Gnocchi Bake with ‘Nduja

Gnocchi Bake with ‘Nduja Recipe

If you’ve read my Risotto alla Milanese recipe, then you’ll know that pasta isn’t a big feature in our home. Living in the North though means we still need our comfort food, and this gnocchi bake with ‘nduja is exactly that.

Whenever I make gnocchi, I tend to gravitate towards tomato-based sauces with a hint of spice. ‘Nduja, which is very similar to Chorizo, is one of my go-to spicy sausages as it adds a wonderfully deep and rich flavour to anything it’s added to.

If you’ve not heard of ‘Nduja before, it’s quite similar to chorizo in flavour. Originating from Italy, ‘Nduja is a spicy pork sausage with an extremely soft texture. This soft texture means it’s able to melt seamlessly into sauces for an a gorgeously intense flavour.

As ‘Nduja cooks, it releases an intensely piquant pepper infused oil, that merges with the gnocchi and tomato sauce.

This recipe was inspired in part by one of my favourite bloggers, Half Baked Harvest and her Baked Gnocchi Bolognaise recipe. I had never really thought about doing a gnocchi bake before, but it makes complete sense. Especially as pasta bakes in our house are few and far between.

Gnocchi is a great replacement for pasta, and is just as versatile, if not more so. Making a gnocchi bake is actually easier than a pasta bake, as there’s no need to pre-boil the gnocchi – unlike pasta.

This gnocchi and ‘Nduja bake is one of our go-to Friday night recipes. Because of how easy it is to whip up, as well as how comforting it is, this gnocchi and ‘Nduja bake is the perfect way to end the week.

Let’s talk ingredients…

Gnocchi: There’s no need for a particular type of gnocchi, nor brand. Use Gluten-Free, traditional, or any other flavour that has captured your eye. Spinach gnocchi is an amazing alternative in this recipe!

‘Nduja Pesto: If you can’t find ‘Nduja pesto at your local supermarket, then sundried tomato pesto with minced chorizo is a great alternative.

Cheese: Mozzarella has a subtle and nutty flavour which works well with spicy dishes, as it complements rather than complicates the flavours. You could use any form of mozzarella for this recipe, and trust me when I say there’s plenty to choose from.