Soft, pillowy gnocchi, crumbled Italian sausage, and caramelized fennel tossed in a light white wine sauce, this Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel takes just 20 minutes to make, making it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Fall is officially here, and with it, the cooler weather is finally settling in. I don’t know about you, but this cool weather has me wanting to cuddle up with all of the cozy, comfort foods, in other words, bring on all the pasta, cheese, and carbs please! A bowl of this Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel is the ultimate comfort pasta dish.
With soft and pillowy potato gnocchi tossed in a quick saute of Italian sausage and fennel, topped off with a blanket of parmesan cheese, this pasta makes the most out of just a few simple ingredients bringing big flavor.
What Are Gnocchi?
Gnocchi are a variety of Italian pasta. They are small, soft dumplings made from a dough that consists of a combination of flour, eggs, and potatoes. Gnocchi are soft and pillowy little bites that almost melt in your mouth.
While you can make gnocchi from scratch (and it is definitely on my list of things to do!), the store bought gnocchi are usually just as good. Plus, the convince can’t be beat. Most gnocchi take just a few minutes to cook in boiling water. Then just toss them in your favorite sauce, and enjoy!
How Do You Make Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel?
For these Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel, I wanted to keep it simple to let the ingredients shine. The subtle licorice flavor of the fennel, along with a hint of red pepper flakes, brings out the flavors of the Italian sausage. Tossed with a quick and light sauce, these Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel are cozy and comforting to fill you up without leaving you feeling weighed down.
If you are not familiar cooking with fennel, this pasta is a great excuse to give it a try. Fennel has a bold licorice flavor, but when the bulb is thinly sliced and cooked just until it begins to caramelize, the flavor mellows out. The fennel adds a just a light crunch, contrasting the soft, delicate gnocchi.
This entire dish is quick and easy to cook, making it perfect for any weekday dinner.
Looking for more pasta ideas? Be sure to check out my Beef Stroganoff Stuffed Shells, another great option and leave a comment to let me know what you think!
Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb italian sausage
- 1 bulb fennel
- 1/2 white onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/2 c white wine
- 3 1/4 c chicken stock
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 c parmesan cheese + extra to garnish
Instructions
- Cook gnocchi in boiling water according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown ½ lb Italian sausage, crumbling as it cooks.
- While the sausage cooks, thinly slice the onion and fennel. Chop the garlic.
- When sausage is cooked, remove and set aside. I like to drain the sausage on a couple of paper towels to remove any excess grease.
- In the same skillet, add the butter, onion, fennel, and garlic. Stir and cook over medium high heat about 5 minutes, until onion and fennel begin to soften and lightly caramelize.
- Add white wine to pan, cook about a minute to reduce. Add in chicken stock, red pepper flakes, and cooked gnocchi. Stir to coat all of the pasta and continue to cook another couple of minutes. Then sprinkle parmesan cheese over top, and stir to combine the pasta with the cheese.
- Serve immediately topped with additional parmesan cheese and some extra red pepper flakes if you want to kick up the heat.