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Home » Recipes » Italian

Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with a White Wine Sauce

By Lauren | Updated: Jan 25, 2024 | Published: Feb 17, 2021 | Leave a Comment

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Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with a White Wine Sauce: Gnocchi are pan-fried until crispy and tossed with baby broccoli, tomatoes, and chicken sausages in a white wine sauce.

A large metal saute pan with the completed Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with White Wine Sauce dish and a wooden serving spoon.

The best part of this dish is the crispy pan-fried gnocchi. It is also hearty, filling, and balanced with lots of green baby broccoli. This dish is a great one to make in the summer, especially if you have lots of cherry tomatoes growing in the garden, though it's satisfying year-round.

We also make a paired-down version, Brown Butter Sage Gnocchi, for when we crave the dish, but want it ready in under 30 minutes. And while I love crispy pan-fried gnocchi, gnocchi is also great when boiled and paired with a creamy sauce in this Creamy Pesto Gnocchi dish.

When we're in the mood for Italian we also love using this Poolish Pizza Dough to make Potato and Rosemary Pizza, or this Sheet Pan Focaccia or even going with this easy Sheet Pan Grandma Pie Pizza.

Jump to:
  • 🌟 Why You'll Love This Gnocchi Dish
  • 🇮🇹 Sourcing Ingredients: Italian Gnocchi and Chicken Sausages
  • 🍅 A Trick to Sautéing Cherry Tomatoes
  • 🛒 Ingredients:
  • 📝 How to Make Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce
  • If You're Interested in More Italian Dishes You May Love These:
  • Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce

🌟 Why You'll Love This Gnocchi Dish

Texture: This dish has both crispy gnocchi and soft and sweet tomatoes and broccoli for the best texture combination.

Savory & Sweet: The sausages and white wine butter sauce make this dish super savory. Combined with sweet cherry tomatoes and slightly bitter baby broccoli, you're getting several different flavors at once.

Balanced: While this dish is a bit indulgent with the crispy gnocchi and butter, it is balanced using olive oil to cook each of the ingredients and loads of green baby broccoli and fresh cherry tomatoes.

🇮🇹 Sourcing Ingredients: Italian Gnocchi and Chicken Sausages

High-Quality Gnocchi: If you have a local Italian market nearby, perhaps one that makes ravioli, check to see if they also make homemade gnocchi. We have one not too far from us, and I always stock up on their gnocchi. I'll buy about four 1 lb bags of gnocchi and stick them in the freezer to pull out at a later time. They are totally different and much better than store-bought. It can make a huge difference. However, store-bought gnocchi is very good too, and what we often turn to to make this dish.

Chicken Sausages: The type of sausages that you use will also impact the overall flavor of the dish, and I'm certain that there are plenty that would work really well. Look for fully cooked chicken sausages at the supermarket. I love the sundried tomato chicken sausages from Trader Joe's. They are savory, simple, and subtly sweet, which works really well with the tomato white wine sauce. A sweet Italian chicken sausage would also be great. However, apple chicken sausages are not the best combination of flavors for this dish.

🍅 A Trick to Sautéing Cherry Tomatoes

When adding the cherry tomatoes, I slice them in half, and without going crazy I try to place them face down in the pan. This allows the face of the tomato to sear and caramelize. It will seal in the juice and flavor of the tomato, a trick that I learned at a cooking class in Rome. It certainly doesn't have to be perfect, and some of the juice will release into the pan, but you will get some bites with a juicy burst of tomato. But if you don't have the time, patience, or mental space to do this it is totally fine and will taste great regardless.

🛒 Ingredients:

Below are the ingredients needed to make this Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with White Wine Sauce.

The ingredients needed to make Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with White Wine Sauce.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Used for sautéing vegetables and gnocchi. Use extra virgin olive oil, which is more flavorful than regular or light olive oil.
  • Gnocchi: Store-bought gnocchi is great, but to bring the dish up a notch look for homemade gnocchi at a local Italian market that makes homemade pasta.
  • Chicken Sausages: Use fully cooked chicken sausages. That way you can slice them thinly and caramelize them in a sauté pan adding flavor to the dish.
  • Baby Broccoli: The florets soak up the sauce, but feel free to switch in a different green vegetable like zucchini or even brussels sprouts. Baby broccoli can also be a little bit bitter, which pairs perfectly with the sweet cherry tomatoes and savory butter and white wine sauce.
  • Cherry Tomatoes: These can be substituted for grape tomatoes.
  • Shallots, Sage, Garlic: Aromatics that add flavor to the dish. Use fresh sage.
  • White Wine: Use a dry white wine that you may also like to drink. Or if you do not want to include wine in the dish, leave it out entirely and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil and butter. Dry white wine is also great for a Lemon Garlic White Wine Sauce.
  • Butter: Use salted butter, or add a pinch or two of extra salt to the dish.
  • Salt: For balancing and bringing out flavor.

📝 How to Make Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce

Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce.

*Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

A large sauté pan with pan fried crispy gnocchi and a smaller sauté pan with chicken sausages.

Step 1. Crispy Gnocchi: Bring a large sauté pan to medium heat (a setting of "4" out of "10" on an electric stove, or the equivalent on a gas stove). Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the gnocchi. Leave the gnocchi undisturbed until you can see the bottom of the gnocchi start to turn golden brown. Then flip the gnocchi. Continue cooking until the gnocchi are brown and crispy on two sides.

