Sausage Gnocchi with Kale (Printable)

Tender gnocchi with spicy sausage, kale, and tomato sauce ready in 30 minutes for a comforting Italian meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1 lb potato gnocchi, fresh or shelf-stable

→ Sausage & Vegetables

02 - 10.5 oz spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 4 oz fresh kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
09 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
10 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Finishing

11 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
12 - Fresh basil for garnish, optional

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
04 - Add kale and cook, stirring, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
05 - Stir in diced tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered for 7 to 8 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
06 - While the sauce simmers, cook gnocchi according to package instructions until they float to the surface, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well.
07 - Add cooked gnocchi to the sauce and toss gently to coat. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everything happens in one skillet after the gnocchi boil, so cleanup is almost nonexistent
  • The pillowy gnocchi soak up all that rich, spicy sausage flavor and become impossibly satisfying
  • It tastes like you spent an hour cooking when you really just opened a few cans and chopped some kale
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and somehow taste even better the next day
02 -
  • Don't skip salting the gnocchi water, unseasoned gnocchi will make the whole dish taste flat no matter how good the sauce is
  • If your sauce looks too thick after adding the gnocchi, splash in a few tablespoons of the starchy gnocchi cooking water to loosen it up
  • Let the sausage really brown before moving on, those caramelized bits add depth you can't get any other way
03 -
  • Reserve a cup of gnocchi cooking water before draining, that starchy liquid is magic for adjusting sauce consistency
  • Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi directly from the pot to the skillet, a little extra water clinging to them helps the sauce come together
  • Taste the sauce after it simmers and adjust the red pepper flakes, heat builds as it cooks so start conservatively
  • Grate Parmesan fresh if you can, the pre-grated stuff doesn't melt as smoothly and lacks that nutty punch
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