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One-Pot Creamy Tomato Spinach Gnocchi

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Dinner made easy (including clean-up!). This one-pot creamy gnocchi uses refrigerated gnocchi for a quick, simple, comforting meal!

white bowl of vegetarian gnocchi with spinach and tomatoes

The most famous question of them all: what’s for dinner tonight?

I GET IT.

Even as a single lady, this is a question I wish someone would answer for me 99% of the time.

And do I have the answer for you! The best kind, too.

The kind that takes less than 20 minutes, is made in ONE PAN and even has some veggies thrown in.

Did you catch the part where I said one pan?

Yes, ONE pan to clean. Ain’t nobody arguing with that.

It’s One-Pot Creamy Tomato Spinach Gnocchi.

What’s in Creamy Tomato Spinach Gnocchi?

Let’s take a closer look at this one-pot “pasta” recipe. Simple, fresh ingredients…

  • leek
  • onion
  • garlic
  • cherry tomatoes
  • spinach
  • refrigerated (yep, store-bought) potato gnocchi
  • white wine or veggie stock
  • butter
  • grated parmesan cheese
  • half and half (or heavy cream) – optional but recommended
one pan creamy gnocchi ingredients laid out in bowls on white background

10 ingredients (or fewer)!

All made in one pot?

I think we may have arrived at the weeknight dinner of all dinners! Gnocchi in tomato cream sauce is taking us to the next level.

I wanna talk about how we actually make this weeknight miracle come true though.

overhead view of skillet with tomato spinach gnocchi next to shredded parmesan and red pepper flakes

How to Make One-Pan Gnocchi

First things first: the leek.

I’ve been on an absolute leek kick for what feels like a year or more (hello, risotto, dip, galette, and shakshuka). Leeks are part of the onion family but have a milder, more delicate flavor that pairs perfectly with creamy dishes.

I mean, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. Plus, they’re in season! Spring leeks, baby!

overhead of three white bowls of vegetarian gnocchi with spinach and tomatoes

It’s not quite a throw it in the one pan and be done, but it’s just as simple. It’s not a throw-and -go kind of recipe because WE NEED FLAVOR IN LAYERS!

I’ve talked a lot about layering in flavor with salt in recipes before. You’ve got to add the amount of salt you want in a recipe bit by bit throughout the cooking process so the flavors build on each other.

skillet of tomato spinach gnocchi after cooking

Similarly, we want to cook the leek and onion first and then add in the garlic, before continuing with the rest of the ingredients. Starting with the aromatics as the building blocks guarantee flavor.

Next in go the cherry tomatoes – whole. They’ll start to blister and roast, at which point you’ll begin to gently “smash” them. This releases the juices and starts to create the sauce. That is: the tomato cream sauce.

side view of white bowl with gnocchi and fork inside bowl

Then, what better to deglaze a pan with than white wine?

If you have some on hand.

If you don’t, use some stock – vegetarian to keep it veg-friendly or chicken if it’s what you have on hand. Using stock adds more flavor to the sauce (as does the wine ;)).

Add cook the gnocchi, covered, for a few minutes longer than the package directions say, stirring occasionally. This will likely be a quick process, as refrigerated gnocchi doesn’t take long to cook through.

P.S. Find the refrigerated gnocchi in the chilled section of your grocery store.

Right before you’re done, add spinach is adding to wilt at the very end. It adds color and of course nutrients. It’s only right for some creamy spinach gnocchi.

How Do You Make Creamy Tomato Sauce?

Add the final creamy touches! They include parmesan cheese, butter, and half-and-half for creamy richness. Ah, the creaminess! Ah, the creamy gnocchi. Ah, this easy vegetarian gnocchi recipe wonder.

Garnish with some fresh basil for added freshness and flavor, then dig in and enjoy this super easy, total comfort food, meal.

white bowl of vegetarian gnocchi with spinach and tomatoes

P.S.S. You can find gluten-free gnocchi, which means you can enjoy this creamy gnocchi recipe worry-free if you’re gluten intolerant! WIN! This gnocchi in creamy tomato sauce recipe will be on repeat from now until…forever? Yep. Forever.

More Quick and Easy Vegetarian Dinners

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white bowl of vegetarian gnocchi with spinach and tomatoes

One Pot Creamy Tomato Spinach Gnocchi

★★★★★

5 from 20 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

A luxurious, one-pot vegetarian dinner ready in 20 minutes! 

Scale

Ingredients

  • 3 TBSP olive oil
  • 1/2 cup halved and sliced leek (~1 large leek)
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1-pint cherry tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup white wine or vegetable stock
  • 3 TBSP unsalted butter
  • 17 oz. refrigerated fresh gnocchi
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • Several handfuls of baby spinach (1-2 cups)
  • 1/4 cup half-and-half 
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add leek and onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt- remember to continue to add it in layers for flavor! Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. 
  2. Add cherry tomatoes; cook until they begin to blister, about 5 minutes, and then begin to smash them down gently with the back of your spoon. Let the juices cook about 1-2 minutes.
  3. Deglaze the pan with white wine or vegetable stock. Bring it back to a simmer and let it cook down for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the butter to melt. 
  4. Add in the gnocchi, stir to coat and make sure they are in a single layer to cook evenly. Cover the pan (use foil if you don’t have a lid) and cook about 2 minutes longer than the package suggests (since you won’t be boiling them, it may take a little longer). Mine usually cook for about 4-5 minutes total*. Be sure to taste test! Stir in parmesan, spinach, and half-and-half. The spinach will wilt with the heat of the gnocchi. Serve immediately with additional parmesan and/or fresh basil as desired.

