This Creamy Gnocchi Recipe with Tomato and Basil is creamy and flavorful. This dinner recipe brings big flavor profiles and amazing textures. This 30-minute meal is the perfect dinner recipe for a busy weeknight!
*Originally published June 30, 2021 and updated with new copy and photos 3/9/22.
Okay, we all know my love of gnocchi around here. It has quickly become my favorite pasta and I would be remiss to say we don't eat it at least once a week. We are gnocchi lovers. Our favorite is when we roast it in the oven and gets super crispy on the outside but stays soft and dumpling-like on the inside. My goodness, the texture differences blow it out of the water for me.
This Creamy Tomato Basil Gnocchi is probably my favorite way to eat gnocchi however I have so many gnocchi recipes here on my site like this Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Gnocchi and this Oven Roasted Summer Gnocchi.
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What Makes This the Best Creamy Gnocchi Recipe
- Full of Amazing Flavor- This Gnocchi recipe is full of creamy and bold flavor from the fresh herbs. You will have a flavor explosion in every bite!
- 30 Minute Meal- The perfect recipe for when you are in a hurry, this is a 30 minute meal that couldn't get easier.
- Crispy Gnocchi Bites-There is something so delicious about a crispy bite of gnocchi covered in a creamy sauce. You won't want to miss this!
Ingredient Notes
- Shelf-stable gnocchi- The best kind of gnocchi for this recipe is the shelf stable kind that you find in the pasta aisle. Most refrigerated gnocchi contains egg and we want to keep this recipe vegan so we will stay away from it. You are also more than welcome to make your own homemade gnocchi, it will just increase the total time of the dish.
- Diced tomatoes- The tomatoes lend a nice acidity to the dish in addition to providing flavor. Make sure to get petite diced tomatoes. You can also use fresh tomatoes! In the Summer when my garden is overflowing, I always use fresh tomatoes in this recipe.
- Almond milk- Any type of plant milk will do. It will be making up the bulk of our sauce.
- Fresh Spinach-The spinach helps to lend a good color and nutrient content to this dish. You can also use frozen chopped spinach and just stir it in at the end.
- Fresh Herbs- I love using fresh herbs in this recipe. They give such a delicious brightness to the dish and really add a lot of great flavor. I use basil, rosemary, and thyme.
See the recipe card for the full ingredient list and quantities.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Toss the Gnocchi in some olive oil and spread them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Finely dice your onion and add to a cast iron skillet. Sauté the onion until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs. Toast up the garlic and herbs with the onion for about another minute and then add your diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Add 1 ¾ cups of the almond milk to the onions, garlic and herbs.
- Bring your sauce up to a low boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup almond milk to the cornstarch and stir to combine. Pour it into the sauce.
- Bring the sauce down to a simmer and let it thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and gnocchi. Stir to combine and let the spinach wilt for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
Hint: Make sure you are using plain, unsweetened plant milk. The last thing you want is a super sweet dinner!
Substitutions
This recipe is the perfect recipe to fit into any diet with some easy substitutions.
- Keto - To make this recipe keto, use cauliflower gnocchi instead of regular gnocchi, it will cut the carbs down significantly.
- Low-Sodium - Use a low sodium brand of diced tomatoes and rinse the tomatoes thoroughly to remove excess salt. Additionally, do not add salt when cooking.
- Cornstarch - Swap arrowroot powder for the cornstarch as an alternative.
Variations
- Spicy - Add some red pepper flakes to the sauce as you are making it to give it a boost of heat!
- Deluxe - To make this sauce richer and creamier, instead of using almond milk, try using vegan heavy whipping cream in place of the milk. You will get a super creamy and thick sauce!
- Kid-friendly - If your kid is texture-adverse, instead of crisping up the gnocchi in the oven, boil the gnocchi for 3 minutes to get a dumpling like texture, it will have a consistent texture throughout the recipe.
Check this other gnocchi recipe that uses boiled gnocchi!
FAQ's
Gnocchi is a pasta, however instead of being made with four, eggs and water, it is made with mashed potatoes, egg and flour. Most shelf stable gnocchi omit the egg to make them vegan!
