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This comforting Cheesy Baked Gnocchi Casserole is a true one-pot dinner you can throw together in under 20 minutes. You’ll want to make this delicious homemade comfort food part of your permanent meal plan.
Cheese? Yes! Carbs? Yes! A one-pot meal that you throw together in 20 minutes creating fewer dishes for your busy weeknights? YES!
This cheesy baked gnocchi casserole is truly the meal that checks all the boxes. Even better, it’s wicked easy to customize for you and your family.
For the gnocchi, I tested this recipe with shelf-stable options. If you use fresh or frozen, check on the “doneness” of the gnocchi at 22 minutes.
Half-and-half is a product that is half heavy cream and half whole milk. You can easily make your own if needed.
For the marinara, store-bought it fine! Look for a jar that is ~20 oz. And don’t forget to add a teeny bit of water to the empty jar, put the lid on, and shake it up to get every last drop out and into your recipe.
You might also love to use our homemade freezer spaghetti sauce in this recipe.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- To cut down on dishes, use a dish that can go directly from the stove to oven. Something like a 4-quart Dutch oven or a braiser pan would work great. If you don’t have something that will work, follow steps 1-7 in the printable recipe card below, and then transfer to a deep 9×13 casserole dish to bake.
- Don’t eat meat? Stir in a can of drained and rinsed white beans for a tasty boost of protein.
- While I recommend a set amount of cheese, we all know cheese should be measured with your heart. Feel free to bump that up a bit. Or a lot.
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
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In a large frying pan, braiser pan, or Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat.
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
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When the sausage is almost fully cooked, add the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
2 cloves garlic
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Drain any grease if needed.
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Add the marinara sauce, and slowly stir in the half-and-half. Allow the sauce to simmer for ~2 minutes.
2 1/2 cups prepared marinara, 2/3 cup half-and-half
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Add the uncooked gnocchi to the pan, breaking apart any that are sticking together.
2 lbs gnocchi
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Carefully fold in the (optional) baby spinach.
3 cups baby spinach
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Top with mozzarella and Parmesan.
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
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Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the cheese is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling.
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Allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes and serve.
- To cut down on dishes, use a dish that can go directly from the stove to oven. Something like a 4-quart Dutch oven or a braiser pan would work great. If you don’t have something that will work, follow steps 1-7 in the printable recipe card below, and then transfer to a deep 9×13 casserole dish to bake.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 413kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 1132mgPotassium: 388mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1319IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 206mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
