Crisp Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas Recipe (2024)

By Ali Slagle

Updated Oct. 11, 2023

Crisp Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas Recipe (1)

Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(3,315)
Notes
Read community notes

This quick skillet dinner combines crisp gnocchi and brawny sausage with sweet pops of peas and herbs. It tastes like spring, but it can be prepared perennially — and without any chopping or waiting for water to boil. (That’s right, you don’t need to boil the gnocchi before searing.) Draped in a combination of mustard and melted Parmesan, the dish is creamy, with a salty bite like cacio e pepe. However, if plush Alfredo is what you’re craving, you could add a splash of heavy cream along with the browned gnocchi in Step 4.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1(12- to 18-ounce) package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
  • 1pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 2cups/10 ounces frozen peas (no need to thaw)
  • 1tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½cup/1 ounce grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½cup torn dill, mint or basil leaves, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

503 calories; 23 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 1055 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Crisp Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a large (12-inch) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Break up any stuck-together gnocchi and add to the skillet in an even layer. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until the gnocchi are golden brown underneath and unstuck from skillet, 2 to 4 minutes. Cook, stirring, until crisp on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes. If the gnocchi are burning instead of browning or the skillet looks dry, add more oil. Transfer to a bowl or plate.

  2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet, still over medium-high. Add the sausage and break into small pieces. Cook, undisturbed, until sausage is browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir and cook until the sausage is cooked through, another 2 to 4 minutes.

  3. Step

    3

    Stir in the peas, mustard and ½ cup water and scrape up the browned bits on the skillet. (It may not look like a lot of liquid, but the peas will release some as they cook.) Simmer until the peas are cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes.

  4. Step

    4

    Add the browned gnocchi and the Parmesan; stir until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the herbs. Serve topped with more herbs, Parmesan and black pepper as desired.

Ratings

5

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3,315

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

klo

Good dish! Easy. Here are our notes/suggestions for next time:Use 1/2 sweet & 1/2 hot Italian sausage .. only need 3/4 lb50/50 white wine and water (instead of all water)Might try fresh peas instead of frozenAt end add broth and half & half (instead of heavy cream) - definitely needs sauce so don't skimpServe over Arugula.

Lori

From what chefs say, and from my own experience, frozen peas taste much better than fresh unless you are eating the peas the same day you pick them. Peas are one of those vegetables that lose taste and nutrients very quickly upon picking which is why frozen ones are frozen within hours of picking.

Gaby

Use wine for some water and add scallion

Chantal

So I am going to toss the gnocchi in some oil and crisp them in the oven on convection setting. You need way very little oil and they crisp up beautifully. It's also time saving because while they crisp, you can prep and cook everything else.

kesw

Quite good Used chicken basil sausage from the farmer’s market, cauliflower gnocchi from trader Joe; per some reviews, wine instead of water (it was open, really, it was open) garden basil in the dish, garden mint as the zshoozsh, and served over a bed of arugula. As with many NYT recipes, it took me closer to 40 minutes than to 25.

Sarah

For those who are worried about mustard, it was not a dominant flavor; the savoriness of the sausage sort of drowned it out for me. I do enjoy mustard and would add more next time. Would also totally use white wine instead of water next time; could also use broth.

Joelle

Substituted air fried tofu instead of gnocchi to make it low carb. Also added garlic, fresh morel mushrooms, and red pepper flakes.

LBJ

Absolutely one of the best things we’ve made from a NYTimes recipe. Added chicken stock instead of water - otherwise, prepared it just as directed. Perfect as is but I may experiment with chicken or turkey sausage for a slightly lighter feel.

OuiMarieSi

Really enjoyed this, it was a good weeknight dinner!I think next time I try this, I will add more peas (maybe even double) and either keep the 1/2 c. Water or reduce that.

Joe

Delicious and easy for a Sunday lunch. Subbed wine for water, and a 1/2 tsp of Better than Bouillon for additional seasoning. Served with arugula, but could use even more freshness & crunch—maybe scallions?

CE

Note to self (and anyone else) - don’t use rice gnocchi or you’ll end up with a big pile of slop. Although a very nicely flavoured slop!

Isaac K

Delicious! I added in some garlic and red chili flakes into the oil before cooking the sausage for a little heat. Very easy and will definitely make again.

Jen G.

