Creamy Italian Gnocchi with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Spinach

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet. Add half of the diced mushrooms (seasoned generously with salt and pepper) and cook them on high heat for about 1 or 2 minutes, until lightly browned and softened. Remove them to a plate.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same, now empty, skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from the casings and slice it.

Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes on one side, without turning, to get the sausage slices browned. Flip over to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.

Add uncooked gnocchi to the sausage and brown it lightly on medium heat for about 1 or 2 minutes.

In the same skillet as the sausage and gnocchi, add chicken broth, heavy cream, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and paprika. Then, add the remaining half of the uncooked mushrooms.

Stir and bring to a boil on medium heat. Cover with a lid, and simmer the gnocchi for about 5 minutes on medium or low-medium heat.

Add fresh spinach, and cook on low-medium heat, stirring frequently, for 5 more minutes until it wilts to your liking.

Cook longer if you want a thicker sauce (this is especially true if you use a half-and-half or thinner dairy-free milk alternative).

Season with salt and freshly ground coarse black pepper, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika, if needed.

Top with the remaining half of the cooked mushrooms.