you prefer to leave out the wine, feel free. You don't need to substitute anything for it, just skip that step in the preparation directions.

Craving more comfy-cozy recipes like this? Check out my recipe for Vegetable Pasta with Mozzarella, Baked Ziti, French Onion Meatballs, Turkey Meatballs in Pumpkin Sage Sauce, Bistro Sausage Pasta, or my recipe for Zucchini Roll Ups!