This is a savory that you can doctor at will and on that basis, a repeat. Modifications:-used chicken andouille sausage instead of pork. As a result, I added some butter for additional fat. Given the season, it was ramp butter. If it didn’t have that, I would have added a scallion too.-used half a cup of white wine instead of water. -added about a half cup of chicken broth at the end in step 4. -topped with chili oil at the end. The chili oil did not overwhelm and ended up being a soli

notes

Add asparagus Frozen gnocchi but cook the same

Alex

I used spinach instead of peas and added garlic. Probably could have used some honey or something, as mine was a little salty/acidic

Lucia

Made a vegetarian version of this with “LeanLife” vegan sausage. Would also work well with the beyond or impossible sausage because they have more fat. When working with LeanLife I recommend adding more fat - olive oil and butter. Perfect “breakfast for dinner” weekend pasta.

PM

This was ridiculously good! I only had half of the frozen peas, so I used those as well as a bag of frozen broccoli rabe-my family loved it!! Another keeper from the NY Times-thank you!

Natasha

Found this dish delightfully easy but underwhelming, especially for 5 stars(?). I was skeptical reading it but like to cook recommended recipes as instructed the 1st time (I've certainly been surprised before!). The "sauce" lacked umami and was even less impressive the next day. Also, the gnocchi/sausage ratio seemed off. I will try a doctored version b/c anything this easy deserves another try. Will reduce the sausage and add cream, dry white wine, and shallots to start.

Bill W.

This was very good. I followed a few suggestions and used white wine instead of water. Next time, will try adding some shallot and garlic and maybe some chili flakes. I will also cook the gnocchi a bit longer to get them more crisp. They got a little "soggy" from pan to dish. The mint is definitely needed to keep this from being too one-note. Will make again.

Ashley

As a child growing up in the '70s, I was traumatized by horrible frozen peas. Haaaate them. But after so many commenters on this site vouched for frozen peas that now are available ("Better than what you buy in the Produce section!"), I used frozen peas as directed.Turns out I still haaate frozen peas. However, this dish was yummy (mods: wine and 1/2 tsp Better Than Bouillon instead of water; 1 1/2 T mustard; red pepper flakes). Next time, however, I'll use asparagus.

linda x

More time to brown the gnocchi. More oil is needed too.

Hugh

I was very disappointed with this dish. I followed the recipe, but it turned out too oily for my taste.

Ann Arbor Eats

I made this nearly as written, including the optional splash of cream in Step 4. We used mini gnocchi, which was very pleasant. 1.5 C peas + .75lb sausage seemed like a good balance for us. Mint was our herb of choice and we liked it but I'm curious to try it with basil sometime too. Three out of four family members enthusiastically enjoyed their dinner!

Minnie Hutchins

Add a squeeze of fresh lemon and it's even better!

Jduval980

If anyone else is struggling to crisp the gnocchi, take this tip (thank you Reddit): add the gnocchi to the pan in batches! Gnocchi stick to the pan and become a mushy mess because of the heat being lowered so much by adding all the gnocchi to the pan. I usually split the package in two and that helps a lot. From mushy to crispy with barely any extra effort :)

DGO

I found this to be a lovely meal but i felt like i was drowning in peas. would add 1-1.5 cups next time.

Juanita

I made this before by the recipe and thought it was just okay. Today I made some changes, most suggested by the notes, that elevated it to a five.. First, browning the gnocchi took longer than stated; 5 minutes at first, then 4-5 more stirring. Used 1/2 lb hot Italian sausage, no need for any added oil. Used only 1 1/2 cups frozen peas. Followingnotes, I used mix of white wine and broth. Because it is winter, I used a few Tbs pesto in place of fresh herbs. Delish and easy!

Taylor

Swap peas for edamame or broccoli, add garlic for extra flavor pop or a splash of lemon juice.

Kendra

Really good - made homemade gnocchi instead of store-bought which probably didn't make it as crisp as it could have been. I boiled my gnocchi for a minute or 2 before adding to the pan, but all-in-all this added 45 minutes to the overall time. Per suggestions here, added half white wine, half water. Didn't add mustard (I hate it!!) and used fresh basil. Loved this and will add it into the rotation albeit with store-bought gnocchi next time for ease.

Jen M.

We had pesto on hand, and it was a great addition to the meal. I omitted the mustard as a result.

