Slow Cooker Sausage Gnocchi Kale

Slow cooker sausage gnocchi kale is a comforting recipe made with simple ingredients like canned tomatoes and dried herbs. The best part about this recipe is that you can tailor it to your liking. Add your favorite veggies or even make it vegan. Instructions to make this hearty gnochhi recipe in the Instant Pot are also included in this blog post.

Ingredients For Sausage Gnocchi Kale

• Ground Sausage
• Gnocchi  (ready-made)
• Fresh or Frozen Kale
• Crushed or Diced Tomatoes
• Beef Broth
• Onion
• Bell Pepper
• Garlic
• Seasoninges: (Italian seasoning, salt, pepper)

How To Make Slow Cooker Sausage Gnocchi Kale

Slow Cooker

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage & cook until browned. Drain the excess grease before adding the sausage to the slow cooker.
2. Add sausage along with all the remaining ingredients except the kale to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
3. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
4. Stir in the kale and serve. 

Instant Pot

1. Set Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Once hot, add ground sausage, onion, & bell pepper and cook 3-5 minutes, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain excess fat from the pressure cooker if needed.
2. Pour in tomatoes & broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
3. Stir in gnocchi, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
4. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 4 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure. 
5. Open the lid and stir in kale. 

What Is Gnocchi

Gnocchi is an small dumpling made from potato, semolina, or flour. This recipe was made to use ready-made dried gnocchi. You can usually find dried gnocchi in the pasta section of the grocery store. If you use dried gnocchi, rinse it before you add it to the slow cooker or Instant Pot. You can use frozen gnocchi. If you are going to use frozen gnocchi with the slow cooker, wait until the last 30 minutes of cook time to add it. If you use dried gnocchi with the slow cooker, it’s added with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning.

What Type Of Sausage To Use

I used a generic brand of a mild ground Italian sausage. Get creative! You can use sliced smoked sausage, or even chorizo. Ground meat is another substitute whether it be ground beef, turkey, pork, or chicken.

FAQs & Tips

• I like to brown the sausage in a skillet so I can drain the grease before adding it to the slow cooker. Using the Instant Pot makes this step easy because you can saute directly in the base. If you’re using a very lean ground sausage, you will find that you might not need to do this step.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the frig for up to 4 days.
• You can use frozen gnocchi. If you are going to use frozen gnocchi with the slow cooker, wait until the last 30 minutes of cook time to add it.
• Don’t like kale? Use spinach! Add your favorite veggies to this like mushrooms.
• I used a large 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe.

Slow Cooker Sausage Gnocchi Kale

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Slow cooker sausage gnocchi kale is a comforting recipe made with simple ingredients like canned tomatoes and dried herbs. The best part about this recipe is that you can tailor it to your liking. Add your favorite ingredients or even make it vegan. Instructions to make this hearty gnochhi recipe in the Instant Pot are also included in this blog post.

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 pound ground sausage
• 16 ounces ready-made gnocchi
• 2 cups fresh or frozen kale, chopped
• 28 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or another dried herb
• 1 teaspoon salt (or more)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

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Instructions

Slow Cooker

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage & cook until browned. Drain the excess grease before adding the sausage to the slow cooker.
2. Add sausage along with all the remaining ingredients except the kale to the slow cooker. Stir to mix well.
3. Cook HIGH 2-3 hours or LOW 4-6.
4. Stir in the kale and serve.

Instant Pot

1. Set Instant Pot to the high saute setting. Once hot, add ground sausage, onion, & bell pepper and cook 3-5 minutes, crumbling the sausage as it cooks. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Drain excess fat from the pressure cooker if needed.
2. Pour in tomatoes & broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon.
3. Stir in gnocchi, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper.
4. Close and seal vent. Select manual setting and set time for 4 minutes. When cooking time is complete, quick release the pressure.
5. Open the lid and stir in kale.

Notes

The kale will cook quickly once added to a hot slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 568
• Sugar: 3.8 g
• Sodium: 1310.6 mg
• Fat: 23.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 51.7 g
• Fiber: 2.6 g
• Protein: 26.7 g
• Cholesterol: 111.3 mg

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