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This one pan creamy tomato gnocchi recipe is easy comfort food at its best! It’s convenient since it’s ready in just 25 minutes, and you’ll agree it’s a restaurant quality dish.
Want a similar recipe without cream? Head on over to my Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce.
Why you’ll enjoy it
This gnocchi with a creamy tomato sauce is one of those recipes that takes a few everyday ingredients and transforms them into something special and elevated. It just tastes gourmet, yet it takes under half an hour to make in a single skillet. I find myself making it for guests constantly, because who doesn’t like easy clean-up?
It’s one of those recipes that makes a filling meatless main, and you definitely won’t feel like you’re missing out. This gnocchi that’s smothered in a tomato and white wine cream sauce is indulgent, and you can also serve it as a satisfying side dish.
What goes into it
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion – we like using sweet Vidalia onions, but yellow or white will be fine
- White wine – use a dry variety that you’d actually enjoy drinking. Try sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or even chardonnay (but definitely do not use cooking wine)
- Dijon mustard – it’s a flavor enhancer for more savory goodness and one of my favorite tricks for sauces
- Garlic – I use this garlic press to effortlessly mince the cloves without having to peel them
- Italian seasoning – a blend of fragrant dried herbs all in one jar
- Tomatoes – we’re using a can of diced tomatoes for the best texture and consistency. Find a brand you enjoy since it’s a key component. I like DeLallo and Muir Glen best.
- Heavy cream – to make the sauce extra luxurious
- Gnocchi – I use shelf stable gnocchi found in the dry pasta aisle of most grocery stores. It holds up well for this one pan method.
- Basil – for a pop of freshness, and it perfectly complements the pink sauce
One pan gnocchi tips
- Can I use homemade gnocchi? Homemade gnocchi is very delicate and may fall apart, so I don’t recommend using it in this recipe.
- Do I need to pre-cook the gnocchi? No. It cooks right in the sauce. In fact, the starch released as it cooks is a necessary part of thickening the sauce!
- Why isn’t my sauce thickening? The timing is a guideline, so if your pan or stove runs hot (e.g. gas stove), you may want to lower the heat a bit. If the sauce hasn’t thickened up enough, simply cook it for a bit longer.
How to make creamy tomato gnocchi
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a skillet, sauté the onion until softened. Stir in the white wine, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning until you’ve got a smooth mixture.
Add in the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. When it starts to bubble, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Give it a stir, and add in the fresh basil and salt & pepper. Let it cook until the sauce has thickened and the gnocchi is cooked through. Enjoy!
Substitutions and variations
- If you’re really not a fan, you can leave out or halve the Dijon mustard.
- You can sub the white wine for vegetable or chicken broth.
- Try stirring in some fresh spinach towards the end if you want to include some greens.
- I don’t recommend subbing the heavy cream for half-and-half or milk since acidity from tomatoes may curdle sauce, and it will end up less rich and possibly thinner.
What to serve with it
- It makes a great vegetarian main course. Try grating a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top and pair it with a slice of Garlic Bread and a side salad dressed up with this homemade Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
- If you’re serving it as a side dish, it goes really well with my Easy Baked Pork Tenderloin or Easy Roast Chicken (Lemon & Herb).
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Be mindful that as time goes on, the gnocchi will release more starch and thicken the sauce.
- When reheating, you can add in a splash more wine or cream to revive it. Reheat over a low heat in a saucepan until warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one. Cream sauces generally don’t have success in the freezer.
I hope you love this easy gnocchi recipe as much as I do! Made it? Let me know in the comments below, or tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram.
Creamy Tomato Gnocchi
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion chopped finely
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dashes Italian seasoning
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1 small handful fresh basil torn or chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional) to taste
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Sauté the onion for about 5 minutes (ok if it’s lightly browned).
- Add the white wine, Dijon mustard, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Stir until you’ve got a smooth mixture and let it cook for about a minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes, cream, and gnocchi. Wait until it starts to lightly bubble again, then reduce the heat to medium and cover for 5 minutes.
- Give it a good stir, and add the basil and season with salt & pepper. Let it cook for another couple minutes to ensure the gnocchi is fully cooked and the starch thickens the sauce up a bit more.
- Stir in parmesan (optional) or sprinkle it on top. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The gnocchi will cook right in the sauce – no need to cook it beforehand.
- This makes 4 reasonably sized portions. If you’re feeding extra hungry people, I recommend serving this with a salad, garlic bread, and/or something else. It would also make a great side dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on August 30, 2017. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Loved it. My tweek, use an entire onion and caramelize it. If you cook it according to the instructions, its still kind of crunchy. Definitely going into rotation!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I thought I did everything right but my sauce curdled ..what did I do wrong?
Hi Hannah! That can sometimes happen, unfortunately. Are you absolutely sure you used heavy or whipping cream vs. something like half-and-half or a light cream? The acidity of the tomatoes can be a contributing factor as well as if you boiled it or put it into the pan when it was very cold from the fridge.
Our kids are a big gnocchi fan. Is there anything else you could swap it for?
That would turn it into a completely different recipe, so I am not sure. You could try making the sauce separately, I suppose… but the starch released from the gnocchi thickens the sauce. Perhaps try this tomato sauce and make it with regular pasta: https://bit.ly/3Sc0AsT
I’ve made this before as-written and really enjoyed it 🙂 however I now don’t have Dijon mustard, and I was wondering if you think I could substitute honey mustard? Thanks!
Hi! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’d probably just leave the mustard out unless you’re ok with a bit of sweetness. I’m having a hard time picturing how it would taste with honey mustard.
This was crazy delicious and super flavorful. Never considered about using the dijon mustard in a tomato sauce, but I am positive that is what took this over the top! Going on a regular rotation in our household. Thank you!
I’m so pleased it was a hit!! 😀 You’re very welcome! Thanks for your review.
Made this tonight and OMG!!! So delicious!!! My husband is thrilled that there are enough leftovers for dinner tomorrow (as am I). I followed the recipe to a tee and wouldn’t change a thing. Will def be making this again for others as well! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay!! That makes me so happy!! 😀
I am a prep cook at my sons restaurant and I needed to make a lot so when the onions and tomatoes were cooking I added flour to make a rue and cooked out the flour then Added chicken broth and cream let this cook saved some of the cream in case I needed to thicken some more also Andes a dash of hot pepper seeds!!!! Awesome
I’m so glad it was a hit!
This recipe has so much great potential, and I love the creamy tomato aspect to it. The Dijon mustard was way too overpowering for us even after trying to dilute the sauce down and adding extra parmesan and seasonings, so when I try it again next time I’ll see how it tastes with no Dijon or maybe half. Loved how simple the recipe was though!
Oh my!! This was delicious and so quick and easy. I added some bacon and sauteed it with the onions. My husband loved it too, will definitely be making this again!
Fantastic!! 🙂 So glad to hear it. Love the bacon idea… who can resist?!
I followed the recipe exactly the way it is and it turned out really good. Everyone loved it.
That’s wonderful!! Thanks, Kelly!