This will take anywhere between 10-18 minutes depending on how hot your stove is and the type of pan that you are using. Set the gnocchi aside.

Tip: Continue adding extra olive oil to the pan as needed when cooking the gnocchi. The pan should have a light coating of olive oil at all times. This is what helps to create brown and crispy gnocchi.

Step 2. Cook the Chicken Sausages: While the gnocchi are crisping in the pan, use a separate pan to cook the chicken sausages. The idea is to caramelize the sausage slices, which imparts flavor to the rest of the dish. Cook until browned on one side, then flip, cook on the remaining side, then set aside.

A large sauté pan with baby broccoli before and after being cookies.

Step 3. Cook the Baby Broccoli: In the large pan, add another 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the baby broccoli and season with salt. Sauté for 5-7 minutes. Remove and set aside.

A large sauté pan with cherry tomatoes sliced in half facing down with garlic and separately after cooking with butter and white wine.

Step 4. Add the Cherry Tomatoes: Add the sliced shallot, sage, and cherry tomatoes, cut side down if possible. If you have time, this helps to sear the tomatoes, sealing in extra sweet juice for a burst of flavor as you bite into each one, though it is completely optional. Add the garlic, stir, and let cook for one minute.

Step 5. Make the White Wine Sauce: Add the white wine and allow it to bubble and fizz. Stir the wine with the cherry tomatoes, which start to form the sauce. Add the butter. Allow it to melt and stir it into the sauce.

The cherry tomatoes after they have cooked for a short while and the completed dish with all of the components added back to the sauté pan.

Step 6. Let the Sauce Simmer: Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Step 7. Assemble the Dish: Add the gnocchi, chicken sausages, and baby broccoli back to the pan. Stir and allow to warm through for 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately while warm.

Tip: The sooner you can serve the dish, the better. The longer the gnocchi sit in the sauce the softer and less crispy they will be.

If You're Interested in More Italian Dishes You May Love These:

  • A bowl of Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes, Crispy Prosciutto, and creamy buratta.
    Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta With Burst Cherry Tomatoes
  • Italian Farro in a large saute pan with broccoli and melted burrata cheese on a wooden background.
    Italian Farro
  • Pan Seared Cod in a White Wine Tomato Basil Sauce
  • A slice of lasagna with layers of bolognese, béchamel and bolognese, béchamel, and parmesan between noodles.
    Lasagna without Ricotta

If you've tried this Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. I'd love to hear from you!

A large metal saute pan with the completed Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry with White Wine Sauce dish and a wooden serving spoon.

Italian Gnocchi Stir Fry With White Wine Sauce

Gnocchi are pan fried until crispy and tossed together with baby broccoli, brussels sprouts, and tomatoes in a white wine butter sauce.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Author Lauren Skardal
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4
Calories 664 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb gnocchi
  • 12 oz chicken sausages, fully cooked and sliced
  • 1 lb baby broccoli, chopped
  • salt to taste
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 handful sage, minced (about 8 large leaves)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 3 tablespoon butter

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pan to medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil and the gnocchi. Leave undisturbed until the bottom becomes crispy and golden. Then flip and continue to cook until most sides are crispy. This takes about 10-15 minutes. Remove the gnocchi from the pan and set aside.
  • Meanwhile in a separate pan add 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook the chicken sausages at medium heat until brown on both sides.
  • In the large pan, add another tablespoon olive oil if needed. Add the baby broccoli and sauté for 3-5 minutes until it just starts to soften but is still tender and crisp. Remove the baby broccoli and set aside. 
  • If needed, add another tablespoon olive oil, the shallots, sage, and the cherry tomatoes cut side down if possible. Allow to sear undisturbed for a few minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the white wine and butter. Allow the wine to simmer and stir it into the sauce. Add the butter, let it melt, and stir to incorporate into the sauce.
  • Add the chicken sausages, gnocchi, and baby broccoli to the pan. Stir and allow to heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Notes

  • Buying Gnocchi: Store-bought gnocchi are great, but to bring the dish up a notch look for homemade gnocchi at a local Italian market that makes homemade pasta and gnocchi.
  • Baby Broccoli Substitutions: The florets soak up the sauce, but feel free to switch in a different green vegetable like zucchini or even brussels sprouts. Baby broccoli can also be a little bit bitter, which pairs perfectly with the sweet cherry tomatoes, and savory butter and white wine sauce.
  • Pan-frying Gnocchi: Continue adding extra olive oil to the pan as needed when cooking the gnocchi. The pan should have a light coating of olive oil at all times. This is what helps to create brown and crispy gnocchi.
  • Serving: The sooner you can serve the dish, the better, as the longer the gnocchi sit in the sauce the softer and less crispy they will be.

Nutrition

Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1371mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3143IU | Vitamin C: 133mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 7mg
Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and share a photo on instagram and tag @elleandpear or #elleandpear. I'd absolutely love to hear from you and see what you're making!

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Lauren sitting at table in Tuscany with a glass of wine, charcuterie and rolling green hills and winery in the background.

I'm Lauren, I've worked in Finance, earned an MBA, and lived and traveled throughout Europe and the US. I love to cook and bake, and bring our family together around the table. Recipes shared here are real family recipes with real fresh ingredients inspired by our travels.

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