If you are looking for a super fast and easy dinner recipe, this one pan pesto gnocchi skillet is for you! You can easily swap things out to fit what you like best, but I have to say this is a pretty good combo.
This entire meal can be made in just one skillet and takes under 20 minutes to cook. I get it- life can be busy and hectic, and time slips away from you. Or you’re just having one of those days where you don’t feel like doing ANYTHING. The last thing you want to do is spend an hour over your stove cooking up a meal, so you reach for that cereal and milk. While I will never diss a cereal dinner, if you want something warm and delicious, this meal is a fantastic replacement!
In this pesto gnocchi skillet you will find just 6 ingredients:
- Potato gnocchi (I’ve also made this with frozen cauliflower gnocchi and can confirm it is DELICIOUS in this meal!)
- Chicken sausage
- Asparagus
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Mushrooms
- Pesto
A little bit about sun-dried tomatoes…
I will always use the sun-dried tomatoes in a jar with oil instead of the dry package simply due to the fact that they carry SO much more flavor. I promise you there is a huge difference. So next time you’re in the store wondering which kind to pick up, I BEG you to get the jar! Thank me later.
How to cook gnocchi
I go against what the package’s directions tell me to do when it comes to cooking gnocchi. Usually they will tell you to bring a pot of water to a boil, throw in the gnocchi and cook for a few minutes until they float. This is fine to do, but if you choose this version, I find it best to then throw them in a skillet with some oil to bring some golden crust on the outside. My preferred way of cooking gnocchi cuts out another pot and waiting for the water to boil by heating up 2 Tbsp of oil or butter in a pan and pan frying them until soft in the middle and golden on the outside.
Substitutions
You can make this a vegetarian meal by leaving out the chicken sausage and adding in more veggies. You can also make this gluten free by swapping out the potato gnocchi for the cauliflower kind. Trader Joe’s has a good cauliflower gnocchi, but I think I prefer Green Giant’s version.
One Pan Pesto Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 package gnocchi
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil
- 6 oz asparagus , ends trimmed and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes , drained and chopped
- 8 oz italian style chicken sausage , sliced diagonally
- ⅓ cup baby bella mushrooms , sliced
- ¼ cup pesto , optional
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in pan and season asparagus with salt and pepper
- Cook aspargus and mushrooms in pan until you can easily stick a fork in them (about 10 minutes) making sure to toss them around, then set aside
- Add in another Tbsp of oil and toss in gnocchi. Cook until it is soft inside and golden on the outside, tossing occasionally (about 5 minutes)
- Once everything is cooked through, add in chicken sausage*, sun-dried tomatoes, and cooked vegetables
- If using pesto, add a dollop and toss to coat everything
