A recent trip to the farmer’s market left me with all the fresh produce needed to whip up my Gnocchi and Chicken Sausage Vegetable Skillet! This is a simple, light, and healthy supper that you do not want to miss. I’m calling it the summer version of my Roasted Spring Vegetable with Marinated Mozzarella Pasta, so if you love that recipe highlighting spring vegetables, you’ll definitely want to try this dish featuring zucchini, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and basil, plus gnocchi and sliced sausage. Hello, delicious!
When I was first learning how to cook after going out on my own after college, one of my favorite dishes to make was fresh vegetable pasta skillets. I was living in Minneapolis at the time and visited the Nicollet Mall farmer’s market after work one night a week where I’d stock up on whatever vegetables were in season at the time. I’d come back to my apartment, chop everything up then toss it all into a skillet with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Paired with cooked pasta, it felt like a HUGE accomplishment at the time. This gnocchi and chicken sausage dish is an amped up version of those early veggie + pasta tosses. Sauted summer vegetables are paired with tender gnocchi and sizzling chicken sausage in about 10 minutes after chopping everything up. Ready to eat?
Start by sauting 12oz smoked chicken sausage cut into 1/4″ (or so – doesn’t need to be precise!) slices and 1/2 chopped sweet onion in 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until the sausage begins to brown, 3-4 minutes. This recipe makes a TON of food (but is easily halved,) so a 12″ skillet or bigger works best.
Next add another Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to the skillet, followed by 1 small zucchini and 1 small summer squash that have been chopped, plus the kernels from 1 ear sweet corn (about 3/4 cup.) Season with homemade seasoned salt and pepper then saute until the zucchini and summer squash are just barely crisp-tender. They’ll keep cooking so make sure you don’t take them too far at this point.
Next add 2 cloves minced garlic and a pinch of red chili pepper flakes then saute until the garlic is fragrant. Toss in 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half and 1/2 cup loosely packed basil that’s been chopped then saute until the tomatoes are warmed through.
About the time you add the garlic and red chili pepper flakes into the skillet, pour 1lb gluten-free gnocchi into a pot of salted boiling water next door (timing directions are in the recipe card below.) Simmer until they float to the top, usually 2-3 minutes, then scoop directly into the skillet with the sausage and vegetables.
Last step is to drizzle in 1/4 cup chicken broth then simmer until it reduces and creates a very thin sauce, just a minute or so.
Taste and add salt and pepper if you need it, then scoop onto plates and devour! Hope you enjoy this fast and filling, delicious summer dish!
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