• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Little Ferraro Kitchen logo
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Comforting Fall Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Comforting Fall Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Four Cheese Gnocchi Al Forno with Sausage

    Published: Jan 25, 2023 by Samantha Ferraro · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Creamy and decadent, this gnocchi al forno is everything you want in a comforting and flavorful baked gnocchi recipe! Pillowy potato gnocchi is folded in with Italian sausage, a simple tomato sauce and a four cheese mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and burrata cheese.

    Gnocchi al forno with Italian sausage, ricotta and burrata cheese in a Dutch oven braiser.

    When it comes to weeknight cooking, I am all for easy, flavorful and comforting recipes. Italian cuisine is one of my favorites, and on a leisurely Sunday afternoon, you may find a simmering pot of meatballs in Sunday gravy on the stove. But on a standard weeknight, simple cheesy baked gnocchi comes to the rescue.

    This four cheese gnocchi al forno hits all the spots! Light potato gnocchi is tossed with crumbles of Italian sausage, tomato sauce and a mixture of melty and soft cheeses. And if you happen to have extra cheese leftover (is that such a thing?), stuff them inside a cheese calzone!

    Jump to:
    • 🍅 Ingredients
    • ⏲️ Instructions
    • Variations
    • FAQ
    • What to Serve with Gnocchi Al Forno
    • Four Cheese Gnocchi Al Forno with Sausage

    🍅 Ingredients

    • Gnocchi: Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings that can be found in the pasta section of grocery stores. Gnocchi is fantastic in other sauces as well, such as tossed in a bright almond pesto.
    • Italian Sausage: Links of Italian sausage are broken up into crumbles and tossed with the tomato sauce and cheeses. If you like spicy, look for hot Italian sausage, or for a mild flavor, look for sweet Italian sausage.
    • Dried Oregano: Or use a few sprigs of fresh oregano, roughly chopped.
    • Garlic: A few cloves of fresh garlic is finely chopped and added to the browned sausage mixture.
    • Tomato Sauce: This recipe uses canned crushed tomatoes, but use what you have on hand, such as a store bought marinara sauce, passata or tomato puree.
    • Mozzarella Cheese: Cubes of mozzarella are added to the sauce mixture and as the gnocchi bakes, the cheese gently melts and becomes gooey.
    • Ricotta Cheese: Look for dry ricotta or ricotta that is packaged in a basket. This means that the ricotta will be thicker and creamier and not as watery.
    • Parmesan Cheese: A healthy grating of Parmesan cheese is added towards the end of baking. Another option is Pecorino cheese.
    • Burrata Cheese: Burrata is a ball of mozzarella with a very soft cream inside, called stracciatella. Burrata cheese is delicate and I suggest adding this after the baked gnocchi is finished.
    • Fresh Basil: A few leaves of fresh basil brighten up the richer flavors.

    See recipe card for quantities.

    ⏲️ Instructions

    Brown the Sausage

    1. Drizzle a wide pan or Dutch oven with a bit of oil and bering up to medium-high heat.
    2. Add the Italian sausage and use a sturdy spatula to break up the sausage.
    3. Cook until halfway cooked, then add chopped garlic and dried oregano and continue cooking until sausage is cooked through and caramelized.
    Once the Italian sausage is half way cooked, add the chopped garlic and saute.

    Break up the Italian sausage unto crumbled and cook until a nice crust forms on the sausage.

    Make the Sauce

    1. Add the tomato sauce to the sausage mixture and stir to combine. Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes so it reduces slightly.
    2. Add the cooked gnocchi to the sauce and stir to combine.
    3. Top with mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and grated Parmesan cheese.
    Add crushed tomatoes to the browned Italian sausage.

    Add cooked gnocchi to the tomato sauce and sausage mixture.

    Stir the cooked gnocchi into the sausage and tomato sauce mixture.
    Add cubes of mozzarella cheese to the gnocchi, sausage and tomato sauce mixture,

    Bake the Gnocchi

    1. Place gnocchi in a 425 degree Fahrenheit oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese melts and under the broiler for 2-5 minutes for an extra crisp topping.
    2. Remove baked gnocchi from oven and roughly tear burrata cheese on top.
    3. Garnish with fresh basil leaves and serve.
    Place gnocchi al forno under the broiler to broil the outside cheese layer.

    Variations

    • No Pork: If pork sausage isn't an option, look for an Italian flavored chicken or turkey sausage.
    • Spicy: For added heat, add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sausage mixture or a teaspoon of Calabrian chiles.
    • Add Vegetables: Add quick cooking vegetables such as spinach, cubed zucchini or cubed eggplant.
    Decadent gnocchi al forno also called baked gnocchi, s garnished with fresh basil leaves and chunks of burrata cheese in a simple tomato sauce.

    FAQ

    What are gnocchi made of?

    Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings that are soft and pillowy. Typically, gnocchi is made up of mashed potatoes, semolina flour and egg.

    Can you make gnocchi al forno ahead of time?

    Gnocchi al forno is great to make ahead up to 3 days in advance and tastes better as it sits. If making ahead, add the burrata cheese and fresh basil after reheating.

