Some days, you just need your oven to do all the work. Even better is when you can throw all of your ingredients onto one pan and save on dishes too. That’s where this Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes comes in. Cooking gnocchi on a sheet pan like this means there is no boiling required!
This dish was a lifesaver for me earlier this year. Dinner done in 30 minutes is a win, whether you’re a busy mum or getting home exhausted from work. Or grieving like I was and just trying to stay afloat and eat a vegetable every now and then. This simple dinner is delicious, easy and adaptable. I hope it will become a regular in the dinner rotation for you too. I just know that this is one dish I’m going to keep making over and over.
One of my best hacks for easy and affordable dinners is using sausages. A little seems to go a long way and there are so many delicious flavour options available now. If you’re on a budget, they are quite often marked down so keep an eye out. I like to freeze them in zip lock bags containing 2 or 3 sausages and defrost them for quick dinners like this. Just cut them down the middle and form into tiny meatballs. I love the texture as they cook and you can use them on pizza or in pasta dishes.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Gnocchi, of course! You can find gnocchi either in the supermarket fridge or on the shelf in the pasta section. It’s also usually common to find a gluten free version or even variations like pumpkin, sweet potato or cauliflower. I generally use the super affordable shelf-stable kind. I always have some on hand to make quick dinners like this.
Cherry Tomatoes – I love to use a mix yellow and red cherry tomatoes, but this is optional. I also grow cherry tomatoes in the garden every summer and this is a delicious way to use them up when I have an abundance. As they cook, the tomatoes release their juices and become a little saucy to help to coat everything.
Sausage – I like the Italian pork flavoured sausages, usually containing fennel seeds and herbs. Of course you could use any kind you like. There are so many options – beef, lamb, chicken, chorizo or veggie. The sausages become crisp as they cook. Delish!
Fresh Thyme – The flavour goes perfectly with the pork sausage. I always have it on hand in the garden and it comes in handy in so many recipes. You could substitute dried thyme, rosemary or mixed Italian herbs.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Adds a great flavour, healthy fats and is essential in getting the gnocchi to be beautiful and crisp.
Pine Nuts – Pine nuts are scattered over when the dish is partly cooked, then returned to the oven for the final 10 minutes to get a little toasted. I love the flavour and slight crunch they give to this dish.
Baby Spinach – I like adding greens and lots of fresh basil because busy girls need vegetables!
Mozzarella – The final touch is some fresh mozzarella, burrata, bocconcini, feta or whatever you have on hand for some creaminess. Shaved parmesan works here too! The residual heat of the cooked dish helps to slightly melt the cheese. So delicious!
And optional but highly recommended – a generous drizzle of balsamic glaze and a pinch of red chilli flakes. The sweetness and spice help to bring all the other flavours together.
I keep most (if not all) of the ingredients for this Sheet Pan Gnocchi on hand to make this dish in a pinch. The gnocchi keeps well for ages and I usually have sausages in the freezer as I mentioned. While it’s great for a quick delicious dinner, you can also make it for meal prep lunches.
If I am making it ahead of time, I add everything except the spinach into glass containers. When I want to serve, I heat it up in the microwave and then stir through the fresh spinach leaves and balsamic. Adding extra spinach makes the recipe more like a pasta salad and will stretch to make four lunches.
Related Post: Baked Feta Pasta with Eggplant and Cherry Tomatoes
Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes
Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Cherry Tomatoes is a delicious dinner that comes together in around 30 minutes. Cooking gnocchi on a sheet pan like this means there is no boiling required!
Ingredients
- 3 pork sausages (I used Italian style pork sausages with fennel and garlic)
- 500 g potato gnocchi
- 320 g cherry tomatoes, optional mixed colours, sliced in half
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (2-3 sprigs)
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- Fresh baby spinach leaves (as much as you like)
- Fresh basil
- 1 ball fresh mozzarella, roughly torn
- Balsamic drizzle, optional
- Red chilli flakes, optional
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
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Slice the sausages lengthwise and peel off the casing. With clean hands, pinch off small “meatballs” of sausage with your fingertips. Set aside.
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On a non-stick baking tray or a tray lined with baking paper, spread the potato gnocchi, halved cherry tomatoes and sausage in an even layer. Scatter over the fresh thyme, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over the olive oil. Toss to coat the ingredients in olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes.
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After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and toss well to mix the ingredients. Scatter over the pine nuts and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until gnocchi and sausage have crisped up.
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While still hot, scatter over the fresh spinach, basil leaves and torn mozzarella. Serve with an optional drizzle of balsamic glaze and a pinch of red chilli flakes.