This three-ingredient Trader Joe’s Recipes is one of the easiest meals you’ll ever make! Roast sweet potato gnocchi and Italian chicken sausage together on a sheet pan and then toss with fresh basil pesto.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage with Pesto
It doesn’t get much easier than this three-ingredient recipe and you won’t believe how much flavor is in every single bite!
The ingredients are fairly specific to Trader Joe’s (I haven’t been able to find the seasoned sweet potato gnocchi anywhere else). But, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can still enjoy a variation on this recipe using regular (or cauliflower) frozen gnocchi.
Frozen gnocchi can be less than exciting when warmed on the stovetop or in the microwave, but when you ROAST it — it’s unbelievably good! It has a slightly crisp exterior with a soft pillowy interior. You are going to love what roasting does to an innocent-looking bag of frozen gnocchi!
Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage with Pesto Ingredients
- Sweet Potato Gnocchi: Pick up a bag of sweet potato gnocchi with butter & sage (pictured above) — this gnocchi is already seasoned and in a delicious sauce, so this cuts down greatly on ingredients needed. (We don’t need olive oil or butter or seasonings!)
- Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage: We’re obsessed with the sweet Italian chicken sausage at Trader Joe’s (pictured above). The flavors pair so nicely with the pesto and gnocchi.
- Pesto: The pesto is the perfect finishing touch that ties everything together. I’d recommend getting a refrigerated, freshly-made basil pesto, which you can find near refrigerated fresh pasta and gourmet cheese. Rana’s Basil Pesto is our personal favorite store-bought pesto sauce (not sponsored). Freshly made pesto can certainly be spendy, but it lasts a good amount of time and a little goes a long way to add loads of flavor to so many dishes.
Quick Tip
Put leftover pesto to good use! Consider adding it to some of our favorite dishes like this Pesto Chicken Tortellini, Creamy Pesto Pasta, Pesto Chicken, or one-pot Creamy Pesto Orzo.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage with Pesto Tips
- Generously grease the sheet pan! The butter and sage sauce that coats the gnocchi can get fairly sticky and messy on the sheet pan if you haven’t sprayed it first. I like to give the tray a good spritz with olive oil cooking spray before adding anything on.
- Add pesto to taste. This recipe doesn’t specify how much pesto, because it’s really up to personal preference. We like tons of pesto coating the gnocchi and chicken sausage, but you may prefer less. Serve the container of pesto on the table alongside the meal and everyone can add as much or as little as they’d like as they enjoy the meal.
More gnocchi recipes
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden copycat recipe
- White Bean Gnocchi made in one skillet
- Sausage Gnocchi with crushed tomatoes
- Baked Gnocchi and Vegetables with zucchini, red onion, and sweet peppers
- Chicken Gnocchi Pasta creamy chicken gnocchi
Roasted Sweet Potato and Sausage with Pesto
Equipment
- large sheet pan,
Ingredients
- 1 (14.1-ounce) package Frozen Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Butter & Sage recommended: Trader Joe’s brand
- 1 (12-ounce) package Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage
- Fresh basil pesto to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously grease a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
- Pour the gnocchi (straight from the freezer) onto the pan. Thinly slice chicken sausage and add on top. Toss them together and spread in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes; remove and toss with a metal spatula. Bake another 5–10 minutes or until sausage is lightly caramelized/browned and gnocchi is tender. Toss again and serve.
- Add dollops of pesto (to personal preference—I love lots!) on plates and enjoy immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As your brother in law I have to say…If you like pesto then this recipe is your you! I absolutely love this one and it’s definitely one of my favorite dinner choices!
Yay! Thank you Sean!