Recipes

Crispy Gnocchi with Sausage & Peppers (Serves 4)

Base serves 2 with leftovers — slide to scale the ingredients.

Pan-crisped gnocchi (no boiling!) tossed with sautéed peppers and onions, finished with Parmesan and basil. Sausage cooks separately so the veg and meat sides split cleanly.

Ingredients

Base

  • 2 (16 oz) packages shelf-stable potato gnocchi
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 yellow), sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ¼–½ tsp red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
  • ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Protein Options

  • Meat side: 2–3 links Italian sausage (~12 oz), sliced into coins
  • Veg side: 2 plant-based Italian sausages, sliced into coins

Toppings (optional)

  • Extra Parmesan
  • Balsamic glaze drizzle
  • Extra red pepper flakes

Instructions

Crisp the Gnocchi

  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the gnocchi straight from the package (no boiling) in a single layer — work in two batches if needed.
  3. Cook undisturbed 2–3 minutes until golden on the bottom, then toss and cook another 3–4 minutes until crispy outside and pillowy inside. Season lightly with salt. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook the Sausages (split)

  1. In the same skillet, brown the plant-based sausage coins first, 2–3 minutes per side. Set aside on the "veg" plate.
  2. Brown the Italian sausage coins until cooked through, 5–6 minutes. Set aside on the "meat" plate. (Or use two small skillets and do them simultaneously.)

Sauté the Vegetables

  1. Add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet.
  2. Cook peppers and onion with a pinch of salt until softened and charred at the edges, 6–8 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Combine and Serve

  1. Return the gnocchi to the skillet with the vegetables and toss to combine. Taste and season.
  2. Off heat, toss with Parmesan and basil.
  3. Serve, topping each plate with its sausage: plant-based for the veg side, Italian sausage for the meat side.

Tips

  • Don't boil the gnocchi — pan-crisping straight from the package is the whole trick. Shelf-stable gnocchi works better than refrigerated here.
  • Toddler plate: plain crispy gnocchi + mild sausage coins, peppers on the side. The gnocchi are basically crispy potato pillows — an easy sell.
  • A splash of balsamic glaze at the end adds a nice sweet-tangy note against the sausage.
  • Leftover sausage (meat and plant) is a great add-in for Vodka Sauce Pasta.