Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage

The easiest weeknight dinner recipe! This Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage comes together on a single pan, and roasts in the oven until the dumplings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs, and olive oil create a delicious “sauce,” coating the gnocchi and Italian sausage with tons of flavor. Serve the dish alongside a salad and a loaf of garlic bread for the ultimate family meal!

Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi

Gnocchi, little Italian potato dumplings, are a nice alternative to pasta — and they’re typically cooked in boiling water. Bon Appetit inspired me to try roasting gnocchi in the oven (no boiling first!), and the end result was a total game-changer! Instead of the soft, doughy, damp texture that you normally find with boiled gnocchi, sheet pan gnocchi has a delicious, crispy exterior. The dumplings stay tender and chewy on the inside, but have so much more flavor on the outside. You might never make gnocchi the “traditional” way again!

For this particular recipe, you’ll add whole cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes) to the sheet pan gnocchi, along with sliced red onion, garlic, and rosemary. Toss everything with plenty of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and then add fresh Italian sausage links to the tray. As the ingredients bake, the vegetables soften and release some liquid, the tomatoes burst, the onions caramelize, and you create a fresh “sauce” to toss with the gnocchi. It’s simple, hearty, incredibly satisfying…and almost entirely hands-off!

Ingredients

This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pan of baked gnocchi with sausage. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Red onion: adds a bit of zesty, sweet, and savory flavor. You can substitute with yellow onion, white onion, or a sweet onion if you like.
• Garlic: peel and smash the whole garlic cloves and throw them on the pan to infuse the rest of the ingredients with a subtle roasted garlic flavor.
• Cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes: just throw the whole tomatoes directly onto the sheet pan. They will burst in the oven and release their juices, creating a sweet, fresh “sauce” for the gnocchi.
• Potato gnocchi: use fresh gnocchi, shelf-stable gnocchi (often found in vacuum-sealed packages near the dried pasta in most grocery stores), or frozen potato gnocchi. I have not tested the recipe with alternative types of gnocchi (such as cauliflower gnocchi)
• Olive oil: adds flavor to the dish, prevents the ingredients from sticking to the pan, and helps the gnocchi get nice and crispy and browned in the oven.
• Rosemary and basil: use fresh herbs for the best flavor.
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish. Don’t be shy with the salt — the gnocchi needs a good amount of seasoning!
• Italian sausage: you’ll need fresh (uncooked) Italian sausage links. Use mild, hot, or sweet Italian sausage, or substitute with other types of fresh sausage, such as bratwurst.
• Parmesan cheese: for a sharp, salty, flavorful garnish at the end.

How to Bake Sheet Pan Gnocchi

This sheet pan dinner comes together with about 10 minutes of prep, making it ideal for busy weeknights!

1. Toss together the onion, garlic, tomatoes, gnocchi, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper on a large rimmed baking sheet. Make sure that all of the ingredients are well coated in the oil.
2. Place the sausage links on the sheet pan with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Roast the gnocchi in a 425°F oven for about 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are crisp and golden brown, most of the tomatoes have burst, and the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
4. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
5. Serve on individual plates or bowls, garnish with fresh basil, and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top.

Serving Suggestions: How to Eat Sheet Pan Gnocchi

Serve the sheet pan gnocchi dumplings with a simple green salad with red wine vinaigrette or Dijon vinaigrette, Caesar salad, or a House Salad with candied pecans. You’ll also want something to soak up any extra olive oil or sauce, such as a loaf of crusty no-knead Dutch oven bread, garlic bread, French baguette, homemade focaccia, flaky buttermilk biscuits or 3-ingredient sour cream muffins.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet on the stovetop just until warmed through.

I don’t necessarily recommend freezing these leftovers, since the vegetables and herbs will have a watery, undesirable texture when thawed.