Equipment

Notes

To cut the leeks: trim off the root end and top stems (where the white turns dark green). Cut lengthwise and lay on the flat side. Cut into 1/2 inch half circles. Clean properly by placing cut pieces in a bowl of water and stir around to remove any dirt and sand. Drain and rinse.

The final cook time of the gnocchi may vary depending on what the packaging says for the brand you use. Generally, it takes 2 minutes longer than suggested, but be sure to check and taste test (the best part! :)).

If your gnocchi absorbs more of the liquid, or you’d like it saucier, add water or vegetable stock in 1/4 cup increments until the desired consistency is reached.

If reheating, do so slowly on the stove as the gnocchi tends to get hard if microwaved, in my experience. 

*Makes 2 “meal-sized” portions or 4 small portions.

  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ~1 1/2 cups
  • Calories: 739
  • Sugar: 7.8g
  • Sodium: 313mg
  • Fat: 45.6g
  • Carbohydrates: 55.4g
  • Fiber: 3.9g
  • Protein: 14.5g

Keywords: weeknight dinner, quick, easy, vegetarian

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This recipe is part of our Date Night Recipes to Love roundup. Check it out!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Nicole Meyer

    This was delicious! Seriously, I can’t wait to have more for leftovers. My house smells like an Italian restaurant. I loved this was vegetarian.

    I made a couple of modifications: 1.) used cream instead of half/half because that is what I had on hand and 2.) added more liquid, like a lot more. It was still pretty darn thick, and 3.) instead of using just wine or vegetable stock, I used half one and half of the other. Also, next time, I will keep a better eye on the gnocchi; I overcooked them a bit (package said 3 min, then added another 3 per recipe instructions).

    Served it up with some asiago bread and salad, but next time will skip the salad since the dish already had a healthy amount of spinach and tomatoes.

    Thank you for the dinner win!

    Reply

  3. Alyssa Ready

    Just made this and I love it! I love that it is vegetarian but still delicious. Will be making this a lot~

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  4. Stacey

    Oh man this sauce is amazing. Very easy dish to make that tastes like you’ve slaved in the kitchen all day. Only made a few changes with homemade gnocchi and added a squeeze of lemon and fresh basil to top it off. We can’t wait to make this sauce with other mains (fish, chicken).

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  6. Raspberry Blue

    This was a very good recipe. The hardest part was cutting the leek and the onions. It did turn out a little thick so I may include more broth next time, but otherwise, the flavor was really good and unique!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  7. Laura

    I absolutely love the sauce in this recipe, it’s so easy and definitely use the white wine if you can! Quick enough for a weeknight and fancy enough for a weekend! I’ve even used this sauce technique for other pastas when throwing a quick dinner together

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  8. Arlee

    Just had a girl’s-night-in with a friend and we made this… OMG. So tasty!!! And easy! My house smells amazing right now. Thanks for the recipe! Definitely a showstopper!

    Reply

  9. Sam Rivard

    Made this for dinner tonight! It was spectacular. The gnocchi were perfectly cooked in the sauce and clean up was so easy! Elegance of a weekend meal with the ease of a weekday meal. Will definitely be put into the rotation.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Becca

      I’m so happy to hear, Sam! You definitely have it right with “Elegance of a weekend meal with the ease of a weekday meal.” Thanks for commenting!

      Reply

  10. Jo

    Made this tonight and we absolutely loved it.
    Definitely will be on rotation in our house. I used gluten free gnocchi. Thank you so much for posting this delicious recipe. ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  11. Amanda

    I thought this recipe came out great but I think it would be even better with more liquid. I put a cup of stock instead of 3/4. Next time, I will probably put two cups in.

    The grocery store was out of frozen gnocchi so I made it from scratch!

    ★★★★

    Reply

    • Becca

      Wow, Amanda! I love that you made your own gnocchi! I wonder if it soaked up more of the liquid. The sauce is on the thicker side to begin with; I’m happy to hear you adjusted to your preferences. Thanks so much for letting me (and others!) in on your tips, and thank you for commenting!!

      Reply

  12. Ali

    Beautiful! I used red chard because didn’t have leeks on hand, & vegan cream cheese instead of half n half. Lovely.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  14. Joanna

    So delicious and simple, I made this recipe and made it again a few days later! Leftovers are easy to reheat on the stove and taste great too ?

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  15. Tina

    An absolutely delicious recipe. So easy I made it with my 4 year old. She’s a bit of a picky eater and isn’t a big fan of pasta but she enjoyed it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  16. Steph

    You had me at leeks. This was absolutely delicious and so easy to follow. I did substitute for cauliflower gnocchi (as that was already on hand), but the flavors were still amazing. Highly recommend.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Becca

      Yes to leeks! So glad it worked out with cauliflower gnocchi (we’ve definitely got to use what we have right now, don’t we!?). Thanks for commenting, Steph!!

      Reply

    • Becca

      It’s for half of the recipe (about 1 1/2 cups), so one serving if you’re dividing just between 2. Keep in mind that it’s a guideline and depends on the specific ingredients you use, too.

      Reply

  18. Jodi

    It turned out great even though I used grape tomatoes instead of cherry (didn’t know the difference) and salted butter instead of unsalted.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  22. Nile

    This was the best recipe I’ve made in a while! The butter in the sauce really took it up a notch, so creamy and rich! I used heavy cream since that’s what I had and grape tomatoes. I also used a shallot instead of a leek, and my store didn’t gave refrigerated gnocchi so I just cooked the gnocchi in water first and threw it in at the end with the parmesan, spinach and cream. Seriously 10/10!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Becca

      Thank you SO much, Nile! I’m so glad you loved it and were able to use what you had. I bet it was just as delicious with a shallot (love those!).

      Reply

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