Everybody knows the no-brainer food combinations: peanut butter and jelly, bacon and eggs, rice and beans. Sausage with mushrooms deserves to be on that pedestal of perfect pairings. In this easy one-pan dish, the duo roasts with chewy, crispy gnocchi before being tossed with arugula and a balsamic-mustard dressing. Great on its own or served alongside a larger main like roast chicken, this recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes and goes well with a ripe, easy-going Pinot Noir.
I think the closest thing to a eureka moment that I’ve ever had—the full Looney Tunes lightbulb shining over my noggin—was when I learned that boiling wasn’t the only way to cook gnocchi. When I was growing up, gnocchi was often over-boiled and then dressed simply with butter, parmesan and black pepper. But these dense little dollops of dough are much more versatile—great sauteéd with vegetables, popped last-minute into soups or roasted in the oven. The latter method takes the cake for me, giving the gnocchi a crisp exterior while maintaining that chewy center.
Since sheet pan roasting means everything cooks for the same amount of time, for this recipe, I stuck to things that are also cosmic when crispy: Mushrooms and sausage. For the mushrooms, look for varieties that are flavorful but also have a varied, textured surface area to ensure they get crispy: beech, oysters, trumpets, maitakes, chestnut or a combination of any of those all would work well. The sausage, removed from its casing, is hand-torn and placed all around the sheet pan, aromatizing the gnocchi and mushrooms. (It’s perfectly fine if the sausage chunks are irregular or oddly shaped.).
Tossed with peppery arugula at the last minute, this dish is practically a salad—right? That’s why, rather than a typical pasta sauce, the gnocchi and bits are coated in a dressing, an easy combination of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and Dijon mustard. The vinegar provides a fruitiness and depth that complements the sausage and mushrooms, but the mustard gives a bit of heat. (The mustard is also an emulsifier, making for a cohesive and creamy sauce.)
For a wine pairing, it’s got to be Pinot Noir. It’s the first variety I turn to for serving with mushrooms or anything mustard-coated because of its ability to be juicy, minerally and herbal all at once. While great New World Pinot Noir values can be found in Oregon and Northern California, the Southern Hemisphere can deliver as well with Pinots from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and Chile, like the Viña Leyda Pinot Noir Leyda Valley Coastal Vineyards Las Brisas 2023 (89 points, $20). This Chilean rendition buzzes with red currant and cherry—an easy sipper for an easy dinner.
Crispy Sheet Pan Gnocchi with Sausage, Mushrooms and Arugula
Pair with a juicy Pinot Noir, such as the Viña Leyda Pinot Noir Leyda Valley Coastal Vineyards Las Brisas 2023 (89, $20) from Chile.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Approximate food costs: $30
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
- 1 pound mushrooms (oysters, beech, trumpet, etc., or a mix)
- 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (around four links, removed from casings)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, add the gnocchi and mushrooms. Drizzle two tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over and mix to combine. Scatter the coated gnocchi and mushrooms on a large sheet pan.
2. With your hands, tear bite-sized chunks of the sausage and place all over the sheet pan, getting them in the crannies between the mushrooms and gnocchi. Place pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, tossing after 10 minutes, making sure sides get brown and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the rest of the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard until smooth.
4. Once the gnocchi is roasted, take it out of the oven and top with half of the mustard dressing and all of the arugula, tossing to mix. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top along with fresh-cracked black pepper to taste, then add the parmesan cheese to serve. Serves 4.
