Baked Gnocchi with Italian Sausage

Creamy baked gnocchi with Italian sausage, baby greens, Fontina cheese, and a rich, cheesy sauce for an easy and comforting dinner.

Course Main Dishes

Cuisine Italian-American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 784kcal

Author Michelle Ordever

Equipment

3 Quart Casserole Dish with Lid

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
½ pound Italian sausage
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
3 cups baby power greens
16 ounce package refrigerated gnocchi
3 ounces cream cheese
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
1 cup grated fontina cheese
¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6. Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and Italian sausage, then season with salt and black pepper.
Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally and breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon, until browned and the onion is tender.
Add the baby power greens and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well.
Add cream cheese, heavy cream, and milk to the sausage mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the cream sauce is bubbling and the cream cheese is nicely melted.
Add the drained gnocchi to the sausage and sauce mixture and stir to coat well.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the grated fontina over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden brown.
Sprinkle with the chopped fresh parsley, serve, and enjoy!

Notes

Tips

Baby power greens typically contain a mixture of baby spinach, baby kale, and red and green chard.
A 3-quart casserole dish is approximately 2.8 liters. A standard 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking or casserole dish is a suitable equivalent for this recipe.
Cook the gnocchi according to the package directions before adding it to the sausage mixture.
Break the Italian sausage into small pieces as it cooks so it distributes evenly throughout the dish.

Substitutions

Italian sausage isn't as widely available in UK supermarkets as it is in the US. Use good-quality pork sausages instead—simply remove and discard the casings, then crumble the sausage meat into the pan. For a flavor closer to Italian sausage, choose sausages seasoned with herbs or fennel.
If you can't find baby power greens, substitute an equal amount of your favorite baby greens or a combination of spinach, kale, and chard.
If fontina isn't available, use Gruyère, provolone, Gouda, or Emmental instead.

Leftovers

Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container and refrigerating.
Reheat thoroughly in the oven or microwave until piping hot throughout before serving.

Freezing

The cooked gnocchi may soften after freezing and thawing, but you can freeze leftovers in a suitable airtight container.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat thoroughly until piping hot throughout.

Always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Safety (USA) | Food Standards Agency (UK)

Nutrition