Gnocchi Tray bake (One Pan 30 Minute Meal)

This gnocchi tray bake is roasted with chicken apple sausage, brussels sprouts and drizzled with a balsamic fig glaze. It’ll be on your table in under 30 minutes!

Related: Stuffed & Roasted Avocados

gnocchi tray bake with roasted vegetables and chicken apple sausage and caramelized lemons on a sheet pan with brown parchment paper

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What is a tray bake

gnocchi sheet pan meal with roasted lemons vegetables gnocchi and chicken apple sausage on a baking sheet

A tray bake is an easy sheet pan meal with a variety of different vegetables, meat, and other ingredients to add flavor like citrus or nuts. It’s an easy one-pan meal that’s usually ready within 30 minutes or less.

how to make a gnocchi tray bake

This gnocchi tray bake is rich with roasted flavors and has a sweet balsamic fig glaze to to it off. It’s a simple dish made with simple ingredients, and not a ton of spices – the flavor comes from the lemon and the roasted vegetables.

Ingredients

Meyer Lemon – sweeter than a regular lemon and add a citrusy aroma to the dish.
Brussels sprouts – the perfect hearty vegetable for a roasted tray bake.
Gnocchi – when baked, gnocchi has a perfectly soft and chewy inside and an ever so slight crunch on the outside.
Chicken apple sausage – these slightly sweet sausages make for a great companion to this sheet pan meal.
Red onion – roasted red onion is amazingly sweet. When roasted, red onion takes on a whole new flavor than raw red onion.
Avocado oil – it’s important to use a high-smoke-point oil when you’re roasting at high temps.
Black pepper and sea salt – use high quality sea salt versus table salt. Sea salt has beneficial nutrients whereas table salt is completely devoid of nutrients.
Pine nuts – add a fun texture to the dish!
Balsamic fig glaze – see below for the recipe. 2 ingredients and it’ll change your life. Trust me.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice and seed lemon then chop brussels and sausage.

sliced and seeded meyer lemons on a wooden cutting board

Toss all ingredinets in a large bowl with oil, salt and pepper until combined.

large white bowl with brussels spouts chicken apple sausage lemons and pine nuts

Transfer to a large rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

brussels sprouts gnocchi lemon pine nuts and red onion on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper

Roast for about 20 minutes until the ingredients are browned to your liking.
While roasting, mix your balsamic glaze by whisking 1/2 cup fig jam and 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar until smooth.

using a fork to whisk fig jam and balsamic vinegar in a glass bowl

Remove the sheet pan from the oven, drizzle with balsamic fig glaze and enjoy.

how to store a gnocchi sheet pan meal

To store your gnocchi tray bake, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To reheat, place the leftovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in a 350-degree F oven for about 10 minutes (or until warmed through). You could also reheat in the microwave or a cast-iron skillet.

How to season and cook with cast iron skillets

gnocchi tray bake Tips

gnocchi tray bake on a gold spatula with chicken apple sausage brussels sprouts red onion pine nuts

If you’re building your own tray bake (see below) rather than using my exact recipe, be sure to use ingredients that take about the same time to roast.
Use a high smoke-point oil for roasting. Olive oil is not a good choice for tray bakes since we are roasting at a high temperature and olive oil has a low smoke-point.
Dont be afraid to bake your gnocchi straight from the package! In fact, please DO NOT boil it first. Baking gnocchi makes it perfectly soft and slightly crispy on the outside.

In a pinch instructions

This recipe is already a very quick recipe, however, there are a couple of things to highlight that’ll make it super quick and easy to whip up in no time.

Use packaged gnocchi as the recipe calls for.
Omit the lemon slices and just squeeze the juice onto the mixture.

Serving Suggestions

gnocchi tray bake on a white plate with balsamic fig glaze drizzled over top and baking sheet pans in the background

Side dish

Serve this as a side dish by either keeping or omitting the sausage. The chicken apple sausage makes this a heartier dish but it would still be a great side dish even with them.

Main course

Use the gnocchi tray bake as an easy one-pan meal for simple weeknight dinners that pack a ton of flavor!

Potluck idea

For a simple potluck side dish, you can bring this full roasted and ready to go, or you could prep everything and bake on location if you have that luxury.

build your own tray bake

gnocchi tray bake with ingredients on a parchment lined baking sheet

There are 5 components to a well-rounded sheet pan meal – those are protein, starch, vegetables, flavor enhancers, and sauce. See some ideas below to build your own tray bake!

Protein

Chicken
Chorizo
Italian sausage
Chicken apple sausage
Seafood
Meatballs
Lamb
Halloumi
Eggs
Chickpeas

Starch

Gnocchi
Sweet potatoes
Red potatoes
Yukon gold potatoes
Croutons
Squash
Orzo pasta

Vegetables

Red onion
Yellow onion
Tomatoes
Brussels sprouts
Broccoli rabe
Broccoli florets
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Red bell peppers

Flavor enhancers

Fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary, cilantro, basil, etc.)
Spices and dried herbs
Nuts (any variety)
Lemon
Cheese (feta, goat, parmesan, blue cheese, etc.)
Olives
Capers
Sundried tomatoes

Sauce

Browned butter
Balsamic fig glaze (see recipe below)
Ancho aioli
Dill Aioli
Horseradish Aioli
Reduced balsamic
Pesto
Tzatziki
Maple balsamic dressing

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Dutch oven
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baked Gnocchi faq

Can you bake gnocchi without boiling?

Yes, you can bake gnocchi without boiling. In fact, if you’re going to bake it you should not boil it first. If you toss the gnocchi in a little bit of oil and lemon juice it’ll roast to perfection.

How do you cook gnocchi from a packet?

You can cook gnocchi by boiling it or baking it depending on the texture you’re going for. Toss the packaged gnocchi in a pot of soup for a boiled texture. Bake it along with a tray bake for a soft and slight crunch on the outside texture.

Is there a difference between gnocchi and skillet gnocchi?

When most people think of gnocchi, they think of the boiled potato dumplings, however, skillet gnocchi is another way to prepare it – just fry it up in a skillet instead.

What can I eat with gnocchi?

Gnocchi is great in soups, fried in a skillet with other vegetables and meat, roasted in the oven as a sheet pan meal, or served on the side of meat and vegetables.

Is gnocchi healthier than pasta?

Gnocchi has fewer carbs than pasta, but pasta has more protein. The two are fairly comparable in terms of nutrition.

Pin it for later – gnocchi tray bake

Gnocchi tray bake with balsamic fig glaze

Related: Horseradish Aioli Recipe

print the gnocchi tray bake recipe

Kyrie | Healthfully Rooted Home