You are going to love this One-Pot Creamy Gnocchi recipe for an easy dinner (including clean-up!). It uses refrigerated or dried gnocchi for a quick, simple gnocchi dish and is tossed in a luxurious and creamy tomato spinach sauce for a comforting vegetarian meal that's ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish!
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 and remember to continue to add it in layers for flavor! Add garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
3 Tablespoons olive oil, ½ cup sliced leek, ½ cup yellow onion, 3-4 cloves garlic, Salt and pepper
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.
10-12 ounces cherry tomatoes
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.
¾ cup white wine or vegetable stock*, 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
Add in the gnocchi, stir to coat in the sauce, and make sure they are in a single layer to cook evenly. Bring to a simmer and cover the pan (use foil or a baking sheet if you don't have a lid) and cook about 2 minutes longer than the package suggests. Since they won't be submerged in boiling water, they generally take a little longer to cook. I usually cook mine for about 4-5 minutes total (*see notes). Stir once or twice, and be sure to taste test, they will be soft and pillowy when done!
16 ounces gnocchi
A minute before the gnocchi is done, stir in parmesan cheese and half-and-half. Then, stir in the spinach until wilted. Add additional vegetable stock if needed for desired consistency.
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 cups baby spinach, ¼ cup half-and-half
Serve immediately with additional parmesan and/or a garnish of fresh basil or chopped parsley as desired. Enjoy!!
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 swish around to remove any dirt and sand. Drain and rinse.
Serving Size: Makes 2 large portions or 4 smaller portions that are perfect if served with a side or other protein.
Gnocchi: use either fresh/refrigerated gnocchi from the fresh pasta section of the grocery store, or shelf-stable, dried gnocchi, found in the pasta aisle. Note the cook time of your package. Dried gnocchi will usually soak up more of the liquid, so you may need to add more.
The Liquid: If your gnocchi absorbs more of the liquid (dried gnocchi tends to), or you'd like it saucier, add water or vegetable stock in 1/4 cup increments at the end until the desired consistency is reached.
Reheating: I recommend doing so slowly on the stove over medium heat, adding more vegetable broth (or water in a pinch) as needed to thin it out. If you must reheat it in the microwave, do so at half-power or in intervals. In my experience, reheating in the microwave for too long on high power results in some of the gnocchi getting hard. See post for freezing recommendations.
*Look for cheese specifically labeled vegetarian, if needed. Both BelGioioso and Whole Foods 365 have vegetarian parmesan.