Make 'amazing' sausage and leek pasta dish in the air fryer - ready in just 30 minutes

Rustle up a comforting gnocchi dish completely in the air fryer (Image: Getty)

Comfort season is well and truly in full swing, where we’ve swapped light lunches and salads for hearty, warming meals which nourish the soul.

One of the easiest meals to rustle up during the week is pasta, but did you know that you can actually cook it in an air fryer?

Air fryers have become the must-have kitchen staple over the past few years, promising to deliver quick, nutritious meals at cost-saving prices.

Although an air fryer may not be the first appliance that comes to mind when making pasta, BBC Good Food’s Food Editor & Test Kitchen Manager Ailsa Burt has revealed just how easy it is.

Pairing gnocchi with sausages and leeks, Ailsa said in a video uploaded to Instagram: “We are well and truly in to cosy comfort season. When you get home after work and you just want to get cosy on the sofa pronto.”

Pasta doesn't have to be cooked in a saucepan (Image: Getty)

Describing the air fryer pasta dish as “hands-off”, Ailsa explained that the most preparation you’ll need is some chopping.

The Reel has been viewed over 95,800 times already, with pasta fans amazed by the innovative cooking technique. @justgimmefries commented: “Need to try this!”

@thebloodyfoody said, “Funky, that's easy, love it,” while Good Food’s own skills and shows editor Barney wrote: “This looks amazing.”

@likeswildthings agreed: “I did not know you could cook gnocchi in an air fryer! Will give this a go!” So if you’re looking for an intriguing new pasta dish to try, this is what you’ll need for Ailsa’s air fryer gnocchi.

Sausage and leek crispy gnocchi

Ingredients

• 500g fresh gnocchi
• Four sausages, skin removed and broken into pieces
• Two tbsp olive oil
• One leek, finely sliced
• Three garlic cloves, sliced
• One red chilli, deseeded if you like, finely chopped
• 50g kale, roughly chopped
• Two tbsp crème fraiche

To serve

• Grated parmesan

Method

Line your air fryer basket with tin foil. If your air fryer doesn’t have a basket, then you don’t need the tin foil.

Tip the gnocchi and sausages into a bowl with the oil and carefully toss to combine. Spread out in an even layer in the air fryer and cook at 180℃ for 15 minutes, shuffling halfway through for an even cook.

In the same bowl, add the leek, garlic and chilli, toss well then stir in the kale. Once the gnocchi has had 15 minutes, stir in the leek mixture.

Cook for 10 minute, stirring halfway through then transfer to a serving bowl. Stir through the crème fraÎche and season to taste.

Serve with some grated parmesan over the top and a big, lemony, green salad.