The 5 Ingredients
Sweet Italian sausage, frozen peas, gnocchi, pesto, and parmesan are the core group. You’ll also need some water, salt, and a bit of olive oil for crisping the gnocchi. But those are staples that don’t really qualify, right?
I’ve included some notes on sausage alternatives in the recipe card’s notes section below. So you should be able to make this even without access to Trader Joe’s.
The Process
Air frying or oven roasting gnocchi tossed in a bit of olive oil makes the gnocchi super crunchy on the outside but still pillowy inside. They’re reminiscent of tater tots or some kind of potato puffs. So good!
The crunchy gnocchi is combined with a sausage and peas skillet that’s as easy as browning sausage, adding peas and water, and simmering a few minutes before mixing in pesto and parmesan. Easy, peasy, and it’s great with a lemon squeazy.
A Late Spring?
I posted a poll on my Instagram about everyone’s feelings regarding the seasonality of this dish. Peas and pesto are giving big time spring vibes, and I’m publishing this right in the middle of an autumnal recipe sprint.
But nobody seemed to mind, at least according to the poll. And I agree with them.
Frozen peas are never really out of season. So here we are!
On the other hand, if you’re in the fall zone, I just published a roundup with 30 of my favorite high protein recipes for fall.
Crispy Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage and Peas
Ingredients
- 16 oz Gnocchi
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 16 oz Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage, I used Trader Joe's (see notes)
- 2 cups (270g) Frozen Peas
- ½ cup Water
- ¼ cup (60g) Pesto
- ½ cup (60g) Grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Toss the gnocchi in the olive oil and salt before adding to an air fryer basket. Air fry for 20 minutes at 350ºF, shaking every 5-6 minutes, until golden brown and crunchy.
- Once the gnocchi is cooking, start on the sausage and peas by removing the chicken sausage from its casing. Add it to a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and brown for a few minutes before breaking apart with a spatula and fully cooking.
- Add the frozen peas and ½ cup of water to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the peas are cooked through.
- Turn the heat down to low before adding the parmesan and pesto to the pan. Fold everything together to combine. The parmesan should be fully incorporated and smooth.
- Add the air fried gnocchi to the pan and fold everything together before serving. Garnish with additional parmesan, black pepper or chili flakes, chopped fresh basil or herbs, and a squeeze of lemon, if desired.
