Creamy Gnocchi with Spinach and Sausage (Printable)

Italian-inspired pillowy gnocchi in luscious cream sauce with spinach and halal sausage. Quick, comforting, and richly flavored.

# What You Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1 lb 2 oz potato gnocchi, store-bought or homemade

→ Sausage & Vegetables

02 - 10.6 oz halal beef or chicken sausage, sliced
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 5.3 oz baby spinach, washed

→ Cream Sauce

07 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
08 - 1/4 cup milk
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 - Pinch of ground nutmeg, optional

→ Garnish

13 - Extra grated Parmesan cheese
14 - Freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions until they float to the surface, approximately 2-3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - While the gnocchi cook, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced halal sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Add the baby spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until completely wilted, approximately 1-2 minutes.
05 - Pour in the heavy cream and milk, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
06 - Stir in the Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Return the browned sausage to the skillet, followed by the cooked gnocchi. Toss everything gently to coat evenly in the sauce and heat through for 2 minutes.
08 - Transfer to serving bowls immediately. Garnish generously with extra Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The sauce creates this velvety blanket around each gnocchi pillow that simply melts in your mouth without any complicated techniques.
  • Its the perfect balance between elegant and effortless – impressive enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight when youre exhausted.
02 -
  • Never rinse the gnocchi after cooking – I made this mistake once and ended up with a watery sauce that wouldnt cling to the pasta.
  • The sauce will continue thickening after you remove it from heat, so take it off the stove while its still a bit thinner than youd like the final result.
03 -
  • Reserve a small cup of the gnocchi cooking water before draining – if your sauce ever gets too thick, a tablespoon of this starchy water will bring it back to silky perfection.
  • For an elevated touch, infuse the cream with a bay leaf and whole garlic clove for 10 minutes before adding it to the pan, then remove these aromatics before serving.

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