Sheet Pan Gnocchi & Sausage (Vegan)

If you’ve never tried roasting gnocchi before, this recipe is about to change your weeknight dinner routine! There’s no boiling required — just dump gnocchi on a sheet pan with plant-based sausage and your favorite veggies. 30 minutes in the oven gives you gnocchi that’s perfectly crisp on the bottom yet still pillowy-soft on the inside. Toss everything with vegan pesto and you’ve got a vibrant and satisfying dinner that requires almost no cleanup.

Quick Recipe Overview

• Flavor & Texture: Pillowy potato gnocchi with crispy edges, spicy Italian sausage coins, jammy cherry tomatoes, and a basil pesto coating.
• Total Time: 35 minutes (10 minutes hands-on prep, 25 minutes roasting).
• Method: Single-pan high-heat roasting (425°F) with a mid-bake flip — no boiling water or colanders required.
• Pro Tip: Give the pan a gentle stir at the 15-minute mark, then immediately return it to the oven. Redistributing the rendered plant-based sausage fat halfway through coats the gnocchi evenly so both sides get deeply golden and crisp instead of steaming.

Why You’ll Love Sheet Pan Gnocchi

• Zero boiling: Shelf-stable gnocchi can cook right on the baking sheet. It’ll absorb all the savory flavors of the sausage and veg as it roasts.
• Quick and easy: I can get this dish in the oven with just about 10 minutes of prep. Just give the sausage and veg a quick chop and toss it all on one pan.
• Minimal cleanup: Toss everything together on a single baking sheet — no mixing bowls or pans required. Line the sheet with foil, parchment, or a silicone mat and there’s almost no cleanup.
• Super customizable: Swap in any of your favorite seasonal vegetables. The zucchini and tomatoes are just a starting point! Butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms and eggplant are also incredible with this gnocchi.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Shelf-stable potato gnocchi: You’ll want the kind that’s stocked alongside your standard dry pastas. A majority of shelf-stable gnocchi is accidentally vegan (like the kind from DeLallo and Private Selection). You can also use the fresh gnocchi that you’ll find with refrigerated pastas, but it tends not to crisp as much since it has a higher moisture content.
• Vegan sausage: Beyond Hot Italian Sausage is our go-to! We use a whole pack, simply slicing the links into bite-sized medallions. You can also tear it into pieces. If using a lower-fat variety like the kind from Field Roast or Tofurkey, you may wish to add an extra drizzle of olive oil. Up to you!
• Cherry or grape tomatoes: When roasted, these tomatoes burst and create the most delicious, juicy base for the gnocchi.
• Zucchini: I always like to add some green veg to my weeknight dinners for ~balance~. Zucchini is cheap and delicious and roasts beautifully.
• Onion: For a little texture and sweetness. I like a red or sweet onion for this dish.
• Seasonings & olive oil: A quick drizzle of good olive oil helps the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika coat the gnocchi and veg. You don’t even need to measure.
• Vegan pesto: Added after roasting to keep the delicate herbs fresh and bright. I love the fresh Vegan Basil Pesto from Sprouts (check in the refrigerated section by the salsas and pickles).

How to Make It (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Prep & chop

Slice sausage into bite-sized pieces. Cut zucchini, pepper, and onion.

Step 2: Season and toss

Add gnocchi, sausage and veg onto a pan. Drizzle with olive oil, add seasonings, and toss to coat.

Step 3: Roast

Roast at high heat until the gnocchi is golden and the cherry tomatoes have burst.

Step 4: Finishing touches

Toss with vegan pesto straight out of the oven. Serve!

How to Roast Sheet Pan Veggies the Right Way

The biggest risk with sheet pan meals is accidentally steaming your ingredients instead of roasting them. Starchy gnocchi needs direct heat and fat to crisp up, but fresh veg like zucchini, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes contain a lot of water. To get deep caramelization and crisp gnocchi, keep these things in mind:

• Cut size determines cook rate: Slice the bell pepper and red onion into thick ribbons, and cut zucchini into sturdy 1/2-inch pieces. Cutting water-heavy vegetables too small causes them to break down and release moisture too quickly, creating puddles on the baking sheet before the anything has a chance to form a crust.
• Keep cherry tomatoes whole: Leave cherry or grape tomatoes whole on the baking sheet. Their skins trap steam and sugars inside until they blister and burst near the end of cooking. If you slice them open beforehand, their juices will run all over the pan.
• Prioritize pan contact: Spread the mixture out as widely as possible so the gnocchi and veg sit in a single layer. If everything is piled in heaps, trapped steam cannot escape into the oven.
• Use high heat: We roast at 425°F in order to force surface moisture on the vegetables to evaporate rapidly while rendering the fat from the sliced sausage medallions, naturally frying the gnocchi as it roasts.

FAQ

Storage & Reheating

• To Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Keep in mind that as the gnocchi sits in the pesto and tomato juices, the crispy exterior will naturally soften up.
• To Reheat: To bring back the proper texture, reheat leftovers on a baking sheet in a 400°F oven or toaster oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until hot. You can also toss them into a hot, dry skillet over medium heat. A quick reheat in the microwave works if you are short on time, though the gnocchi will stay soft rather than crisp.
• Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this once cooked. Zucchini and roasted tomatoes turn watery when thawed, and the potato gnocchi loses its pillowy texture.

More Quick Weeknight Dinners

• Pizza Beans
• Easy Miso Ramen
• 10 Minute Chili Garlic Silken Tofu
• Southwest Dense Bean Salad (Cowboy Caviar)
• Easy Chickpea Curry