Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 in cubes
- 1 lb (450 g) ground Italian sausage (sweet or hot)
- 2 shallots, finely diced (optional)
- 1 tbsp (9 g) minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp (33 g) tomato paste
- ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine or chicken broth
- 1 lb (450 g) shelf-stable potato gnocchi (gluten free options are avail!)**
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- salt to taste
- Optional
- 2 tbsp to ¼ cup (30–60 ml) heavy cream, to taste (omit for dairy free)
- Fresh basil, torn, for finishing (optional but recommended)
- Grated parmesan, for serving (omit for dairy free)
**A note on gnocchi: some store bought gnocchis have a gummier texture after they've been cooked. Obvi the best solution is fresh made gnocchi but i'm simply not doing that on a Tuesday and I still think this is delish. I have found certain brands are better than others, so comment below if you stumble upon a winner because i'm kicking myself for not writing it down!
Instructions
- Heat your skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbs avocado oil and brown the sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon or spatula. Add the shallots and eggplant and cook 6-10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent and the eggplant is cooked through.
- Add 2 tbsp tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes and stir. Let it cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in 1/4 cup white or broth to deglaze your pan, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom
- Add 1 lb gnocchi and 1 C broth to the pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until gnocchi is cooked through
- Finish with a splash of cream, taste and adjust salt and cream to your preference. Optionally, top with fresh basil and parm!
Swaps & Variations
- Zucchini works beautifully in place of eggplant
- Bell pepper added with the shallots is another easy variation.
- Tomato version. Add a pint of halved cherry tomatoes at the same time as the gnocchi and broth. They burst as it simmers and the whole dish goes a different direction. Insane in the best way.
- Mushrooms or spinach. I haven't made this version yet, but I havea hunch that mushrooms and spinach would be sooo good too! Add the mushrooms in place of eggplant, browned the same way. Or stir in 2 big handfuls of baby spinach in the last minute of cooking. Both work.
- Dairy-free. Skip the cream and the parm. Finish with a generous drizzle of good olive oil and extra basil.
- No wine. Use the same amount of chicken broth in step 4. You'll lose a little depth but it still works.
Wait? We’re cooking with heavy cream?
YES WE ARE!!!! Deep breaths, because I know there might be a little voice in your head that is telling you heavy cream is “bad for you” and I’m here to speak back to that voice!
A splash of heavy cream is going to be pretty negligent from a calorie stand point and going to add a really fun flavor and creaminess to the dish!
If you have other concerns about cream, drop em in the comments lets work through them together!