Creamy Tomato Gnocchi (Printer View)

Pillowy gnocchi in a luscious creamy tomato sauce with herbs and Parmesan.

# 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 - ½ cup heavy cream
07 - ¼ cup vegetable broth
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp dried basil
10 - ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Cheese & Garnish

12 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

# Method Steps:

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

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes flat, which means you can eat something genuinely comforting on a busy night instead of ordering out.
  • One skillet does all the work, so cleanup is almost as quick as dinner itself.
  • The sauce tastes like it's been simmering for hours, but the cream and tomatoes create magic almost instantly.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial five-minute simmer of the tomato sauce alone—that time matters for mellowing the acidity and deepening flavors instead of just heating everything through.
  • Gnocchi cook best covered and with occasional stirring rather than constant agitation, which can break them apart into floury bits instead of keeping them whole and pillowy.
  • Freshly grated Parmesan melts evenly into the sauce, while pre-grated cheese with anti-caking agents tends to clump no matter how gently you stir.
03 -
  • Don't let the sauce reach a hard boil once the cream is in; gentle heat keeps it smooth and silky instead of breaking or separating.
  • Taste the sauce before adding gnocchi so you can fix the seasoning now rather than trying to correct it later when everything is mixed together.
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