Italian Gnocchi Casserole
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Unless the nice weather holds on, by the end of September, I start making casseroles. It becomes a weekly affair until the following year when the temperature gets warm again. To me, they are the ultimate comfort food 🥰!
 
On the website 💻, I have dozens and dozens of casserole recipes. There’s Bobotie, Green Bean Mushroom & Almond Casserole, Lancashire Hotpot, Pierogi Casserole, and many others. Now, here’s another fabulous one to add to the list… my Italian Gnocchi Casserole!
 
This dish is amazing! It’s simple and yet so tasty! I find it’s the perfect weeknight meal to have. It’s not complicated, easy to make plus very satisfying! With a gorgeous mix of ingredients, this is a great recipe to add to your folder 📘!
 
I use 2 packages (400 g each) of premade frozen gnocchi to make this recipe. I know, what a shock 😮!! Frankie is not making it from scratch! I just didn’t feel like making them… there are days like that! Now, the directions say 12 minutes to sauté them… I do 10 because they’ll be cooking more in the oven.
 
When making them from scratch, the steps are a little different…
After they’ve been chilled for 40 minutes (see the homemade recipe), working in batches, drop the gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water 💦. As soon as they rise, remove them, using a spider strainer, and transfer to a large plate in a single layer. After the spinach is wilted, add them to the skillet.
 
The veggies are onions, celery and red peppers as well as baby spinach. You can switch the celery for celery root if you want. I never add mushrooms 🍄 to this Italian Gnocchi Casserole but I’m sure it would be lovely!
 
When it comes to seasonings, it’s minimal: salt 🧂, pepper and Italian seasoning. The reason is because of the hot Italian sausage. There’s a lot of spices in it and has no problem to shine on its own! To make it from scratch, click on this link… Hot Italian Sausage
 
When making this featured recipe or any others, using good quality ingredients is the key to a delicious result! If you’re not making my Marinara Sauce then use a good brand. To top everything off, there are 2 kinds of cheese 🧀; Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
 
Before Spring finally settles in and brings warmer weather, make this flavorful Italian Gnocchi Casserole! This one-pot dish is easy to prepare, colorful and a delightful dish to serve your family 👨‍👧‍👦. It’s another incredible comfort food to add to your repertoire…
Bon Appétit! 🍽
 
Check out these other delicious casserole recipes… 😀
– Chicken Vesuvio
– Ricotta Spinach & Sausage Pasta
– Southwest Chicken & Green Bean Casserole
– Broccoli & Cauliflower Casserole
– Cod au Gratin
– Shepherd’s Pie
– Breakfast Casserole
– Pastitsio
– Southwest Beef Casserole
and for even more casserole recipes 🍲, click on this link… Recipe Category • Casseroles
 

 
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel 📽 by clicking on this link… Club Foody YouTube
 

Italian Gnocchi Casserole

Italian Gnocchi Casserole

Colorful and easy to make, this Italian Gnocchi Casserole is a tasty one-pot recipe! So flavorful, this is a great meal to enjoy.
5 from 15 votes
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Servings 8

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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

GNOCCHI

CASSEROLE

  • 1 1/2 cups white onions, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped tips & tricks
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil, if needed
  • ground Himalayan pink salt, to taste
  • 1/2 cup red peppers, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. hot Italian sausage, casings removed see Recipe
  • 3 large cloves garlic, pressed
  • 3 cups baby spinach, packed
  • 3 cups (700 ml) marinara sauce see Recipe
  • 1/2 tbsp. Italian seasoning see Recipe
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 1 1/2 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated tips & tricks
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks

Directions
 

GNOCCHI

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  • In a 2-quart oven-proof skillet over medium heat, add butter and oil.
  • When it starts sizzling, add gnocchi and toss around to coat. Cook them according to package directions minus 2 minutes.
  • Spoon them into a bowl and set aside.
  • Making gnocchi from scratch…
    After the gnocchi are chilled (view homemade recipe), working in batches, drop them in a large pot of boiling salted water. As soon as they rise, remove them using a spider strainer. Transfer to a large plate in a single layer and set aside while making the casserole.

CASSEROLE

  • In the same skillet, add onions and celery; season with salt. Sauté for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to dislodge any brown bits - add oil if needed.
  • Add red peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
  • Add hot Italian sausage and break the meat into small pieces. Cook until no longer pink but halfway through cooking add garlic; continue cooking until the meat is done.
  • Add baby spinach and toss it around. Cook until wilted, about 1 minute.
  • Add gnocchi and pour in marinara sauce; add Italian seasoning and freshly ground black pepper. Stir until combined before adding cheeses.
  • Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cheeses are melted and the top is golden brown.
  • Remove from the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with chopped parsley.

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