There's always a debate in my house when it comes to sausages. But thankfully this sausage and gnocchi bake with tomato sauce can use any sausage you want! Plus, it's a one-pan dish and you could even make it into single serve meal preps so you don't have to argue over whose sausages to use.
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Why you'll love this recipe
One pan. Everything cooks together in one dish which means minimal clean up, just like my one pan chicken fajitas or haloumi, zucchini, chicken thigh tray bake.
Dump and bake. Simply toss everything in, bake, and you're done-similar to my marry me chicken orzo bake, slow cooker beef massaman or slow cooker satay chicken.
Sausages. Whether you're into gourmet chicken or classic beef, this bake delivers on flavour. If you love sausage recipes, check out my tomato sausage pasta or curried sausages without dairy.
Ingredients and substitutions
Fresh gnocchi. I recommend getting it from the freezer section of the supermarket and not the aisle. They taste better - especially when baked - and have less of a gluey texture in comparison.
Sausage of choice. Chicken sausages add a lighter, herby flavour, while beef or pork sausages bring richness-choose based on preference.
Zucchini. Because you know I love adding in some veg. Alternatively, you could use spinach like I do in my chorizo cajun orzo bake.
Passata and herbs. This is my favourite lazy and cheap hack for a delicious pasta sauce. Add the herbs of your choice (I like oregano, Italian herbs, pepper and chilli flakes).
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity.
How to make gnocchi sausage bake
Step 1: As an extra step, you can brown off the sausages to create a little more flavour and then cut. Or just cut them up raw.
Step 2: Add all ingredients to an oven safe dish and mix together.
Make sure the sauce coast the bottom.
Step 3: Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the sausages are cooked through.
Stir halfway through.
Step 4: Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Top Tip
Got an extra 5? Brown the sausages first. This adds a depth of flavour that is worth the extra 5 minutes.
Stir halfway. This stops the gnocchi from sticking and helps cook the whole dish evenly.
Recommended equipment
A medium-sized oven-safe baking dish works best that is deep enough to hold the sauce but wide enough so it cooks the food evenly.
If you're browning the sausages and want to go directly from the stove to the oven, you could use a Dutch oven, cast-iron skillet or an oven-safe pan (this will save the extra dish).
Meal prepping gnocchi bake
Like a spaghetti bolognese with vegetables, this is the kind of dish that gets even better as leftovers.
Allow the gnocchi to cool at room temperature for no more than 2 hours then store in glass containers for up to 4 days.
I highly recommend glass meal prep containers because of the tomato-based sauce, which can stain plastic containers.
Before reheating, add a splash of liquid to the sauce and make sure the gnocchi is covered in liquid.
You can reheat in the oven for approx. 10 minutes. Or in the microwave on 1 minute intervals, stirring in between until heated through (approx. 3 minutes).
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Freezing is possible, but gnocchi softens after thawing. To avoid mushy texture, undercook the gnocchi slightly before baking, or freeze just the sauce and sausage mixture-then add fresh gnocchi when reheating. If freezing the full bake, store in airtight containers with extra sauce to protect against dryness.
Bake uncovered and broil for a couple of minutes at the end for golden, crispy edges.
Other easy beef meal preps
Or, you can have a browse through my beef meal preps for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Sausage and Gnocchi Bake with Tomato Sauce
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 500 g (2 cups) gnocchi, see note 1
- 500 g (1 lb) sausages, of choice, approx.6
- 200 g (7 oz) zucchini, approx.1
- 150 g (5 oz) onion, approx.1
- 800 g (3 cups) passata, approx.1 bottle
- 4 cloves garlic, fresh recommended
- 10 g (2 tablespoon) oregano, or Italian herbs
- Pepper and chilli flakes, to taste
Instructions
Prepare
- Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).
- (optional) brown off sausages in the pan until lightly golden.
- Dice: 150 g (5 oz) onion, 200 g (7 oz) zucchini Slice: 500 g (1 lb) sausages Mince: 4 cloves garlic
- Add a small amount of passata at the bottom of the container and then add 500 g (2 cups) gnocchi, 500 g (1 lb) sausages, 200 g (7 oz) zucchini, 150 g (5 oz) onion, 800 g (3 cups) passata, 4 cloves garlic, 10 g (2 tablespoon) oregano, Pepper and chilli flakes. Mix well.
Cook
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until sausages cooked through. Stirring halfway through.
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
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