1-Gathering Your Ingredients: First, get everything ready by chopping and measuring. Slice 1 pound of Italian chicken sausage into bite-sized pieces and dice 1 small white onion. Mince 4 cloves of garlic and open your 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes. This prep ensures your sausage and gnocchi marinara comes together without any hitches, just like in the directions provided.

2-Browning the Sausage: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the sausage pieces. Brown them on both sides for about 6 to 8 minutes, then set them aside. This step builds that savory base, as mentioned in the recipe summary, making your sausage and gnocchi marinara extra tasty.

3-Sautéing Aromatics: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sauté the diced onion for 5 minutes until it’s lightly golden. Stir in the minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes, cooking for 2 more minutes. This layer of flavor is key, just like in the original directions.

4-Simmering the Sauce: Pour in the whole tomatoes with their juices and gently break them up with a spoon. Bring it to a simmer and reduce the heat to low, letting it bubble away. For the next part, stir in the potato gnocchi and cooked sausage, simmering for 6 to 8 minutes until the gnocchi is tender, as per the recipe guidelines.

5-Adding Greens and Finishing Touches: Toss in 2 handfuls of fresh baby spinach and 1/2 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves, stirring until the spinach wilts. Season with fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste. Finally, serve it warm with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese on top, creating a balanced meal that’s high in protein and full of vitamins.