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Crisp Gnocchi With Sausage and Peas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do I have to boil gnocchi before frying? ›

You can skip the boiling when frying your gnocchi. However, if you prefer your gnocchi a touch softer, you could boil it first and then pan fry them for about 3-5 minutes instead of the full time to brown. If making this as a full meal, this will serve 2-3.

What is the best way to cook gnocchi? ›

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then turn down to a simmer, and tip in half the gnocchi. Stir, then wait for them to rise to the surface. Count slowly to 10, then remove with a slotted spoon, and tip into whatever sauce you're using.

Is gnocchi supposed to be soft or crispy? ›

They should be pillowy and soft, usually store bought are more dense. That being said there are more than one variety. There is ricotta gnocchi made with cheese instead of potatoes, and there is also gnocchi parisienne, which is a French variety that's made with choux paste. I find the later to be the pillowiest.

Is gnocchi better boiled or pan fried? ›

If you've never tried pan frying gnocchi, you are in for a treat! Forget boiling it, you can actually just toss it in a skillet and cook it. This means less dishes, as it's all cooked in one skillet and crispy, pan fried gnocchi is the result. I love the texture of crispy gnocchi, with it's crunchy browned exterior.

Do Italians boil or fry gnocchi? ›

Oh yes, you don't always have to boil them and toss them with a sauce. You can pan-fry them to crispy, soft-centered delicious little bites that make a great alternative to fries or roasted potatoes which can take the best part of 40 minutes to 1 hour to prepare.

How to pan fry store bought gnocchi? ›

For Pan-Frying

Melt the butter and olive oil in the pan, then add the minced garlic. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant. Add the gnocchi to the hot pan, making sure not to overcrowd them. Fry until a golden crust forms, which should take approximately 5-7 minutes.

How do you know when gnocchi is done in the oven? ›

Roast, stirring once or twice, until gnocchi are golden and starting to crisp, most of the tomatoes have burst, and onion is golden, 25–30 minutes.

How do you cook gnocchi so it is not mushy? ›

Always bake potatoes in their skins to make gnocchi from. It removes maximum moisture from the potato. Don't bake them in advance as you need to use them as soon as they come out of the oven. Juggling hot potatoes is not easy but if you leave them to cool the starch changes and your gnocchi will be inedible.

What do Italians eat with gnocchi? ›

A classic choice for saucing gnocchi is a simple combination of butter and sage, but the possibilities are endless. Simpler sauces like pesto, marinara and vodka are good choices, as are heartier sauces like Bolognese, cheese and cream sauces. Since gnocchi is fairly neutral in flavor, it pairs well with most anything.

What kind of flour do you use for gnocchi? ›

Italian flour

Plus, it has too much protein: High-protein wheat results in chewy gnocchi. If you want to be true to Italian gnocchi, look for imported Italian flour marked "00 tenero," which is milled from soft wheat with a low protein content.

Do Italians fry gnocchi? ›

But what's really interesting about gnocchi is the different ways in which it's made throughout Italy. They can be boiled, baked or fried; bouncy, chewy or crunchy and studded with various herbs, spices or vegetables.

Should you pan fry gnocchi? ›

Homemade gnocchi can absolutely be fried, just like you can with the shop-bought stuff. I've always boiled my homemade gnocchi first, then sautéed it afterwards – it's a bit more delicate than shop-bought, and boiling helps to firm up the dumplings a bit.

Can you cook gnocchi in sauce instead of boiling? ›

A perfect quick and easy weeknight dinner recipe, the mini gnocchi is cooked directly in the vodka sauce, no pre-boiling necessary (which means less dishes for you!)

Can you eat unboiled gnocchi? ›

The basic ingredient of store-bought gnocchi is, of course, potatoes, which in this case are precooked. But in addition there are various raw flours and/or starches, such as rice, wheat, corn, and potato. These latter are inedible when uncooked from the standpoint of both digestibility and safety.

Can you pan fry filled gnocchi? ›

In a non-stick frying pan fry the Filled Pan-Fry Gnocchi following the pack instructions. Meanwhile, place the pesto and burrata in small bowls. Serve the Filled Pan-Fry Gnocchi with the bowls of pesto and burrata dips. Buon appetito!

Why is my gnocchi mushy after boiling? ›

Your gnocchi may be mushy because of any or all of the following reasons: boiled the potatoes instead of baked them. used waxy new potatoes with too much moisture in them. not used eggs to help texture.

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