One Pan Sausage Gnocchi with Kale
This sausage gnocchi skillet – inspired by the flavors of Zuppa Toscana– is a hearty one-pan dinner made with Italian sausage, fresh kale, and tender gnocchi in a creamy sauce. It’s incredibly easy, but tastes like it simmered much longer than it did. It’s the best kind of cold-weather comfort food.
If you’ve been to a certain Italian chain restaurant – the one known for endless salad and warm breadsticks – you might already know Zuppa Toscana, the creamy sausage-and-potato soup that’s hard not to love. That cozy classic inspired this one-pan dinner, which takes all the same flavors and textures and turns them into a saucy, hearty main dish.
The recipe name really says it all: Italian sausage, gnocchi, and kale cooked together in one pan until everything is tender, creamy, and incredibly comforting. It’s easy, it’s satisfying, and it’s exactly the kind of dinner we all need as winter creeps in.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage: I like spicy Italian sausage, but use mild if you prefer less heat.
- Gnocchi: Instead of potatoes (like in the soup), we’re using gnocchi. Less prep and they cook fast.
- Kale: If you don’t love kale, you can use the same amount of fresh spinach.
- Garlic
- Onion
- Chicken broth
- All-purpose flour
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese
How to Make It
☑️ Brown the Sausage
Cook the sausage in a large pan until it’s browned. Stir in the onion and garlic and, as the onion releases moisture, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
☑️ Wilt the Kale
Add the kale and stir it into the sausage. Cover the pan and cook the kale until it wilts, stirring occasionally.
☑️ Make the Sauce
Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and kale. Stir it in and, once it’s absorbed, stir in the chicken broth. Bring the broth to a simmer.
☑️ Simmer the Gnocchi and Finish the Sauce
Add the gnocchi to the pan. It should be almost completely submerged in the broth. If it’s not, add a little more broth if needed. Simmer the gnocchi, stirring every so often, for about 10 minutes or until it’s tender.
Stir in the cream and it’s ready to serve!
☑️ Garnish and Serve
I like a sprinkle of fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, but they’re optional. It’s delicious straight out of the pan as it is.
One Pan Sausage Gnocchi with Kale
Ingredients
- 1 pound spicy or mild Italian sausage
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 cups chopped kale
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth add ½ cup more if needed
- 16 ounces potato gnocchi
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the sausage in a large pan over medium-high heat. Break it up as it cooks and, once it’s browned, add 1 tablespoon of garlic and 1cup of chopped onion.
- Stir and cook the sausage with the garlic and onion for a couple of minutes. As the onion releases its moisture, scrape up any browned sausage bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add 4 cups of chopped kale, stir, and cover the pan. Adjust the heat to medium to medium low and cook the kale for a few minutes or until it’s wilted. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the top of the veggies and sausage. Mix it in and then add 2 1/2 cups of broth and stir again. Bring the broth to a strong simmer.
- Add the gnocchi to the pan. It should be mostly covered by the broth. If it’s not, add more broth (up to 1/2 cup) extra so its covered.
- Adjust the heat to maintain a strong simmer and cook the gnocchi for 3 to 5 minutes or until it's tender. Take the pan off the heat and stir in 1/4 cup of cream.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
More Comfort Food Dinners
- Short Rib Ragu
- French Onion Chicken Meatballs
- Roasted Poblano Chicken Chili
- Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas
This one-pan sausage gnocchi with kale checks all the boxes: easy, comforting, and so delicious. It’s the kind of dinner that turns an ordinary weeknight into something a little cozier. I hope you try it!
Happy cooking,
