Gnocchi with Creamy White Sausage Ragu

Gnocchi with a rich and creamy white sausage ragu made with rosemary, white wine and garlic. This recipe is quick, easy and full of flavour, making it suited to busy weeknights. Ready in under 30 minutes.

We love it when a quick weeknight meal is so insanely good that it becomes a regular in our rotation, and this recipe is exactly that.

We wanted to create a white ragu that was quick, easy and packed with flavour.

Sausages are our go-to for quick ragus or meat sauces since they are already well seasoned (we recently shared a spicy Calabrian version in our exclusive membership).

And instead of simmering the meat in stock for hours, we use cream and reserved pasta water to create a rich, luxurious sauce that's ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredient notes

• Sausages – any good-quality sausages will work well. We don't recommend using hot or spicy sausages.
• White wine – An Italian white wine such as Pecorino, Vermentino or Pinot Grigio.
• Gnocchi – you can use either gnocchi or pasta for this dish (rigatoni or penne would work well).

Recipe tips and FAQs

Watch your timing – gnocchi only take 2-3 minutes to cook, so we add them to the boiling water at the same time as adding the cream to the sauce. If you decide to use pasta, which takes anywhere from 8-12 minutes to cook, you can add that after you have browned the sausages, so everything is ready at the right time.

Adjust the sauce consistency – if the sauce thickens too much due to the cream reducing, you can add some reserved pasta water a little at a time until you reach the desired consistency. You'll notice when the gnocchi are added that the sauce will thicken again, due to the starch, so you can add more at that point too if needed.

How long does it last?

Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. You can reheat it on the stove with a splash of water to help loosen it.

Swaps

• Herbs – We like woody herbs in a rich cream-based sauce, so other than rosemary, you could use sage or even fresh bay leaves, which are fragrant.
• Cheese – for a richer flavour, you can add freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano into the sauce (Pecorino would also work).
• Spices – fennel seeds or a subtle pinch of chilli flakes would also work well.

More sausage pasta recipes to try

Pasta

Pici and Tuscan Sausage Ragu

Pasta

Pasta alla Norcina (Creamy Sausage and Truffle Pasta)

Gnocchi

Spicy Sausage Baked Gnocchi

Pasta

Pasta alla Boscaiola (Sausage and Mushroom)

Ingredients

Makes 4 servings

• 1 lb (450g) Italian sausages
• 1 shallot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1/2 cup (120ml) white wine ((see notes))
• 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream ((double cream UK))
• 1/4 cup (60ml) reserved pasta water (plus extra if needed)
• 1.1 lb (500g) gnocchi
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Parmigiano Reggiano (for serving (optional))

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Finely chop the garlic and shallot and set aside.

2. Heat around 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Remove the sausage meat from the skins and add it to the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into crumbs (photos 1 and 2).

3. Brown the sausage meat well so there are some golden bits, then add the garlic, shallot and rosemary (removed from the stalk). Sauté on a medium heat until the shallot has softened. Add a pinch of salt and pepper (photo 3).

4. Next, add the white wine and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and let it simmer for 1-2 minutes (photo 4).

5. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and boil until they float to the surface.

6. At the same time, add the cream to the sausages with 1/4 cup (60ml) of pasta water and stir it through, letting it simmer while the gnocchi cook (photos 3 and 4).

7. When the gnocchi are ready, transfer them to the sauce and stir to coat in the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, add another splash of pasta water until loosened.

8. Serve in bowls with a grating of Parmigiano Reggiano on top.

Kitchen notes

• White wine most Italian whites work well, such as Pecorino, Vermentino or Pinot Grigio. If you don't want to add alcohol, you can leave it out, but we recommend adding some pasta water at the same stage to deglaze the pan.