A simple way to elevate store‑bought gnocchi into a memorable meal. Crispy chorizo, sweet onions and peppers mingle in a creamy, spicy harissa and coconut milk sauce. I add fresh spinach and halved cherry tomatoes for brightness. Ready in about 30 minutes, perfect for a weeknight.
“Just cooked this for the first time. Absolutely mouthwatering and very easy. I bought gnocchi from Sainsbury’s and instructions said not to boil, but to fry in butter, which I did. Awesome recipe, definitely do again, and again, and again!”
– Sally Walton
Nicky’s Notes
Why is this my first gnocchi recipe on the blog? It’s such a quick, flavourful dinner using store‑bought gnocchi. It soaks up bold ingredients like chorizo and harissa beautifully.
I borrowed the idea of a tangy, creamy sauce from my ravioli sauce recipe but swapped in harissa for heat and coconut milk for richness. The crispy chorizo gives the dish a lovely salty, smoky bite.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 Ingredients for Harissa Gnocchi
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Recipe Tips
- Ingredient spotlight: Harissa
- 🍽️ What to serve it with
- Can I use homemade gnocchi?
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Gnocchi with Chorizo and Creamy Harissa Sauce Recipe
- 🍲 More Quick Dinner recipes
📋 Ingredients for Harissa Gnocchi
***Full recipe with quantities and detailed steps in the recipe card below***
- Gnocchi – I use fresh, store‑bought gnocchi, but homemade works well too.
- Chorizo – Ready‑diced Spanish chorizo keeps this quick. Choose mild or spicy to suit your taste.
Note on Harissa
I use rose harissa, which is slightly milder and more complex in flavour. Regular harissa works perfectly as well — use whichever you prefer.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
***Full recipe with detailed steps and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below***
Crisp the chorizo in a splash of oil, then remove it. Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in the chorizo oil, season, then stir in harissa and tomato purée. Add coconut milk and cherry tomatoes and simmer while you cook the gnocchi. Drain the gnocchi and add it back to the pan with the chorizo and spinach. Toss until everything is heated through and the spinach has just wilted.
Recipe Tips
- You don’t need much oil when frying the chorizo — it releases its own fat as it cooks.
- PRO TIP: Gnocchi cooks in just a few minutes. When cooked it will float to the surface of the boiling water.
Ingredient spotlight: Harissa
Harissa is a North African chilli paste, typically spicy and smoky. It adds depth to sauces, marinades and rubs — perfect here for a warm, fragrant kick.
🍽️ What to serve it with
I like to finish this dish with a sprinkle of black pepper, chilli flakes and chopped parsley.
- Garlic bread or chunks of crusty artisan bread to soak up the sauce.
- A simple green salad or butter lettuce salad on the side to balance the richness.
So much flavour in every bite.
Are you interested in other gnocchi flavour ideas? Let me know in the comments below.
Can I use homemade gnocchi?
Yes — homemade gnocchi works well. Making gnocchi from scratch is easier than you might think and gives a lovely texture.
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📺 Watch how to make it
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Gnocchi with Chorizo and Creamy Harissa Sauce
10
20
30
Ingredients
- 1 tsp neutral oil (I like avocado oil)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) diced chorizo (ready‑chopped Spanish chorizo works well)
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1½ tbsp harissa paste
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 200 ml (7 fl oz) full‑fat coconut milk
- 150 g (5.3 oz) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 500 g (17.6 oz) fresh gnocchi
- 60 g (2 packed cups) baby spinach
To Serve:
- Chilli flakes
- Black pepper
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium‑high heat.
- Add the chorizo and cook, stirring often, for 3–4 minutes until it starts to release its oils.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the chorizo and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pan of water to the boil for the gnocchi.
- Stir the harissa paste and tomato purée into the softened vegetables.
- Add the coconut milk and cherry tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook for 2–4 minutes, until the gnocchi float to the surface.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked gnocchi directly into the frying pan with the sauce.
- Add the spinach and the reserved chorizo, stir and cook for 1–2 minutes until the spinach wilts.
- Serve topped with chilli flakes, black pepper and chopped parsley.
Notes
Don’t want it spicy?
Use mild chorizo and replace the harissa with the same amount of tomato purée mixed with smoked paprika, garlic salt, cumin and ground coriander to taste.
Can I make it ahead?
This tastes best when freshly cooked but reheats well. Cool, cover and refrigerate, then reheat in a pan over medium heat, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened.
Can I freeze it?
I don’t recommend freezing this dish as the texture changes on thawing.
Ingredient swaps
- Swap chorizo for crispy bacon, or add cooked chicken, pork or prawns.
- Add other vegetables such as peas, green beans or courgette (zucchini).
Scaling
Double or halve the recipe keeping the same ratios. If doubling, the cook time may be a few minutes longer to heat through.
Nutritional information is per serving (based on 4 servings) and is an approximation.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 54 g |
Protein: 14 g |
Fat: 22 g |
Saturated Fat: 13 g |
Sodium: 1119 mg |
Fiber: 5 g |
Sugar: 4 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
This chorizo gnocchi recipe was first posted in Feb 2022 and has since been updated with improvements.
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