Cheesy Italian Sausage Gnocchi Bake

This quick and easy Gnocchi Bake is ready in about 30 minutes and feeds a crowd. Tender gnocchi, juicy Italian sausage, marinara sauce, and three kinds of cheese make for a dinner your whole family will love! 

Making This Gnocchi Bake Recipe

If you’ve only boiled gnocchi before, this cheesy baked gnocchi casserole will change the way you view the Italian potato dumpling. 

Store-bought potato gnocchi is the foundation of this recipe. To it, ground turkey and Italian sausage and mixed into flavorful marinara sauce, along with a few veggies, herbs, and spices. 

Tools You’ll Need

You need very little kitchen equipment to assemble and bake the baked gnocchi. Here’s what I recommend using:  

• 5-quart Dutch Oven — I use my large Le Creuset Braiser to make this recipe since it can go straight from the stovetop to the oven. However, any oven-safe pan may be used. 
• Wooden Spoon — For preparing the meat sauce on the stovetop. 
• Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife — A must for any dinner recipe! 
• Measuring Cups and Spoons — For measuring the dry ingredients. 
• Liquid Measuring Cup — For measuring the wine and marinara sauce. 
• Box Grater — For preparing the cheeses. 

Gnocchi Bake Ingredients 

Baked gnocchi casserole requires minimal ingredients, and it’s easy to mix and match the veggies and cheeses if there’s something else in your fridge that you need to use up. 

You’ll need to have the following ingredients:  

• Ground Turkey
• Ground Italian Sausage
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Red Onion
• Baby Bella Mushrooms
• Fresh Garlic
• Tomato Paste
• Red Wine
• Baby Spinach
• Marinara Sauce (I used homemade because I keep it on hand in the freezer, but store bought also works)
• Fresh Basil
• Gnocchi
• Grated Parmesan
• Ricotta Cheese
• Grated Fresh Mozzarella

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this gnocchi casserole, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

What’s the Best Gnocchi for Baked Gnocchi? 

For this recipe I used dried potato gnocchi from DeLello because that is what my grocery store carries. It’s shelf-stable and can be found in the pasta aisle.

Not all dried gnocchis are created equal — some are incredibly dense! — so I highly recommend buying from a high-quality brand like DeLallo. 

With that being said, refrigerated or frozen (fresh) gnocchi should also work in this recipe.  

How to Make Gnocchi Bake 

This is a simple recipe that anyone can master. The gnocchi doesn’t need to be boiled before being added to the meat sauce, so if you use an oven-safe pan this is technically a one-pot meal! 

Below is an overview of the cooking process:  

1. Brown the ground Italian sausage and ground turkey in a large oven-safe pan. Once browned, remove to a plate. 
2. To the now-empty pan, add the onion and saute until translucent. Then, add the mushrooms and garlic. 
3. Stir in the tomato paste. 
4. Pour the red wine in slowly to deglaze the pan. 
5. Add the browned meat back to the pan, followed by the spinach, marinara sauce, basil, and gnocchi. Stir to combine. 
6. Top the gnocchi mixture with Parmesan, ricotta, and mozzarella. 
7. Bake until the cheese on top is melted and the edges of the gnocchi bake are bubbling. 

The above is simply a quick summary of this gnocchi bake recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.

Additional Protein Options 

I used a mixture of ground turkey and ground Italian sausage in this gnocchi bake. The blend of meats makes for a heartier casserole with lots of texture and flavor. 

You’re welcome to use all ground turkey, all ground Italian sausage, or another protein altogether if desired. You need 1 pound of meat total for this gnocchi bake. 

• Chicken — Pre-cooked, cubed or shredded chicken may be added to the recipe. Either purchase a rotisserie chicken from the store and pick the meat off the bones, or poach chicken breasts or thighs yourself. 
• Pancetta — Fry 8 ounces of pancetta over medium heat until crispy. Cooked and crumbled bacon would provide a similar flavor profile and texture. 
• Meatballs — Use 1 pound of ground meat to make your favorite meatball recipe (we love these chicken meatballs, but ground beef, pork, or sausage meatballs would also be great). Cook the meatballs in a separate skillet and add to the sauce alongside the gnocchi. 
• Smoked Sausage — Thinly slice your favorite smoked sausage and brown briefly in the pot to add color and flavor. 
• Ground Beef — Isn’t pre-seasoned like Italian sausage, so you’d want to add some Italian seasoning, fennel, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the beef when browning it. 

