Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto
Updated March 26, 2019
Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto-a simple casserole of potato gnocchi, sausage, kale, basil pesto, and lots of cheese!
Our boys are pretty good eaters and will usually eat whatever we fix, but we do have the occasional tears at dinnertime. It is usually when they are tired or don't want to stop playing. You win some and you lose some.
We always win at dinnertime when we make Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto. My boys love this recipe, Josh included! I know there will never be tears shed when I make this dish, well, maybe tears of joy:)
Caleb likes to help me make dinner and every time I ask him what we should make he says gnocchi or sausage. They are his favorite foods. I decided to make a baked gnocchi dish with his favorite ingredients and it has become a favorite with all of my boys.
I always use store bought gnocchi to keep things easy. I also use Jimmy Dean Premium Pork Sausage, my boys favorite sausage. We always keep a few packages in the freezer so we never run out! My boys eat this sausage morning, noon, and night and they love it in this baked gnocchi dish.
I also add kale to the pasta, you know so I can sneak in some greens into my boys diet…and basil pesto for flavor. I like to use our spinach pesto because I always have some in the freezer. It always comes in handy! And of course the gnocchi gets loaded with lots of cheese!
Bake until bubbly and serve!! There will be smiles all around when this is comforting dish is on the dinner table!
Add this simple and delicious Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto to your dinner menu! It is great for busy weeknights or easy entertaining. Enjoy!
Baked Gnocchi with Sausage, Kale, and Pesto
Ingredients
- 1 pound package of potato gnocchi
- 10 ounces Jimmy Dean® Premium Pork Regular Roll Sausage
- 4 cups packed chopped kale
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup basil pesto
- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese divided
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium high heat for 8-10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently; drain and set aside. Place skillet back on the heat and cook the kale for 5 minutes, or until tender. Pour sausage back in the skillet.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in garlic and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour until mixture thickens. Add the milk and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Whisk in the pesto and ½ cup of the cheese. Whisk until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Combine the gnocchi, sausage, and kale and pour into prepared pan. Pour the sauce evenly over gnocchi. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and gnocchi is bubbling. Let sit for 5 minutes. Serve warm.
Have you tried this recipe?
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