Creamy Tomato Gnocchi (Printable)

Pillowy gnocchi gently cooked in a creamy tomato sauce with garlic and basil.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1 lb potato gnocchi (fresh or shelf-stable)

→ Sauce

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup vegetable broth
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
10 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese & Garnish

12 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Pour in crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, dried oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in heavy cream and bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add potato gnocchi to the skillet, stir to coat with sauce, cover, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until gnocchi are tender.
06 - Remove lid, stir in grated Parmesan until melted and sauce thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes.
07 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with extra Parmesan and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deceptively elegant for a weeknight, the kind of dish that makes you feel like you're eating at a restaurant without the fuss.
  • Everything happens in one skillet, so cleanup is mercifully quick and you're not juggling multiple pots.
  • The sauce is naturally forgiving—cream mellows any sharp edges from the tomatoes, making it nearly impossible to mess up.
02 -
  • Don't add the gnocchi until the sauce is already simmering—cold gnocchi dumped into a cold sauce will absorb unevenly and some pieces will burst while others stay firm.
  • If the sauce ever looks too thick while the gnocchi cook, add a splash of broth or pasta water to loosen it; the sauce should coat the gnocchi, not smother it.
03 -
  • If you only have whole gnocchi and not broken pieces, you can gently break larger ones in half—they'll cook faster and be easier to eat, which sounds small but genuinely matters when you're sitting down for a quick dinner.
  • Reserve a cup of starchy pasta water before draining any pasta; if you ever cook fresh pasta to add to this sauce, that water is liquid gold for thinning the sauce to exactly the right consistency.
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