Creamy Tomato Gnocchi (Print Version)

Pillowy gnocchi in a luscious creamy tomato sauce topped with Parmesan 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

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
03 - Pour in crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Season with dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Add potato gnocchi to the skillet and stir to evenly coat with sauce. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until gnocchi are tender.
06 - Remove lid, stir in grated Parmesan cheese, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens.
07 - Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's genuinely hard to mess up, which means even on tired evenings you end up with something restaurant-quality.
  • The whole thing comes together in thirty minutes, so weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
  • One skillet means minimal cleanup, leaving more time to actually enjoy what you've made.
02 -
  • Don't skip the one-minute garlic cook; raw garlic in cream sauce tastes sharp and unpleasant, but cooked garlic becomes sweet and mellow.
  • The gnocchi will absorb liquid as they cook, so if your sauce seems thinner than expected after five minutes, that's exactly right—it will thicken as it sits.
  • Grated Parmesan melts smoothly, but pre-shredded cheese with anti-caking agents can become grainy and separated; take the thirty seconds to grate it yourself.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with a lid rather than a pot—you get more surface area for the sauce to interact with the gnocchi, and a lid keeps everything tender without drying.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the gnocchi and adjust everything then; the pasta will absorb flavor but won't add any of its own.
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