The first time I made Skillet Gnocchi with Italian Sausage & Spinach at camp, it was one of those wind-nipping evenings when everyone crowds closer to the stove just to warm their hands. The skillet starts talking the moment the sausage hits it—fennel and garlic blooming in the air, little browned bits forming fast. It’s the kind of aroma that makes people wander over with bowls before you’ve even said dinner’s on.
This is an easy camp-stove dinner that feels like real comfort food without a stack of pots. Once the Italian sausage is browned, the gnocchi goes right into the same pan to pick up that savory fat and crisp at the edges while staying tender in the middle. Tomatoes soften and turn saucy, and a handful of spinach wilts down into silky green ribbons that lighten the whole thing without stealing the spotlight.
Bring a cast iron skillet if you’ve got it—it holds heat well on a propane stove and helps the gnocchi get those golden spots. Best part: cleanup stays simple, and you can scoop hearty portions straight from the pan after a long hike, with nothing more than a spoon and a little campfire patience.
Skillet Gnocchi with Italian Sausage & Spinach
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Spoon
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 12 oz Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 (16 oz) package shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium stove heat. Add sausage and brown, breaking up with spoon, about 6 minutes.
- Add gnocchi, tomatoes with juices, and water. Stir, cover, and simmer for 8–10 minutes until gnocchi are tender.
- Remove lid, stir in spinach, and cook until wilted.
- Sprinkle with mozzarella, cover briefly to melt, and serve hot.