Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with White Beans and Sausage

This creamy pesto gnocchi is loaded with white beans and sausage and makes SUCH an easy and satisfying main dish. It’s the perfect weeknight meal done in 30 minutes or less!

Recipe ingredients

Gnocchi is one of those foods that my brain will forever consider a fancier ingredient when it really isn’t. Next to the dried pasta on the grocery store shelves, a 16-ounce package costs just a few bucks and is quick to prepare no matter the dish.

This semi-outside-the-box maple sausage gnocchi skillet is on my dinner favorites list, but most of the time I stick with traditional Italian flavors when I make gnocchi.

Here that means adding in cannellini beans and Italian sausage for fiber and protein, all mixed together with a creamy basil pesto sauce.

There are lots of different ways to zhush this dish. I prefer using hot Italian sausage as we generally like some zip, but the mild or sweet varieties would work great, too. Turkey Italian sausage is also one way to lighten things up a bit.

Simple steps

I clocked in at preparing this creamy pesto gnocchi at 27 minutes from start to finish. To help keep this dinner sub-30 minutes, there are a few steps you can consolidate as you go.

First cook and crumble the sausage. Once that’s done, start a pot of water to boil the gnocchi.

I like to make the creamy pesto sauce in the food processor in the inactive time when the water is coming up to boil. The whole batch of this sauce uses just one quarter-cup of half-and-half to bring the creaminess. When compared with other sauces that use heavy cream (and a lot more than a quarter-cup, at that), this creamy pesto gnocchi will feel like a responsible indulgence.

All that’s left is to drain the gnocchi, add back the cooked sausage and the white beans, and pour in the pesto sauce. The gnocchi is pillowy soft, the cannellini beans fit right in for a nutritious boost, and the sausage crumbles bring protein and a nice dose of spice.

Plus all that covered in a generous serving of creamy pesto sauce? You have yourself a speedy, comforting weeknight dinner. 

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While veering away from all things traditional, kale pesto hummus is a real treat! Healthy kale leaves join basil for a creamy and ultra flavorful homemade hummus.

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with White Beans and Sausage

This creamy pesto gnocchi is loaded with white beans and sausage and makes SUCH an easy and satisfying main dish. It's the perfect weeknight meal done in 30 minutes or less!

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 17 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Servings: 5

Calories: 489kcal

Author: Alyssa

Ingredients

• ▢ 0.75 lb hot Italian sausage up to 1 lb
• ▢ 16 oz gnocchi
• ▢ 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• ▢ 2 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
• ▢ 1/2 cup olive oil
• ▢ 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ▢ 1/4 cup half-and-half or cream
• ▢ Half of a 15.5-oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed

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Instructions

• Set a skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Break up the sausage into small pieces as it cooks for about 7-8 minutes, or until it's browned and fully cooked. Set aside.
• Bring a pot of water set over high heat to a boil. As the water is heating, add basil, pine nuts, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the basil leaves are chopped up in small pieces. Add the oil and process until mostly smooth. Add the cheese and process. Pour in the half-and-half and process until smooth. Set sauce aside.
• Once the water is boiling, add the gnocchi. Let the gnocchi cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they float up to the surface.
• Drain the gnocchi and add it back to the empty pot. Add the sausage, cannellini beans, and the creamy pesto sauce and stir to evenly coat everything.

Notes

Sausage: If you can't find ground Italian sausage, you can use Italian sausages and remove the casings before crumbling in the skillet. I used hot Italian sausage because we're partial to the heat, but you can use mild or sweet no problem.

Ingredient quantities: You can always use a full package of sausage and/or a full can of cannellini beans if you don't want leftover ingredients - it's up to you.

Nutrition

Calories: 489kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.1g | Protein: 15.5g | Fat: 36.4g | Saturated Fat: 8.8g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 277mg | Fiber: 3.2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 1.8mg

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Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.