Yes, you can pan fry the gnocchi instead of baking it in the oven. Just add a little bit of olive oil to a nonstick skillet and fry the gnocchi until golden brown.
No, you do not have to boil the gnocchi before baking. Simply toss it in some olive oil and then bake until crispy.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. See below for the equipment you will need to make this recipe.
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Cookie Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Spatula
Storage
Store the leftover gnocchi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The gnocchi will soak up some of the sauce as it cools and become noticeably thicker. If this presents an issue, feel free to water it down with some plant milk before reheating.
These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
Top Tips
- Canned tomatoes are a great options as they are budget friendly and add great acidity and brightness to the dish. If you find it to be too acidic, feel free to add 1 teaspoon of sugar to counteract the acid.
- This recipe makes 4 portions, if you are feeding a larger family, I recommend serving it with some garlic bread, a salad or a vegetable.
- For an extra creamy version of the recipe, add in ½ cup of vegan cream cheese. Kite Hill is my favorite brand.
Other Great Gnocchi Recipes You Will Love!
- Slow Cooker Creamy Vegan Gnocchi Soup
- Oven Roasted Summer Gnocchi
- Vegan Gnocchi Potato Salad
- Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Gnocchi
Creamy Gnocchi Recipe with Tomato and Basil
Ingredients
- 2 packages shelf-stable gnocchi
- 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 onion
- 2 cups spinach
- 1 tbs fresh basil
- 1 tbs fresh rosemary
- ½ tbs fresh oregano
- 3 tbs cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Toss the Gnocchi in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and spread them on a cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Finely dice the onion and add to a cast iron skillet. Sauté the onion until translucent, around 5 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs. Toast up the garlic and herbs with the onion for about another minute and then add your diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
- Add 1 ¾ cups of the almond milk to the onions, garlic and herbs.
- Bring your sauce up to a low boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup almond milk to the cornstarch and stir to combine. Pour it into the sauce.
- Bring the sauce down to a simmer and let it thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Add in the spinach and gnocchi. Stir to combine and let the spinach wilt for about 30 seconds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Canned tomatoes are a great options as they are budget friendly and add great acidity and brightness to the dish. If you find it to be too acidic, feel free to add 1 teaspoon of sugar to counteract the acid.
- This recipe makes 4 portions, if you are feeding a larger family, I recommend serving it with some garlic bread, a salad or a vegetable.
- For an extra creamy version of the recipe, add in ½ cup of vegan cream cheese. Kite Hill is my favorite brand.
Nutrition
Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Krysten Quiles says
Oh my goodness this looks SO GOOD. I would love to try my hand at making it.
kaydimaggio says
It's super easy! I hope you enjoy!
Aditi Jain says
This looks so yummy. Thanks for sharing this
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy!
Lyssa says
Oh my! This looks so yummy! I love gnocchi! I might have to make this now. It's only breakfast here and now I want pasta. Lol.
kaydimaggio says
Haha! I love gnocchi too! Maybe I need to come up with a breakfast gnocchi recipe next!
Greg says
Definitely going to give this a go looks delicious !
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy!
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
Oh wow this sounds and looks amazing. I love that you cut calories by using almond milk rather than cream.
kaydimaggio says
Yes! Glad you liked it!
Celebrate Woman says
I will give it a try. I've got some gnocchi in the pantry, and I love basil.
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy!
Headphonesthoughts says
I didn’t know that Gnocchi is not vegan. I would totally try out this recipe.
kaydimaggio says
Yes! The shelf stable kind normally is though 🙂
Jeannie says
this recipe is so warming and inviting,definitely will try this
kaydimaggio says
Hope you enjoy!