Baked Gnocchi Recipe Variations

• Add more vegetables to the sheet pan, such as sliced fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, butternut squash, or broccoli florets. You can also stir in fresh baby spinach at the end, since it will wilt almost immediately when it hits the hot pan.
• To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and roast the gnocchi on two large sheet pans.
• Use additional herbs and spices, such as thyme, oregano, chives, or parsley. You can also season the mixture with an Italian seasoning blend, or use our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend. Add crushed red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
• Instead of fresh Italian sausage links, use a different type of sausage like bratwurst.
• Omit the sausage altogether for a vegetarian dish.
• Drizzle with balsamic glaze for a fancy, slightly sweet, acidic finishing touch!

Tips for the Best Sheet Pan Gnocchi Recipe

• You do not have to boil gnocchi before roasting. Just dump it straight from the package onto the sheet pan. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
• Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
• Use plenty of olive oil to coat the gnocchi and other ingredients. If 2 tablespoons doesn’t seem like enough, add more! You can also drizzle with extra olive oil right before serving.
• Season liberally with salt and pepper. The gnocchi will taste bland if it’s not properly seasoned, so add extra at the end, if necessary.
• Use an instant read meat thermometer to know when your sausage is properly cooked. It’s done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. If the sausage is cooked through before the other ingredients are ready, you can remove the sausages to a plate and continue roasting the gnocchi.
• Fresh rosemary and fresh basil provide the best flavor.

More Gnocchi Recipes to Try

• Chicken Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Brown Butter
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup {Olive Garden Copycat}
• Chicken Gnocchi Bake

Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage

5 from 2 votes

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 30 minutes minutes

Total: 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 6 people

Calories 584 kcal

The easiest weeknight dinner recipe! This Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage comes together on a single pan, and roasts in the oven until the dumplings are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Rate RecipePin RecipePrint Recipe

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ of a large red onion, sliced
• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 10 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups)
• 1 (16 ounce) package of fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, or more as needed
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 (19 ounce) package fresh Italian sausage links (about 5 links)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

• Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Directly on a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together the onion, garlic, tomatoes, gnocchi, olive oil, rosemary, salt, and pepper.
• Place the sausages on the baking sheet, spacing them evenly around the pan. Arrange the vegetables and gnocchi in a single layer.
• Roast, stirring halfway through, until the gnocchi are golden brown and starting to crisp, most of the tomatoes have burst, and the sausage reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 25-30 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• To serve, spoon the gnocchi and vegetables onto plates, add a sausage link to each plate, and garnish with the basil and grated cheese.

Notes

• You do not have to boil gnocchi before roasting. Just dump it straight from the package onto the sheet pan. It doesn’t get much easier than that!
• Line the sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
• Use plenty of olive oil to coat the gnocchi and other ingredients. If 2 tablespoons doesn’t seem like enough, add more! You can also drizzle with extra olive oil right before serving.
• Season liberally with salt and pepper. The gnocchi will taste bland if it’s not properly seasoned, so add extra at the end, if necessary.
• Use an instant read meat thermometer to know when your sausage is properly cooked. It’s done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160°F. If the sausage is cooked through before the other ingredients are ready, you can remove the sausages to a plate and continue roasting the gnocchi.
• Fresh rosemary and fresh basil provide the best flavor.
• Add more vegetables to the sheet pan, such as sliced fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, butternut squash, or broccoli florets. You can also stir in fresh baby spinach at the end, since it will wilt almost immediately when it hits the hot pan.
• To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and roast the gnocchi on two large sheet pans.
• Use additional herbs and spices, such as thyme, oregano, chives, or parsley. You can also season the mixture with an Italian seasoning blend, or use our favorite all-purpose seasoning blend. Add crushed red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.
• Instead of fresh Italian sausage links, use a different type of sausage like bratwurst.
• Omit the sausage altogether for a vegetarian dish.
• Drizzle with balsamic glaze for a fancy, slightly sweet, acidic finishing touch!
• Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/5 of the recipeCalories: 584kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 20gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 1098mgPotassium: 423mgFiber: 3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 473IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 5mg

Keyword: baked gnocchi, sheet pan gnocchi, sheet pan gnocchi sausage

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Italian

Author: Blair Lonergan

Don’t Forget to Share a Pic of What You Made!

Tag me on Instagram at @theseasonedmom