Vegan Creamy Italian Sausage (Mushroom) Gnocchi Skillet! This ultra-creamy gnocchi skillet is not only incredibly delicious but also versatile enough for any occasion.

Indulge in the luxurious flavors of our Vegan Creamy Italian Sausage (Mushroom) Gnocchi Skillet—a dish that perfectly balances richness and decadence with a comforting goodness that will delight your taste buds. Whether you’re looking for a quick weeknight dinner or an impressive meal to serve at your next gathering or holiday celebration, this dish has you covered. Made with hearty mushrooms that mimic the savory depth of traditional Italian sausage, every bite is a celebration of plant-based goodness.

Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.

Hi there, Ameera here!

If you’re on the hunt for a dish that’s not just delicious but downright crazy delicious, look no further! This recipe has secured its spot in our Top 10 favorites for the year, and trust me, it’s a game changer.

Don’t miss out on the chance to elevate your meal rotation—your taste buds will thank you!

Tips for Success:

• Flavor Profile: This Vegan Creamy Italian Sausage (Mushroom) Gnocchi Skillet is rich, decadent, ultra creamy, and delicious. Simple enough for every day, fancy enough for dinner guests!
• Fennel: We used a dried powdered fennel. Fennel also comes in seed form. If using seeds, crush them into a powder, then measure out ¾ teaspoon of powdered fennel. Start on the low end to ensure the amount of fennel suits your taste.
• Sausage Flavor: We used mushrooms to mimic sausage. Sausage seasoning is typically a mixture of salt, black pepper, fennel, crushed red pepper, and sugar.  Does this dish taste like sausage? No, it doesn’t, but it will give you a nod to sausage flavors.
• Maple Syrup: We used a little maple syrup to mimic the hint of sweetness typically associated with sausage.
• Mushrooms: We used Baby Bella Mushrooms. Feel free to use your favorite mushrooms in this recipe.
• Sauce Thickness: Initially, the sauce will appear thin, but as the sauce heats, it will thicken. It will also thicken up nicely once removed from the stove. If the sauce appears too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water to thin it out.
• Amount of Gnocchi: Gnocchi is typically made of potatoes as the main ingredient and/or wheat or rice flour. They are thick, pillowy and hearty. They are like potato dumplings. We used 16 oz. of gnocchi. Gnocchi is dense and heavy. It weighs more than regular types of pasta.
• Pasta Substitutions: The gnocchi can be easily substituted with your favorite pasta; however, it is important to note that gnocchi weigh more than regular pastas. If using regular pasta (of any kind), potentially consider using less than 16 oz. to maintain that ultra creamy texture.
• Gluten Free Pasta: If using a gluten-free pasta, as you know gluten free pastas tend to get mushy. Be sure to rinse the excess starches off the pasta before adding the sauce to avoid an overly thick sauce. Gluten free pasta can also be fragile so exercise care and stir gently when mixing in.
• Transferring the Gnocchi to Back to the Pot: We transferred the gnocchi from the boiling pot to the skillet using a large-slotted spoon. Some brands of gnocchi are hardy and can be handled with ease and hold their shape perfectly. Other types of gnocchi are somewhat fragile and fall apart when handled too roughly.
• Greens: Greens such as spinach and kale are natural spice/herb neutralizers.  A soup/stew/dish can taste perfectly seasoned before adding the greens, then once the greens are added, the flavor mellows requiring more seasoning.
• Cashew Substitutions: You can potentially substitute the cashews or almonds with other nuts, seeds, tofu, or white beans with the understanding that the flavors and textures will be impacted accordingly. We have not tested any substitutions.
• Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.

Leftovers and Freezing:

Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator.  Store in a covered container.

This dish can be frozen.

Pantry Products:

• Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
• Tamari: We used San J Tamari Soy Sauce, Gluten Free, Reduced Sodium. You can substitute the tamari with reduced sodium soy sauce, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Braggs Coconut Liquid Aminos. We recommend using reduced-sodium products.
• Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

Kitchen Equipment:

• High-speed blender
• Large stock pot (for boiling the gnocchi or pasta)
• Large, deep skillet
• Large-slotted spoon

If you try this flavorful dish, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.

Vegan Creamy Italian Sausage (Mushroom) Gnocchi Skillet

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• Author: Monkey and Me Kitchen Adventures
• Prep Time: 20 Minutes
• Cook Time: 30 Minutes
• Total Time: 50 Minutes
• Yield: 4 Servings 1x
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian Inspired
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

Indulge in the luxurious flavors of our Vegan Creamy Italian Sausage (Mushroom) Gnocchi Skillet—a dish that perfectly balances richness and decadence with a comforting goodness that will delight your taste buds.

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Ingredients

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Mushroom Skillet Ingredients:

• 10 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced *
• 1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari *
• 1 Tablespoon water

Other Skillet Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, fine dice
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 ¼ cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup *
• ¼ cup water 

Spice/Herb Ingredients:

• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon dried fennel (powder) (+/-) *
• ½ to 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
• Pinch to 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (+/-)
• Pinch to ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 

Cashew Cream Ingredients:

• ½ cup [raw] cashews
• ¾ cup water 

Other Ingredients:

• 3 cups chopped baby spinach *
• 16 oz. gnocchi (or other pasta of choice) * 

Optional Toppings:

• Freshly chopped parsley

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Instructions

1. Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the crushed red pepper) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
2. Place the cashews in a small bowl, cover with boiling water, soak 10 to 15 minutes, then drain (discard water), then set aside.
3. In a large skillet, add the sliced mushrooms, tamari, and 1 Tablespoon water, sauté over medium heat until the mushrooms are reduced, approximately 5 minutes, then remove from the skillet. (Mushroom liquids can remain, if any.)
4. Next add the finely diced yellow onions to the large skillet, sauté over medium-high heat for 7 to 9 minutes to soften until perfectly tender, add several tablespoons of water to avoid burning. Then lower the heat to medium, add the minced garlic, sauté, stir constantly for one minute.
5. Then add all the remaining Other Skillet Ingredients (except the water) and the Spice/Herb Mix (except the crushed red peppers) to the skillet, stir to incorporate, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. In the meantime, make the Cashew Cream by placing the soaked cashews and ¾ cup water into a high-speed blender. Blend on high for 30 to 60 seconds until smooth and emulsified, then add to the skillet.
7. Add the sauteed mushrooms to the skillet mixture. Stir to incorporate. Heat to boiling, then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Simmer for several minutes.
8. In the meantime, cook the gnocchi (or pasta) according to the package directions, transfer the cooked gnocchi with a slotted spoon to the skillet mixture. Stir to incorporate.
9. Add the chopped baby spinach and crushed red peppers, simmer to wilt the spinach. If needed add a little water (only if needed) to thin out the sauce. Simmer for several minutes until the sauce and gnocchi are thoroughly heated through.
10. Serve with freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!

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Notes

*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used. 

*Sea Salt:  Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.

*Servings: 4

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