Name: Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine
Yield: Serves 5
Ingredients: 3/4lb ground sweet Italian sausage; 1 shallot, chopped; 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced; 1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 15oz can Italian-style diced or petite diced tomatoes (see notes); 1 cup half & half; 12oz package gluten free gnocchi (see notes); 4 cups lightly packed baby spinach, roughly chopped; 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; 1/4 - 1/2 cup chicken broth (optional)

Ben gifted me an Apple Watch for my birthday earlier this summer and I am HOOKED. If you’re looking for inspiration to get off your butt and get moving, this watch will definitely do it. Let’s just say this ol’ gal doesn’t move as much as she thought and I’ve been much more motivated to fit more workouts into my week.

That said, I feel zero guilt downing bowl after bowl of this decadent, gluten free dinner recipe – Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine, aka HEAVEN IN A SKILLET. This quick and easy dish is like pumped up mac and cheese packed with spinach, tomatoes, sausage, gluten free gnocchi and, of course, cheese. Get your shovels ready!

Ground Italian sausage is browned with shallot or onion, Italian seasoning, and garlic then canned diced tomatoes, packaged gluten free gnocchi, and half & half are added. Simmer until the gnocchi are tender, stir in lots of baby spinach, then finish with a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. It is SO easy, and it is SO good. Such a tasty treat and again, made in just one skillet. You can’t beat it!!

This recipe is very rich and decadent so I loved the pieces of juicy tomato that brightened and lightened up each bite. If you’ve got fresh herbs like parsley or basil laying around, you could add a scattering at the end, but part of the impressiveness of this dish is that it’s so simple. A “dump and cook” kind of dish, if you will. Add a big side salad and you’re set.

Alright, let’s cook!

How to Make Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine

Start by browning ground sweet Italian sausage (here’s my recipe) with chopped shallot or onion in a large, 12″ skillet over medium-high heat. Once browned, add Italian seasoning and minced garlic then saute until very fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Next add canned Italian-style diced or petite diced tomatoes plus half & half and shelf-stable gluten free gnocchi. I used Red Gold brand diced tomatoes, which I snipped with kitchen shears to turn into “petite diced”, and the label said tomatoes flavored with basil, garlic, and oregano – ie Italian-style. Just look for something similar and you’ll be set.

Bring the mixture to a simmer then turn the heat down to medium and continue simmering until the gnocchi are nearly tender, 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This is the gluten free gnocchi I use. The package says “mini gnocchi” but they are standard sized in my experience!

Note: non-gluten free gnocchi generally come in 16oz packages (vs this gluten free brand’s 12oz) so if you don’t need to eat gluten free and are using regular gnocchi, you will need to up the amount of half & half and/or add some chicken broth to cook the extra 4oz of gnocchi.

Once the gnocchi are nearly tender, add baby spinach that’s been roughly chopped then continue to cook until the gnocchi are fully tender and the spinach has wilted, 1-2 more minutes. If you feel the gnocchi needs more liquid to fully cook through, add a few glugs of chicken broth.

Last step is to take the skillet off the heat then stir in shredded mozzarella cheese. I am telling you – this gnocchi dish is good without the cheese, but it is STELLAR after it’s stirred in. Ah, the power of cheese!

Scoop the Cheesy Gnocchi Florentine into bowls then dig in!! I hope you love this easy, decadent, and delicious gluten free dinner recipe! Enjoy!

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