This baked gnocchi is total comfort food made easy casserole.
Wickedly delicious, outrageously easy, and a total crowd-pleaser. Soft pillowy bites of gnocchi coated in a silky tomato sauce.
Every time I make gnocchi, I wonder why I don’t make it more often. I ADORE gnocchi. Capital letters and bold.
10 years ago, store-bought gnocchi – fresh in the refrigerator section or dried in the past aisle – left a lot to be desired. I tried it once and was turned off.
It wasn’t until early this year that a friend made me gnocchi and sheepishly confessed that he hadn’t made the gnocchi from scratch.
I was utterly amazed. The gnocchi was great. It was soft, a bit chewy as gnocchi should be, juicy and full of flavor. It was just shy of homemade gnocchi.
And so, it will come as no surprise to you, that I became a Gnocchi Monster. I didn’t make pasta for months, all I made was gnocchi when I wanted a pasta fix. 🙈
Cooking gnocchi is pretty much the same as cooking pasta, except it cooks faster. Plus you know exactly when they are ready because they pop to the surface – I get a kick out of that every time! (The child within me who gets amused at the smallest of things….)
Any sauce you use for pasta, you can use for gnocchi. Bolognese Gnocchi is one of my favorites actually! Have you tried the Slow Cooker Bolognese I shared here a few months ago? It’s EPIC!
If you loved baked pastas, this baked gnocchi is a dream come true. It’s like your favorite baked pasta, taken up 2 3 4 notches. Those little soft, juicy, pillowy balls of gnocchi coated in an extra creamy tomato sauce. I like to use a touch of cream in the marinara sauce – it makes it just that little bit silkier. :)
I’ve kept this baked gnocchi simple but as you can imagine, there are endless possibilities to fill it out with chicken and/or vegetables. Also, I’ve made this using a store bought Marinara Sauce but you could of course use your favorite homemade one.
Enjoy!
Baked Gnocchi Casserole in Creamy Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds gnocchi store bought
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 700 ml marinara sauce 24 ounces
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- ½ cup basil leaves torn/chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Cook gnocchi according to packet directions. Drain and transfer to 1.5 quart baking dish.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 ½ minutes.
- Add marinara sauce. Turn heat down and bring to simmer. Stir through cream and Seasonings, if using.
- Pour over gnocchi. Stir to spread out. Top with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden.
- Garnish with basil leaves if desired and serve immediately.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dinner
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This was absolutely delicious! The rich sauce combined with the fluffy bites of gnocchi was a delight. I can’t wait to make it again.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Joann!
Tasted great but nothing more then gnocchi with pasta sauce and cheese. Too much effort for such a basic dish. Pass.
This is an easy and great recipe my family loves! I have made it a couple of times and added spinach tonight which I needed to use up.