Skip to main content

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi With Spicy Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

4.1

(8)

Gnocchi on a sheet tray with pieces of Italian sausage broccoli rabe red onions parmigiana and lemon wedges.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca

In One and Done, senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk uses one pan—like a Dutch oven, sheet pan, or cast-iron skillet—to make meals you’ll come back to again and again. Click here for even more one-pan meals.

While gnocchi is delicious no matter the preparation, it’s most superior when baked and browned—not boiled, as its package instructions want you to do. Here shelf-stable gnocchi are strewn onto a baking sheet alongside spicy Italian sausage and baked until crisp on the outside and chewy in the center. As they bake, the sausage releases its flavorful oil that cloaks the gnocchi in a spicy-slick sheen, adding invaluable flavor and a touch of heat. A handful of cut broccoli rabe is added toward the end, then the whole thing is served with lemon wedges and a flourish of cheese. This dinner has everything you need for a comforting meal—all without having to boil a pot of water. For this recipe, seek out shelf-stable gnocchi sold in the pasta section of grocery stores in lieu of refrigerated fresh varieties, as the latter tend to get gummy instead of crisp when baked.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    50 minutes

  • Yield

    4 servings

Ingredients

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 17.5-oz. package shelf-stable potato gnocchi
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons
12 oz. bulk spicy Italian sausage
1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (about 8 oz.), cut into 2" pieces
Finely grated Parmesan (for serving; optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place a rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 400°. Toss 1 large red onion, thinly sliced, 6 garlic cloves, finely grated, one 17.5-oz. package shelf-stable potato gnocchi, cup extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, and ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper on a rimmed baking sheet to combine. Create a little open space on one side. Finely grate zest of 2 lemons over gnocchi mixture; cut lemons into wedges and set aside for serving. Crumble 12 oz. spicy bulk Italian sausage in about 1" pieces onto open space on baking sheet. (It’s okay if some pieces lay on top of gnocchi and onion.)

    Step 2

    Bake, tossing halfway through to evenly coat everything in oil again, until sausage and gnocchi are browned and crisp, 35–45 minutes.

    Step 3

    Add 1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (about 8 oz.), cut into 2" pieces, to baking sheet and toss with tongs or 2 flat metal spatulas to coat in oil. Bake until broccoli rabe is tender, 6–10 minutes.

    Step 4

    Remove gnocchi mixture from oven and scatter reserved lemon wedges around. Top with finely grated Parmesan, if desired.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
This shortcut baked rigatoni is loaded with spicy Italian sausage and topped with melted cheese. And the best part: You don’t even have to boil the pasta.
Split open like a baked potato, eggplant becomes a custardy vessel for dinner.
Two pantry sauces—hoisin and green tomatillo salsa—join forces to form a deliciously balanced sauce for udon noodles.
Everyone’s favorite pigs in a blanket goes Chicago-style, complete with celery salt, poppy seeds, and a cheeky cornichon.
Beer cheese dip meets mac and cheese.
In this one-pan dinner, flaky cod is finished in a chorizo-spiked sauce, alongside wilty greens and chickpeas—some tender, some crispy.
Buffalo chicken dip, but make it dinner.
A can of refried beans disappears into the broth of this simple soup, adding body and luscious texture, while chipotle chiles in adobo add smoky heat.