If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my kitchen adventures, it’s that gnocchi dough has a personality. Some days it behaves, some days it acts like it woke up on the wrong side of the bowl. But when it finally comes together—soft, pillowy, and ready for greatness—you know you’ve got something special. And in this case, that “something special” is a gloriously spicy, chorizo-studded, can’t-stop-eating-it Chorizo Arrabiata Gnocchi situation that feels like a cozy night in… with a little drama.
Now, before you worry that this is turning into an all-day project: yes, the gnocchi is homemade (and yes, you’re going to feel incredibly impressed with yourself), but the sauce? Oh, the sauce is the easiest part of the whole affair. We’re letting Regano’s pasta sauces do the heavy lifting here. They’re packed with flavor, beautifully balanced, and honestly taste like someone’s Italian nonna spent all afternoon simmering them—except she apparently works in a jar factory now, and we’re okay with that. Convenience + quality + actual deliciousness is a combo I will happily commit to.
To keep things interesting, we’re bringing chorizo to the party. Spicy, smoky, slightly rebellious chorizo. The kind that instantly transforms your kitchen from “just cooking dinner” to “building a personality with food choices.” Paired with the fiery kick of arrabiata sauce, it gives this dish a boldness that contrasts beautifully with the gentle, fluffy gnocchi. It’s like a love story between opposites—though not the sappy rom-com kind; more like the quirky indie film where everyone wears fun socks.
What I love most about this recipe is how it balances a homemade moment with a shortcut that doesn’t feel like cheating. Making gnocchi by hand feels almost meditative, like you’re taking a short break from emails, notifications, and that one plant you keep forgetting to water. Meanwhile, cracking open a jar of Regano’s pasta sauces feels like giving yourself a very reasonable gift: time. And flavor. And fewer dirty dishes. Truly the trifecta.
So whether you’re cooking for someone else, for yourself, or for your future hungry self tomorrow (this reheats like a dream, by the way), this Chorizo Arrabiata Gnocchi is about to become one of those dishes you make once and immediately add to your “yes, absolutely, again” list. Let’s get into it.
Equipment
- potato ricer or masher
Ingredients
Homemade Gnocchi
- 500 grams potatoes pre peeling
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100 grams 00 flour or all purpose flour
- rice flour for dusting
Chorizo Arrabiata Sauce
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 50 grams tomato paste
- 200 grams Spanish chorizo sausage cubed
- 2 sachets Regano Arrabiata sauce
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar optional
- 1 tsp Fresh chili chopped, or to your preference
- Handful of fresh basil roughly chopped
- salt to taste
Instructions
Homemade Gnocchi
- Start by scoring the potato by slicing a shallow cut around the middle of the potato. Place in a medium saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Boil until the potato is fork tender. Drain and allow to cool to the point where you can peel them.
- Mash the potato using a potato masher and gently push the mashed potato through a sieve. This'll ensure a light and pillowy soft gnocchi.
- In a medium bowl, add the mashed potato, egg yolk and salt. Roughly mix and add some of the flour. Gently combine using a fork, the texture will be crumbly. Continue adding the flour until mostly combined.
- Tip onto a clean working surface gently bring the mixture together, gently kneading but only until just combined, about 30 seconds -1 minute. Cover with clingwrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile make the pasta sauce.
- Once rested, lightly dust the countertop with rice flour. Slice into 4 equal parts and roll each piece into a long strip. Using a bench scraper or knife cut the gnocchi into bite size chunks. Place onto a separate tray, add a generous dusting of rice flour to ensuring the gnocchi stays separated from one another. Note: the gnocchi might be a bit sticky so use the rice flour as you need. Also, the gnocchi will swell once boiled so keep the sizing in mind when you cut the gnocchi.
- Add water to a medium saucepan and bring to a rolling boil, gently add the gnocchi to the water, giving it a gentle stir, and cook the gnocchi until the whole batch has floated to the top. Drain and add directly to the sauce.
Chorizo Arrabiata Sauce
- Bring a large saucepan to a medium-high heat. Add olive oil and onion and saute until the onion turns translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes or until the paste turns darker in colour.
- Add cubed chorizo and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the premade pasta sauce, 1 cup water, white wine vinegar, sugar (if using) and simmer on a med-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Finish off with fresh basil and chilli. Set aside and keep warm until the gnocchi is ready.
- Drop the cooked gnocchi into the sauce and stir gently, ensuring every bit is coated. Garnish with fresh parmesan and dig in!