This Creamy Tomato Gnocchi is so savory and satisfying. Made with chicken sausage, mushrooms, and Parmesan, you’ll love all the complementary flavors in this scrumptious pasta dish.
This gnocchi tastes amazing with some garlic cheese bread and a plate of Italian antipasto salad.
Creamy tomato gnocchi with chicken sausage
If you feel like adding a little variety to your pasta recipes, this Creamy Tomato Gnocchi is a great way to change things up. Gnocchi (pronounced nyawk-kee) is an Italian dumpling pasta that is usually made with potato, semolina, or flour. They are dense pillows of dough that are very filling and taste great with flavorful sauces. This chicken gnocchi recipe with mushrooms and chicken sausage, as well as a tomato sauce with cream and Parmesan cheese, is so tasty and mouthwatering. And if you want to try gnocchi in some other dishes, you’ll love this creamy mushroom gnocchi (video) and this hearty chicken gnocchi soup.
What you’ll need for this gnocchi recipe
To prepare Tomato Gnocchi, you will need the Gnocchi itself, as well as Onion, Garlic, and Baby Bella Mushrooms. For the sauce base, we’ll be using Fresh Mushroom Prego sauce, Heavy Cream, Parmesan Cheese, and Salt. And we will also use Chicken Sausage to make this sauce really robust.
Add-ins and substitutes
- Go meatless-Â If you’d rather have a meatless sauce, go ahead. This tomato gnocchi recipe is very flavorful, even without the added sausage.
- Change the pasta-Â If you can’t find gnocchi or just prefer something a little lighter, then switch out the pasta for your favorite spaghetti, penne, etc. Any pasta will work with this creamy sauce.
- Try different vegetables-Â Not everyone loves mushrooms, so try some fresh spinach, broccoli, or peppers. You can also find different sauces at the store to match the vegetables of your choosing.
How to make this creamy chicken gnocchi recipe
- Cook the sausage. Remove the casings from the sausage and cook it in a large skillet over high heat. No oil is needed here since the sausage has plenty of natural fat.
- Add the onion and garlic. After the sausage is done, add in the minced garlic and chopped onion. Stir over medium heat until the onion is cooked through and appears translucent.
- Saute the mushrooms. Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and saute until they’re cooked through. Then pour the tomato sauce in. Stir to incorporate everything.
- Add in the heavy cream. Pour in the heavy cream and then let it come to a simmer.
- Cook the gnocchi. In a large pot with salted water, cook the gnocchi and drain.
- Combine. Turn off the heat on the skillet and add the cooked gnocchi, salt, and Parmesan cheese. Stir until your creamy tomato gnocchi is well combined.
Helpful Tips
- Remove the casing on the sausage- Before you cook the sausage, take off the casing so that the meat breaks apart in the sauce. This will also release more flavor.
- Make the sauce in advance-Â If you want to have this dish, but don’t have a lot of cook time, prep the sauce beforehand. You can make the sauce a couple of days in advance and store it in the fridge until you are ready to prepare the pasta.
- Don’t overcook the gnocchi-Â As soon as you see your gnocchi floating to the surface of the water, take them out. If you overcook them, they will turn to mush.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, you can make this dish in advance. The pasta can stay in the fridge for a day or two, and the chicken tomato sauce for 2-3 days. Keep both in airtight containers. When you are ready to serve, warm and combine them. It’s best to keep the gnocchi out of the sauce ahead of time because they can get overly soft and mushy after a while.
How long will it keep?
This creamy chicken gnocchi will keep for about 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It can’t stay fresh much longer because of the vegetables and sausage, as well as how the gnocchi softens when in sauce for extended periods of time.
Does it freeze well?
Yes, you can freeze this creamy chicken gnocchi, but it should be done separately. Freeze the gnocchi dumplings on a sheet pan so they do not become stuck together, then when frozen, transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag. The tomato sauce can also be frozen in a ziplock bag, first while laying flat and then stored standing up to save room.
Watch Video Here
Full Recipe Instructions
Creamy Tomato and Sausage Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 lb mild Italian chicken sausage
- 1/2 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 8 oz baby Bella mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom Prego sauce
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 lb gnocchi
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
Sautee the meat and vegetables
- Cook 2 pounds of mild Italian chicken sausage (casing removed) in a large skillet over high heat. There is no oil necessary here since the sausage naturally has a lot of fat.
- Once the sausage is cooked, add 1/2 of a medium chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves to the skillet.
- Stir over medium heat until the onion is cooked through and appears translucent.
- Now add in 8 oz of sliced baby Bella mushrooms and sauté until cooked through. Then pour in 1 1/2 cups fresh mushroom Prego sauce.
Add tomato sauce and heavy cream
- Give it a quick stir and add 2 cups of heavy cream. Let the sauce come to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, cook 2 pounds of gnocchi in salted water and drain afterward.
Stir in the parmesan, salt, and cooked gnocchi
- Once the sauce has come to a simmer, turn off the heat and add the cooked gnocchi, 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir until well combined.
Notes
- Remove the casing on the sausage- Before you cook the sausage, take off the casing so that the meat breaks apart in the sauce. This will also release more flavor.
- Make the sauce in advance- You can make the sauce a couple of days in advance and store it in the fridge until you are ready to prepare the pasta.
- Don't overcook the gnocchi-Â As soon as you see your gnocchi floating to the surface of the water, take them out. If you overcook them, they will turn to mush.
Nutrition
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Brett says
Delicious, fool proof recipe!
Hard to believe that such a short ingredient list, and even shorter prep time can create such a flavorful meal.
I have used this recipe twice now, and both times the folks I cooked for were blown away. Will definitely be bookmarking this blog for some other dinner ideas!
(Next up, the breakfast crepes!)
simplyhomecooked says
Yay! So happy to hear you and your folks loved this recipe so much Brett!! I’m very glad that this chicken gnocchi recipe was easy and simple to make 🙂 Thank you so much for your awesome feedback and I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my blog, including the breakfast crepes! 🙂