Nonfat plain yogurt and a few berries start most mornings at home. Travel provides the perfect excuse to hit the breakfast buffet. So does eating breakfast at a local restaurant with friends. There, we indulge in all kinds of goodies.

Similarly, holiday house guests offer an occasion to pull out all the stops for breakfast. This season, we will serve our version of a clever dish enjoyed at Beatnik on the River, steps from a morning walk along Chicago’s river.

Appropriately named “breakfast gnocchi”, the restaurant’s hearty entree comprises a pile of potato gnocchi, colorful vegetables, and chunks of sausage nestling a softly fried egg. Attractive, gluten-free, easily vegetarian, and make-ahead friendly, this dish is brilliant, we declared.

When there’s time we make fresh potato gnocchi, those bite-sized traditional, fluffy Italian dumplings, from a trustworthy cookbook or website. The version in the “Joy of Cooking” cookbook always delights. Gnocchi can be treated just like pasta, topped with sauce, or served simply with butter and cheese. They can be made several days in advance.

If short on time or seeking convenience, store-bought potato gnocchi makes quick work for a breakfast or brunch dish. Read labels to avoid any nasty-tasting preservatives and additives, such as potassium sorbate. Shelf-stable organic gnocchi imported from Italy uses just a few ingredients. Most frozen gnocchi also dodge preservatives. Be aware that some products also contain wheat flour. Sweet potato gnocchi, small cheese tortellini or ravioli also work well in the recipe that follows.

Bite-sized crumbles of breakfast sausage, sauteed with a bit of bacon and red onion, add flavor to the final combination. Pat off excess fat from the cooked sausage, if you wish. For the vegetarians at our table, we substitute plant-based savory ground sausage (or links, diced) for the pork breakfast sausage, and add 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.

Diced bell peppers and shelled edamame add texture and a touch of vegetable sweetness. Fresh sage leaves add a wintery flavor and aroma; use any fresh herbs on hand or just a bit of dried.

Top each serving with one or two eggs, as guests prefer. Alternatively, scramble eight eggs with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream or water, then add to the hot gnocchi mixture and set the pan over medium heat. Stir gently until eggs have set into large curds, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Add a shower of fresh cilantro and a sprinkle of hot sauce at the end.

For a complete meal, serve this breakfast dish with a side of fresh citrus fruit, such as grapefruit and orange segments, topped with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds. Wrap it all up with plenty of your best coffee and a chunk of cinnamon roll. Your guests will return!

Breakfast Gnocchi with Sausage, Peppers and Sage

Makes 6 servings

Note: Small cheese tortellini or ravioli can be substituted for the gnocchi; cook according to package directions before using in Step 3.

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 small or 1/2 medium-sized red onion, chopped

1 or 2 strips smoked bacon, diced

1 package (12 ounces) bulk or sliced breakfast pork sausage (no casings)

1/2 each, cored, chopped: red or orange bell pepper, green bell pepper

1 cup frozen shelled edamame or green peas, thawed

Salt

1 package (17 ounces) organic potato gnocchi or 1 1/2 packages (12 ounces each) frozen gnocchi

6 to 12 eggs (1 or 2 per person as desired)s

1/4 cup small fresh sage leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage or basil leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

2 green onions, thinly sliced or 1/4 cup sliced fresh chives

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot red pepper sauce, such as peri peri

1. Heat a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil, red onion and bacon. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add sausage, breaking it up into small bits with a spatula. Cook until sausage and bacon brown, about 10 minutes. Use paper toweling to gently pat off excess fat.

2. Stir in bell peppers and cook until vegetables are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in edamame and remove from heat. (Recipe can be made ahead to this point up to two days. Refrigerate covered and reheat in skillet.)

3. Shortly before serving, heat a large saucepan of water to the boil; add 1 teaspoon salt and return to the boil. Add gnocchi. Cook and stir until most of the gnocchi float, 2 to 3 minutes. (Check package directions.) Drain in a colander set in the sink. Stir hot gnocchi into the skillet of sausage and vegetables.

4. Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil. Gently crack eggs into the oil (you can cook four to six eggs at a time depending on the size of the skillet.) Cover the pan and cook until the egg yolks are as set as you like, 3 to 4 minutes for soft set.

5. Heat the skillet of vegetables and gnocchi over medium high. Add sage leaves. Season with black pepper.

6. Scoop out a portion of gnocchi mixture onto each serving plate. Top with an egg or two; sprinkle with green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with hot sauce. Serve hot.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2025 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.