    What to Serve with Gnocchi Al Forno

    • Homemade Caesar Salad
    • Garlic and Herb Focaccia
    • Pesto Broccolini
    • Italian Peppers and Onions
    Weeknight gnocchi al forno topped with burrata and fresh basil.

    Four Cheese Gnocchi Al Forno with Sausage

    Samantha Ferraro

    LittleFerraroKitchen.com

    Decadent cheesy gnocchi al forno is layered with savory Italian sausage and a cheesy mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, mozzarella and burrata cheese.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 50 minutes mins
    Course Main
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 522 kcal

    Equipment

    • Dutch Oven Braiser

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 pound gnocchi
    • 1 pound Italian sausage
    • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
    • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
    • 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
    • 8 ounces mozzarella cut into ½ inch cubes or shredded
    • 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
    • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
    • 4 ounces burrata cheese
    • Fresh basil leaves
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
    • Once boiling, add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi float to the top, about 8 minutes. Then drain gnocchi, and set aside.
    • Place a wide Dutch oven or pan on medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Add the Italian sausage and use a sturdy spatula to break up the sausage.
    • Once the sausage is halfway cooked, add the chopped garlic and dried oregano and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through and outside is caramelized.
    • Add the tomato sauce to the sausage and stir together and continue simmering for 10 minutes, so the sauce reduces slightly. Then add the cooked gnocchi to the sausage and stir to combine.
    • Scatter cubes of mozzarella cheese onto the sauce and top with dollops of ricotta cheese and grating of Parmesan cheese.
    • Please gnocchi al forno in the oven and cook until the cheese melts, about 15 to 20 minutes and then place under the broiler for another 3 to 5 minutes for an extra crisp top.
    • Remove gnocchi from the oven and top with roughly torn burrata cheese and a fresh basil leaves.

    Video

    Notes

    If pork isn't available, substitute with Italian flavored chicken or turkey sausage. 
    Gnocchi al forno makes greta leftovers and reheats very well. Store for up to 3 days. 
    If making ahead, reserve the burrata until it has been reheated. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 26gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 1051mgPotassium: 504mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 695IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 395mgIron: 4mg
    Did you make this recipe?Let us know by leaving a comment and 5 star rating!

    More Flavorful Weeknight Dinner Recipes

    • Steak marsala with mushrooms and herbs.
      Steak Marsala with Mushrooms
    • Spanish inspired chicken stew with olives and potatoes.
      Spanish Chicken Stew
    • Rigatoni alla norma with creamy ricotta cheese and finished with fresh basil and Parmesan.
      Rigatoni Alla Norma
    • Mediterranean rice recipe with turmeric and toasted pine nuts.
      Mediterranean Rice

    Sharing is caring!

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email
    • Print

    Weeknight Mediterranean Shopping List

    Subscribe to get the Mediterranean shopping list and to be the 1st to get brand new recipes!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Coley says

      February 01, 2023 at 8:57 am

      5 stars
      This was BOMB. My family devoured it. Perfect Sunday dinner. The burrata really puts it over the top!

      Reply
    2. Mike says

      January 25, 2023 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      WOW, This is going on our Sunday menu when the entire family is at home at the same time. Burrata is our new favorite, "Gooey" to ass to pasta.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Samantha! I started this blog for my love of world cuisine and cultural flavors! You’ll find everything here from Jewish recipes, Middle Eastern, Italian and more!

    More about me →

    Fall Recipes

    • Roasted butternut squash pasta topped with fried sage and pancetta.
      Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce with Sage
    • The perfect fall apple cake, seasoned with floral and earthy cardamom, bright orange zest and loaded with chunks of sweet apples. And perfect to serve alongside your favorite warm drink.
      Cardamom Apple Cake
    • Spanish inspired chicken stew with olives and potatoes.
      Spanish Chicken Stew
    • Classic osso buco recipe served over creamy polenta and garnished with herb gremolata.
      Osso Buco with Gremolata
    • Julia Child's creamy potato leek soup with fresh thyme and olive oil on top.
      Julia Child's Creamy Potato Leek Soup
    • Fasulye is a hearty green bean and tomato stew with cubed meat and served with rice.
      Fasulye (Turkish Green Bean Stew with Meat)

    Order My Latest Cookbook!

    One Pot Mediterranean cookbook cover
    Buy This Book Online
    Buy from Amazon Kindle
    Buy from IndieBound
    Buy from Barnes and Noble
    Buy from Amazon
    One Pot Mediterranean
    Buy now!

    Trending Recipes

    • Julia Child's Salad Nicoise
    • Creamy and easy tomato mascarpone sauce with parmesan and fresh basil.
      Creamy Tomato Mascarpone Sauce with Pasta
    • Steamed clams in white wine with garlic.
      Steamed Clams with White Wine and Garlic
    • Pearled couscous with colorful roasted vegetables.
      Israeli Couscous Salad with Roasted Vegetables
    • Turkish Sumac Onions
    • Easy French seafood stew with shrimp, mussels, clams and halibut.
      Simple Bouillabaisse Recipe (French Seafood Stew)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Featured In

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 · Samantha Ferraro · Little Ferraro Kitchen · All Rights Reserved