Sausage gnocchi in a rich and dark tomato sauce featuring sun-dried tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce, a delicious, easy and quick dinner.
It is a perfect midweek dinner recipe, taking around 25 minutes to coo,k and the prep can all be done whilst the sausages are browning.
Quick and Easy Tomato Gnocchi
Gnocchi always makes for a glorious, quick and easy mid-week meal, and this hearty sausage gnocchi in tomato sauce is no different.
It joins other simple gnocchi ideas like pan-fried gnocchi with bacon, blue cheese gnocchi, cheesy gnocchi alla Sorrentina, gnocchi with tomato sauce, gnocchi and tomato tray bake and a delicious cabbage gnocchi with walnuts.
My latest iteration rocks a big, bold and dark tomato sauce that combines sundried tomatoes and tinned tomatoes.
It is given a hint of spice and complexity by the addition of a liberal sprinkling of Worcestershire sauce.
Rather than breaking the sausages up, I keep them whole and slice them. It adds both texture and body to the dish... and that's it. It really is that simple!
The whole dish will go from your fridge to your table in around 30 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sausages should I use?
I generally use pork sausages in this recipe, but it would work really well with everything from venison to beef sausages.
The flavour profile of the sauce is not a good fit with paprika, so avoid paprika sausages, but apart from that, get creative!
Can I use homemade gnocchi?
Yes, of course. Homemade gnocchi is relatively simple to make, although it is a bit of an art form; however, it does take time.
This recipe is designed to be a quick midweek meal; as a result, I usually use store-bought gnocchi.
Can I use vegetarian sausages?
Yes, they work well in this recipe, but buy wisely; you are looking for a sausage that slices nicely.
If you are looking to turn this into a vegetarian dish, swap out the Worcestershire sauce, which contains anchovies, for Hendersons relish, which doesn't.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, it is perfectly safe to do this, but I find that gnocchi tends to go a bit mushy when it is cooled and reheated.
Serving Suggestions
This is a simple dish that really does not need an accompaniment other than some bread to mop up any leftover sauce.
I'd usually opt for some ciabatta or focaccia bread that I've warmed up or griddled with olive oil.
Of course, a bit of garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread works a treat too.
Equipment Used
I only recommend specific brands of equipment if I think that they will make a material difference to a recipe. If you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Stovetop.
- 24-28cm or 10-11" frying pan.
- 20cm saucepan.
- Chopping board.
- Sharp kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, measuring cups and spoons.
- Sieve or colander.
Sausage Gnocchi Recipe
Ingredients
- 250-300 g Pork Sausages 4 Total
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or banana Shallot 35g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 200 g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 7 oz
- 2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 50 g Sundried Tomatoes in Olive Oil ¼ Cup
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil Using the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes is best
- 400 g Potato Gnocchi 14oz
- Salt for Boiling Gnocchi
Instructions
- Heat a medium (24cm or 10") frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the sausages and brown them evenly on all sides; this will take around 10-12 minutes.
- Cut the shallot in half, peel it and then dice it as finely as you can.
- Peel the garlic cloves and dice them as finely as you can.
- Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into a 5mm (¼") dice.
- Bring a pan of generously salted water to a boil (1 tablespoon for each 4 litres).
- When the sausages are browned, set them aside; don't worry if they are not cooked through.
- Add the shallots to the pan you cooked the sausages in and soften over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Throw in the sun-dried tomatoes, tinned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and stir everything together.
- Slice the sausages into rounds about 10mm (½") thick and add them to the pan along with the tinned tomatoes and cook for 6-7 minutes.
- After the sauce has been simmering for 3-4 minutes, cook the gnocchi as per the instructions on the packet, then drain them, reserving 75ml (⅓ cup) of the cooking liquid.
- Add the gnocchi to the sauce, stir everything together, using as much cooking liquid as required to get a nice sauce, then check for the need for more salt (it should not be needed) and serve.