Gnocchi Bake Recipe Tips 

• Remove excess grease from the skillet. The Italian sausage contains more fat than the ground turkey, and you’ll likely wind up with more grease than desired in the skillet. Wipe it out with a clean paper towel before moving on with the rest of the sauce. 
• Use hot or mild Italian sausage. Both work well in this recipe, it just depends on your personal preference. 
• Add the red wine to the hot pan slowly. This releases the golden bits (called fond) from the bottom of the pan and infuses the gnocchi casserole with so much flavor! Here’s more info on cooking with wine and why it makes a difference. 
• Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheeses contain anti-caking agents that make them less prone to melting. Grating the Parm and mozzarella yourself will result in an extra gooey layer of cheese on top of the gnocchi. 
• Use full-fat dairy products. Full-fat cheeses will melt better, be creamier, and taste better. 
• Choose a quality gnocchi. I used dried potato gnocchi from DeLallo because that is what my grocery store carries, but any quality dried, fresh, or frozen gnocchi will work. 
• Make-ahead tip. Make a double batch of the meat sauce, then freeze just the sauce for future dinners. Then, all you have to do is add the gnocchi, cheese, and bake! 

Gnocchi Bake Recipe FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe for baked gnocchi? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Can this gnocchi bake be made vegetarian? 

Yes, you can make the baked gnocchi vegetarian by omitting the meat. You might want to add additional Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and fennel to the marinara sauce to make up for the lack of seasoning provided by the Italian sausage. 

Can this recipe be made with just ground turkey or ground Italian sausage? 

Sure thing! Just note that the ground Italian sausage adds so much flavor since it’s pre-seasoned, so you might want to add extra Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, etc. to the sauce to make up for it if using just ground turkey. 

Ground turkey is also incredibly lean, so you might need to add more oil to the pan. 

Using all Italian sausage will result in a much richer, more robust baked gnocchi. 

Can the red wine be substituted? 

Yes, if you don’t drink alcohol or don’t have any red wine on hand, you may substitute it with beef broth, unsweetened pomegranate juice, unsweetened red grape juice, or unsweetened cranberry juice. 

Can this gnocchi bake be made with gluten-free gnocchi? 

Absolutely! Gluten-free gnocchi would work perfectly in this recipe. 

Should the gnocchi be boiled before being added to the casserole? 

No! Add the dried gnocchi directly to the meat sauce. It will cook in the oven. 

Can this recipe be made without an oven-safe skillet or pan? 

Of course! If you don’t have a pan that’s safe to go from stove to oven, use a large skillet to prepare the meat sauce and then assemble the rest of the casserole in a 9×13-inch baking dish. 

Baked Gnocchi Storage Instructions 

Let the baked gnocchi cool before covering the pan tightly with aluminum foil or transferring to an airtight container. It will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave, or in a preheated 350ºF oven for roughly 10 minutes. 

Can Baked Gnocchi Be Frozen? 

The meat sauce freezes well, but the assembled gnocchi casserole does not. 

Since the ground meats typically come in 1-pound packages, I usually double the sauce recipe and then freeze half for a super quick meal later on. All you have to do is thaw the sauce and add it to a baking dish with the gnocchi, then top with the cheese and bake.

What to Serve with Baked Gnocchi 

Serve the cheesy gnocchi bake with your favorite Italian sides! Here are some side dishes we love: 

• Italian mixed greens salad
• Copycat Olive Garden salad
• Spinach pear salad
• Homemade Caesar Salad
• Zucchini tomato basil salad
• Roasted broccolini
• Roasted cauliflower
• Rosemary focaccia 
• Rosemary garlic bread

Try This Gnocchi Bake at Home! 

Next time you’re looking for an easy pasta casserole, give this baked gnocchi a try!

Did you love how quick and easy this recipe was? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this gnocchi casserole.

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More Easy Pasta Bakes: 

Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole, sometimes called Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, is a creamy and classic comforting chicken casserole that is perfect for the fall and winter months.

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These Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups are stuffed with chicken, artichoke hearts, and sautéed mushrooms. The rolls are then smothered in a roasted garlic creamy white sauce.

Ricotta is mixed with a combination of primavera-style vegetables, parmesan and fresh herbs to create a tasty Veggie and Cheese Manicotti recipe. The manicotti primavera is then smothered in homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese for a comforting meal.

Green Chile Turkey Tetrazzini is loaded with flavor thanks to the addition of green chiles, poblano peppers, and spicy pepper jack cheese.

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