Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi
Creamy Tuscan gnocchi with pillowy potato gnocchi in a sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce. A one-pan meatless dinner ready in 30 minutes.
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Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi tastes like it belongs at a nice Italian spot, but it happens in one pan in half an hour. Pillowy potato gnocchi get golden in the pan, then simmer in a sun-dried tomato and spinach cream sauce. The tomatoes bring a sweet-tangy chew, the spinach wilts right in, and the parmesan cream pulls it together. It’s rich without any meat at all.
What makes it truly one-pan is cooking the gnocchi right in the sauce instead of boiling it first. Shelf-stable gnocchi from the pasta aisle is made to simmer straight in liquid. As it cooks, it releases starch that thickens the cream into a sauce that hugs every piece.
Searing the gnocchi in a little oil first gives them toasty edges that hold up instead of going mushy. I lean on a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. They’re already soft, and that oil doubles as the fat for searing the gnocchi and sauteing the garlic. Add seared chicken if you want, but the gnocchi is the star here.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Pillowy gnocchi, crisp edges. Searing them before they simmer gives the gnocchi golden, toasty edges instead of a mushy texture.
- One pan, no boiling. The gnocchi cooks right in the sauce, so there’s a single pan to wash and no pot of water to drain.
- A rich, tangy cream sauce. Sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and parmesan build a sauce that tastes far more involved than it is.
- Meatless but special. It’s cozy and satisfying on its own, and easy to add chicken to if you want it heartier.
Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi Ingredients
Reach for shelf-stable potato gnocchi from the pasta aisle for the one-pan method, not the refrigerated or frozen kind, since it holds its shape best simmering in the sauce. Oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes beat the dry kind here because they’re already soft and the oil adds another layer of flavor.
- 2 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar (or olive oil)
- 1 lb shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- Fresh basil, for garnish
Recipe Variations
- Add seared, sliced chicken or crumbled Italian sausage if you want a meatier meal; brown it first, then build the sauce in the same pan.
- Stir in a handful of chopped artichoke hearts with the sun-dried tomatoes for another briny, tangy note.
- Use half-and-half in place of the cream for a lighter sauce, simmering it a minute longer to help it thicken.
How to Make Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi
- Sear the gnocchi: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden and toasty on the outside. Transfer to a plate.
- Saute the garlic and tomatoes: Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using to the same skillet. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Pour in the vegetable broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the heavy cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the gnocchi: Return the gnocchi to the skillet and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat them.
- Add the parmesan and spinach: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan until smooth, then add the spinach a handful at a time and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve: Taste and adjust the salt. Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan and serve warm right out of the pan.
Do You Boil the Gnocchi First?
No. Shelf-stable potato gnocchi goes into this pan dry, straight from the package, and cooks in the broth and cream. Boiling it first and then adding it gives you a softer, wetter result and an extra pot to wash.
Cooking it in the sauce also does something boiling cannot: the starch that would otherwise wash into your pasta water stays in the pan and thickens the sauce. That is why this recipe needs no flour or cornstarch.
- Shelf-stable gnocchi, the vacuum-packed kind, is what this is built for. It is sturdier than fresh or frozen.
- Refrigerated gnocchi works but cooks faster, so start checking at 3 minutes.
- Frozen gnocchi should go in frozen and needs a few extra minutes plus a splash more broth.
- Stir gently and not often. Gnocchi is soft and it will break into paste if you treat it like pasta.
They are done when they float and give slightly under a spoon, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Past that they start dissolving into the sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Do I Need to Boil the Gnocchi First?
No, and that’s the point of this recipe. Shelf-stable gnocchi cooks right in the sauce, soaking up flavor and releasing starch that thickens everything. Searing it first just gives it golden edges before it simmers.
What Kind of Gnocchi Should I Buy?
The shelf-stable potato gnocchi from the pasta aisle holds up best in the one-pan method. Refrigerated and frozen gnocchi can work but tend to turn softer, so watch them closely and add them straight to the simmering sauce.
Can I Make It without Cream?
Half-and-half works for a lighter sauce, though it won’t be as thick, so give it an extra minute or two to reduce. A few tablespoons of cream cheese can also add richness in place of some of the cream.
How Do I Add Chicken?
Season and sear bite-sized or sliced chicken to 165°F first, set it aside, and stir it back in at the end with the spinach. Build the whole sauce in the same pan so it picks up that flavor.
Is This Vegetarian, and What Should I Serve with It?
Yes, it’s meatless as written with vegetable broth. A green salad and crusty bread are all it needs, and it’s rich enough that a little goes a long way.
Cooking Tips
- Sear the gnocchi in a single layer and don’t crowd the pan. Packed too tight, they steam and stay pale instead of getting those golden, crisp edges.
- Use the oil from the sun-dried tomato jar to cook in. It’s already infused with tomato and herb flavor, so it does more work than plain oil.
- Add the spinach at the very end. It wilts in seconds, and stirring it in last keeps it bright green instead of dull and overcooked.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To freeze: This one’s better fresh. The cream sauce can separate and the gnocchi turns soft once frozen and thawed, so freezing isn’t recommended.
To reheat: Warm gently in a skillet over low heat with a splash of broth or cream to loosen the sauce, stirring often. The gnocchi softens as it sits, so a quick, gentle reheat is best.
How to Serve Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi
Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi is a full meal with just a green salad and warm crusty bread to catch the sauce. This is one of the recipes in our New Pastas collection, and more cozy, easy skillet dinners like it are on the way.
Loved This Recipe?
Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi turns a bag of shelf-stable gnocchi into a rich, restaurant-worthy dinner in one pan and thirty minutes.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
More like this: Same creamy comfort, different pasta shape. Grab one of these when dinner needs to feel a little special. Try Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, Creamy Parmesan Spinach Mushroom Pasta, or Creamy Sausage Rigatoni.
Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp oil from the sun-dried tomato jar or olive oil
- 1 lb shelf-stable potato gnocchi
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil drained and chopped
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan plus more for serving
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- fresh basil for garnish
Instructions
- Sear the gnocchi: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the gnocchi in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden and toasty on the outside. Transfer to a plate.
- Saute the garlic and tomatoes: Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes if using to the same skillet. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Build the sauce: Pour in the vegetable broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir in the heavy cream. Bring it to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the gnocchi: Return the gnocchi to the skillet and simmer for 4-5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the gnocchi is tender and the sauce has thickened enough to coat them.
- Add the parmesan and spinach: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the parmesan until smooth, then add the spinach a handful at a time and stir until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper.
- Garnish and serve: Taste and adjust the salt. Top with fresh basil and extra parmesan and serve warm right out of the pan.
Notes
If you made this, leave a star rating down in the comments. It takes about ten seconds, and it’s how other cooks decide whether a recipe is worth trying.
