Creamy Dairy-Free Gnocchi with a High Protein Tuscan Sauce
With flavorful sausage and a creamy cashew-based sauce, this dairy-free Tuscan gnocchi is high in protein and packed with sweet Italian flavor.
Servings: 4
Calories: 838kcal
Equipment
- 1 blender
- 1 large skillet or dutch oven
Ingredients
- ½ cup whole, unsalted cashews soaked
- ½ yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian Sausage 4-5 sausage links
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 1 pound gnocchi packaged or frozen, 1 15-17oz package
- ⅓ cup dairy free milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes in oil or water
- 1 handful basil torn or chopped
- ½ cup parmesan cheese vegan
Instructions
- Add the ½ cup whole, unsalted cashews to a bowl and cover with just enough hot water to cover them. Cover the bowl with a towel and let them soak while you making the rest of the recipe.
- Heat a dutch oven or similar on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoon olive oil, 4 cloves garlic, ½ yellow onion, ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and oregano, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and saute until fragrant.
- Remove these sauted vegetables and add to a blender with the ⅓ cup dairy free milk, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, ⅓ cup sun dried tomatoes, and cashews in hot water. Then blend until creamy, about 1-2 minutes. If you are struggling to blend, add ¼ cup of water or bone broth until the desired texture is achieved.Just make sure the cashews have soaked for at least 15 minutes. There will be a little wait time, so you can start the sausage while you wait for the cashews.
- Add the diced 1 pound Italian Sausage to the Dutch oven and saute until brown and crispy. I like to slice the sauce really thin to get it nice and crispy. If you use ground Italian sausage, just be sure to drain the fat.
- Remove the chicken sausage and set aside. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup chicken bone broth. Add the 1 pound gnocchi and push down into one layer so all the gnocchi is mostly in the liquid. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes or until they are soft.
- Pour the blended Tuscan sauce into the pan and add the sausage back, Bring to a boil and cook 1-2 minutes until heated through. Then stir in the 1 handful basil and ½ cup parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Expert Tips
- Cover the cashews: We want to keep all the heat in the hot water the cashews are soaking in. I will cover mine with a plate and towel to help.
- Push the gnocchi down: There is just enough broth for the gnocchi to absorb. You will need to push it down so they are all mostly covered to cook evenly.
- Blend for a while: We want this sauce nice and smooth so you will need to blend for a full 1-2 minutes. Stop to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust: Taste is subjective, so taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper as you see fit.
- A note about gluten-free gnocchi: It is notorious for turning into mush. Please be aware of this. I recommend using DeLallo or Gia Russa.
Nutrition
Calories: 838kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 1459mg | Potassium: 837mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 8mg