You need to make this Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Amatriciana! It’s a simple dish with over-the-top flavor. It’s a SUPER zesty Italian comfort food dish everyone is guaranteed to enjoy!
Hey there guys!
This is one dish you’ve got to make! I made it recently for Tom and some friends and everyone went back for seconds! It’s that good. And to boot, it’s super simple.
This comfort food pasta dish has it all. Pillowy, tender gnocchi, Italian sausage and bocconcini mozzarella (small mozzarella balls) all in a amatriciana sauce. It’s BEYOND delicious!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
What you’ll love about this dish is that it’s got so much flavor and it looks so impressive when you remove it from the oven, yet it literally takes no time to make.
And besides boiling up your pasta in a large pot, you’ll only need one oven-proof deep skillet for this recipe. I used my cast iron Lodge skillet.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- mini potato gnocchi
- olive oil
- pancetta
- bulk Italian sausage
- yellow onion
- garlic
- red pepper flakes
- 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
- bocconcini mozzarella
- fresh basil leaves
- salt and pepper
If you’re new to amatriciana sauce, it’s a sauce made with pancetta or bacon (I used pancetta), onions, garlic, tomatoes and red pepper. I used a 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes for this recipe and I added some fresh chopped basil at the end for color and added flavor. You can also serve it with some fresh shaved Pecorino Romano.
I went with spicy Italian sausage, but if you like things milder just go with sweet. You’ll be adding some red pepper flakes to the sauce too, so add to your liking. I went with 1/4 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes along with the spicy Italian sausage and as Tom says, it’s nice and zesty!
Step-By-Step Instructions
The first step is to boil up your mini gnocchi according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
The second step is to cook your pancetta in some olive oil until it’s just crisp. You’ll remove it from your skillet with a slotted spoon and then add your bulk Italian sausage and onions to the skillet and cook until the meat is no longer pink and just lightly browned and the onions are softened. At this point you can add your garlic and cook for an additional minute or two, stirring often until you smell that delicious garlicky flavor.
Next up, you will stir in your tomatoes, undrained and the red pepper flakes using a potato masher, you will crush your tomatoes and continue to cook until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5-6 minutes.
For the last step, once the mixture has thickened, you’ll gently stir in your cooked gnocchi, pancetta followed by your bocconcini mozzarella. You will transfer the skillet to your oven and cook at 350 degrees until it begins to bubble and the cheese is melted, about 15-18 minutes.
I really hope you guys give this recipe a try because I know you’ll love it. I bet it becomes a regular on the menu!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Amatriciana
As I mentioned above, you can use spicy or sweet Italian bulk sausage for this recipe. Whatever floats your boat.
I used shelf-stable mini potato gnocchi, but you could use regular sized if you prefer or if you already have it in your pantry.
More Delicious Italian Recipes to Enjoy
Italian Sausage and Gnocchi Amatriciana
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 16-oz. package shelf-stable mini potato gnocchi
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 oz. diced pancetta
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
- 16 oz. bulk Italian sausage, spicy or sweet
- 2 cloves garlic, mined
- 1 28-oz. can whole San Marzano tomatoes, undrained
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, more if you like spicy, less if you don't
- 1 12-oz. container bocconcini mozzarella, drained and halved
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6-8 fresh basil leaves, julienned, if desired for color and extra flavor
Instructions
- Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Add the olive oil to a large deep oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crisp, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the Italian sausage and onion to the skillet, breaking up the sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink and the onion is softened. Drain the skillet of the fat and return to the stove over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add your tomatoes, undrained to the skillet as well as the red pepper flakes crushing the tomatoes with a potato masher. Cook until thickened, about 5-6 minutes. Gently stir in the gnocchi, pancetta and the mozzarella. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the skillet to your oven and cook at 350 degrees until it begins to bubble and the cheese is melted, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.
WHILE WE LOVED THE OVERALL CONCEPT OF THE DISH, IT WAS FAR TOO SALTY FOR US WHICH I THINK IS BECAUSE OF THE PANCETTA, SAUSAGE AND MOZZARELLA COMBO. WE ALSO SALTED THE WATER FOR THE GNOCCHI. I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE AGAIN, BUT WITH HALF THE PANCETTA.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Olivia. Go with what you prefer!