Anaiah says
Love this vegan gnocchi recipe and the delicious creamy tomato and basil flavors it gives. It's such a comforting dish. We served it with a fresh baked sliced of bread. Yum!
kaydimaggio says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Pastor Natalie says
This looks so yummy. I sincerely appreciate you including gluten free and dairy free options. The sodium was a little high though. I have to be careful with sodium. Thank you for sharing this recipe. 😊
Pastor Natalie
Letstakeamoment.com
kaydimaggio says
You can always omit the salt and use salt free diced tomatoes 🙂
Andrea White says
I love it! It looks so savory and delicious!
kaydimaggio says
Thank you!
Karen | Online Blog & Business Help says
Oh wow, this looks SO yummy! I have always loved gnocchi. Pinning the for later.
kaydimaggio says
Glad you liked it!
aisasami says
I have to try and make this as I love tomato (especially when it creamy) and gnocchi! I love gnocchi so much!
kaydimaggio says
Gnocchi is my favorite!
Addie says
Total comfort food! So hearty and flavorful!
kaydimaggio says
Yes! Super comforting!
Brianna says
Easy and so satisyfying!
kaydimaggio says
Glad you liked it!
Jenny says
I love gnocchi so much, and I really like your recipe. It is easy and would make great lunch; I could also bring it to work to reheat. Thanks for sharing. I will give it a try.
kaydimaggio says
Yes! I hope you enjoy!
Bernice says
Love gnocchi because it's such a comforting pasta dish, even more so with the creamy basil sauce.
kaydimaggio says
I agree! So comforting!
Cathleen says
Gnocchi is one of my favourite things to cook with, and this recipe looks perfect! Saving it for my next meatless Monday, thank you so much for the recipe 🙂
kaydimaggio says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
Marta says
An excellent gnocchi recipe with that classic basil & tomato pair. Lovely...
kaydimaggio says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Elaine says
I can never say no to a big bowl of gnocchi. I say big because I can't stop enjoying the dish whenever I make. Definitely need to try your take on it - the result is amazing!
kaydimaggio says
Thank you! Anything gnocchi is one of our favorites!
Andrea White says
Such a delightful dish!
kaydimaggio says
Thank you!
Addie says
So creamy and delicious! Loved this gnocchi!
kaydimaggio says
I'm glad you liked it!
Jerika says
I love how creamy and how flavorful it looks, makes me want to eat and taste it right away.:) I will definitely try this recipe, I'm sure my family would love it.:) Thanks!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy!
Sage says
This creamy tomato basil gnocchi was an excellent dinner choice. I really wowed myself at how amazing it turned out! Looking forward to trying some more of your delicious meals.
kaydimaggio says
Glad you liked it!
Natalie says
This is a great dinner idea. It's easy to make and looks quite delicious. I will put this recipe on my list and give it a try next week.
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy! It is one of our favorites for sure!
Veronika Sykorova says
Oh my, this looks amazing! Gnocchi are my absolute favorite though I haven't had them in a long time. Can't wait to try your recipe!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy!
amanda says
This gnocchi recipe is not only amazing, but so easy to make. My whole family inhaled it! Making again this weekend!
kaydimaggio says
So glad you liked it!
Kristina says
This is one of my kids Favorite dinners. The only change I make is to put the gnocchi in the air fryer. Delicious!
kaydimaggio says
Oh that is so smart! I bet it keeps the house cool too!
Liz says
This is a go to meal for our family. Will be trying this recipe soon!
kaydimaggio says
Thank you! I hope you enjoy!
Anna says
Gnocchi will forever be my favourite comfort food! Your version looks so delicious and easy to make, I'm getting all of the ingredients tomorrow and will be making it this weekend!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy!
Tammy says
I adore gnocchi! It's such a treat in my house. Love this simple and comforting meal. Sounds delicious with the fresh basil.
kaydimaggio says
So glad you liked it!
Veronika says
This is such a delicious comforting meal! And I love that it's quick and easy to prep. Definitely need to try it!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy it!
Jacqueline Debono says
We love gnocchi and eat them quite often, especially in winter. I also love to make my own but for a quick weeknight meal ready made are good too! Love the sound of your sauce. On my to try list!
kaydimaggio says
I hope you enjoy it!
Missie says
This was so easy to make! Perfect for our busy nights and SO yummy! Definitely will be making this again!