No doubt you’ve likely tried or at least heard of the American breakfast classic known as Biscuits & Gravy. One morning, while swirling some fork-and-knife biscuits through that breakfast sausage-peppered béchamel gravy, a light bulb went off. How about replacing the biscuits with fluffy pillow of gnocchi (pronounced “no-key”) and thinning out the gravy a bit into a more pasta-like sauce to embody it?! Folks, Gnocchi in Sausage Gravy (or “Sauce-age” Gravy) is now a thing and it will be the star of any breakfast, brunch or even dinner at any table! Whenever you choose to make it, it’ll be ready in just 10 minutes.
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Heat The Water
Start The Sauce
Cook the Gnocchi
Finish The Sauce
Strain The Pasta
Marry It All
The Taste Test
Gnocchi in Sausage Gravy
No doubt you've likely tried or at least heard of the American breakfast classic known as Biscuits & Gravy. One morning, while swirling some fork-and-knife biscuits through that breakfast sausage-peppered béchamel gravy, a light bulb went off. How about replacing the biscuits with fluffy pillow of gnocchi (pronounced "no-key") and thinning out the gravy a bit into a more pasta-like sauce to embody it?! Folks, Gnocchi in Sausage Gravy (or "Sauce-age" Gravy) is now a thing and it will be the star of any breakfast, brunch or even dinner at any table! Whenever you choose to make it, it'll be ready in just 10 minutes.
Ingredients
The Pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 pounds gnocchi (a room temperature sealed package is preferred)
The Sauce
- 1 pound ground breakfast sausage (get the kind found in a wrapped tube, not solid pre-cooked links—either regular or spicy)
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) salted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk or half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½–1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Boil the Water: Fill an 8-quart pot halfway with hot tap water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
- Start the Sauce: Sauté the sausage meat in a nonstick 4.5- to 5-quart sauté pan over medium-high heat until crumbled and browned, 3–5 minutes. (NOTE: Do not drain the pot of the meat’s juices! We want that rich flavor in the sauce.)
- Stir in the butter until melted. Add the flour and stir until the sausage is fully coated.
- Cook the Gnocchi: Add the salt to the pot of boiling water and reduce the heat to medium. Add the gnocchi and stir. Set a timer to cook until al dente (per the package instructions), or to the shortest amount of time given. When done, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and drain the gnocchi in a colander in the sink without rinsing it.
- While the gnocchi is cooking, return to the sauté pan and add the milk, seasoned salt, garlic powder, and pepper and whisk. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook, whisking occasionally, for 1–2 minutes, until thickened; turn off the heat.
- Marry It All: Add the cooked and drained gnocchi to the sauté pan and toss to coat with the sauce. If you find you want a slightly thinner, creamier sauce, add ¼ cup of the reserved gnocchi water at a time and stir until the desired consistency is reached. Serve topped with more pepper, if desired. Goes great with my cheddar popovers!
Jeffrey's Tips
Want this cheesy? Toward the end of Step 6, as you’re whisking and the gravy thickens, add a few sprinkles of shredded Cheddar.
If you just want to use this recipe for a great biscuit gravy over actual biscuits, just skip the pasta steps!
If you want a thinner gravy that’s also a bit richer, sub more milk or cream for the pasta water in Step 7.
Faith Y Dion
Looks fabulous! Can’t wait to try this one! Jeff, what kind of pan are you using?