Cheesy Baked Gnocchi With Spicy Tomato Sauce
Published April 15, 2025
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
Salt
2 (16- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
2 cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
½ cup finely grated Parmesan
¼ cup torn basil leaves
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
60 grams carbs; 80 milligrams cholesterol; 519 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 9 grams fiber; 1135 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in each can into small pieces, or crush them with your hands.
- Step 2
Heat a large (12-inch), high-sided, oven-safe skillet over medium. Add the butter and olive oil. Swirl the pan until the butter melts, then add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until sizzling and fragrant, taking care to not let the garlic brown.
- Step 3
Add the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Taste, then season with salt and more red pepper if desired. While the sauce is simmering, heat the broiler.
- Step 4
Stir the gnocchi into the simmering tomato sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the top, then slide the pan under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese slightly, 2 to 5 minutes more. Keep a close eye on the pan, as all broilers vary.
- Step 5
Let the gnocchi cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then top with Parmesan and basil to serve.
Private Notes
Comments
This recipe, another in the first recipes for singles series, is a good starting point, but the tomato sauce needs a lot of augmentation to taste like more than canned tomato: Italian seasoning, red wine, tomato paste, onion, crushed garlic, a little sugar, salt, maybe some mushrooms, some ground beef or pork for the carnivores out there. Adding more ingredients will of course increase the prep time, but the prep time to flavor balance definitely comes down on the flavor side. And there is no reason to use whole tomatoes, which usually have some skin on them, unless you like to squeeze them in your hands, which admittedly I do. Crushed or chopped canned tomato will work just as well.
The gnocchi really didn’t cook. Are we missing a step here, like boiling the gnocchi first?
@MJ Yes. Still want to note that it didn’t work out.
Easy and good.
I made this as directed except that I doubled it for a crowd, only had jarlic on hand, and accidentally simmered it for 30-45 minutes before adding the gnocchi. It got rave reviews from everyone, and I had several requests for the recipe. We'll definitely be making this again!
Using the Dan Pelosi spaghetti sauce recipe without the meat will get you the extra seasonings that many posters have suggested. I made this once and kids loved it. My next attempt I am going to saute the gnocchi prior to submerging in the sauce and broiling.