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This gnocchi with tomato sauce recipe is a simple one pan meal that takes store-bought gnocchi to the next level! Plenty of melty parmesan and mozzarella make this dish extra delicious.
Try my Easy Baked Gnocchi or One Pan Creamy Gnocchi with Sausage next.
Why you’ll love it
If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you will have seen that I make a lot of gnocchi recipes. They’re easy, popular with readers, made in one pan, and crazy delicious! Usually they have a cream-based sauce, but I wanted to do a simple tomato sauce without any cream.
This gnocchi with red sauce can be a main course or a meatless side depending on what you’re feeling. It’s made with pantry ingredients like Italian seasoning, but the taste is phenomenal. One lovely reader describes the silky tomato sauce as “absolutely gorgeous”.
What you’ll need
- Olive oil and butter – for sautéing
- Garlic – it adds irresistible garlicky flavor
- Diced tomatoes – they’re canned at the peak of ripeness
- Tomato paste – for even more tasty concentrated tomato taste
- Chicken broth – or use a dry white wine like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. Easily make this gnocchi vegetarian if you sub the chicken broth for veggie broth.
- Italian seasoning – this versatile blend of dried herbs is so tasty and comes in a single jar
- Gnocchi – I use the shelf-stable gnocchi that you can find in the dry pasta aisle
- Cheese – we’re using both mozzarella and parmesan to make the sauce deliciously cheesy
- Basil – fresh basil is one of my favorite cooking ingredients ever. I just want to throw it in everything.
Can I use homemade gnocchi?
I’ve had readers test similar recipes with fresh homemade gnocchi, and the one pan technique does not seem to work as well (it’s delicate and can fall apart). The refrigerated gnocchi you can find in some supermarkets should work as well.
How to make gnocchi with tomato sauce
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
In a skillet, cook the garlic in the butter and olive oil until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth or wine, and Italian seasoning.
Add the gnocchi. Cook, stirring every so often until it’s cooked through. Stir in the basil and the mozzarella and parmesan until melted. Season with salt & pepper.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- This is the skillet I use for this gnocchi.
- I like these angled measuring cups for measuring out ingredients.
- Easily mince garlic cloves with a garlic press. No need to peel them first.
Substitutions and variations
- You can definitely add a splash of cream if you want to make the sauce a little richer.
- Have some fresh herbs on hand? Feel free to throw them in along with the basil.
- Want to make it a spicy tomato sauce? Add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper.
What to serve with tomato gnocchi
- If serving this as a main course, pair it with a salad! I like to make a big Caesar salad with my 10-Minute Caesar Dressing and Easy Homemade Croutons (Garlic & Parmesan).
- It also makes a great side dish. Serve it with my Chicken Milanese, Crockpot Pork Tenderloin, or this Easy Baked Salmon.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Reheat on the stove slowly over a low heat. Keep in mind it’ll release more starch over time.
- I don’t recommend freezing it since the texture will likely change.
If you made this easy tomato sauce for gnocchi, please leave a star rating and review below! Ask me any questions you have. Tag me on Instagram if you made any of my recipes.
Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or white wine
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 pound uncooked potato gnocchi
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Small handful fresh basil torn/sliced
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the oil and butter to a deep skillet over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning to the pan. Give it a stir.
- Stir in the gnocchi. Let it cook, stirring fairly often so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, until it's cooked through (about 5-7 minutes). The sauce will thicken as the gnocchi releases starch.
- Give the gnocchi a taste, and if it's cooked, stir in the mozzarella, parmesan, and basil until the cheeses melt. Season with salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- There is no need to pre-cook the gnocchi. It’ll cook in the sauce.
- The sauce is meant to be quite thick, but if you find it gets too dry before the gnocchi is cooked, add in another splash of chicken broth or wine.
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 31, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Absolutely gorgeous. I decided to impose a “meatless day” in our weekly menu and my husband actually liked it! I added onions, red pepper, carrot, courgette, and spinach about half way through cooking the gnocchi. The sauce was really lovely.
That’s a great idea, and I’m so happy you two enjoyed it! 🙂
Such an easy recipe and you don’t even have to cook the gnocchi first. A one pan dish made in minutes! We love oregano and use this instead of the Italian seasoning. Sometimes I use Swiss cheese instead of Parmesan as we are on a low salt diet.
Great served with fresh basil & a simple green salad.
I’m so pleased you like it, Linda! Love your suggestions.
First time making gnocchi and this sauce was simply perfect to go along with it! Thank you so much! It was also really customizable so I could take out some cheese to create a more personalized flavor 🙂 thanks again for sharing!
I’m so happy to hear that, Ida! 🙂
Do you know the nutrition info/calories for this dish?
Hi Lucy! Just added it for you. Keep in mind that the actual ingredients you use can and do vary.
Do the cannee tomatoes need to be put?
Not sure what you’re asking?
Lovely recipe, thank you for sharing it! I’m a college student, so I’m a bit of a novice at cooking, but this was very easy to follow and super delicious! Oh and also very cheap, which is much appreciated!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Quinn!! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 😀
Oof, this was delicious! I’ve never thought to cook the gnocchi in the sauce (I always boil first then add) but WOW it’s a game changer. Thank you!
I’m so pleased you liked it and the one pan technique worked for you! Thanks for taking the time to comment, Natalie! 🙂
With […] it’s great to find recipes like this.
My daughter also approves (she will eat tripe, but not mushrooms – strange one).
Haha that’s funny… I guess we all have our quirks! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! (I edited your comment because bloggers have been told that using buzzwords associated with the current events may impact our search rankings, so I am erring on the side of caution).
Absolutely delicious!
Glad you liked it!! Thanks for commenting!
This is a keeper! Perfect for quick meal prep. Taste great too for family with fussy 2 yo boy. Thanks Natasha!
Awesome!! You’re welcome! XO