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Easy Weeknight Gnocchi Recipe

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A healthy and delicious meal you can have on the table in just 20 minutes.. thanks to store-bought whole wheat gnocchi! Try this Easy Gnocchi Recipe that’s cooked in a simple and flavorful veggie-packed tomato sauce.

easy gnocchi with mushrooms and tomatoes in a skillet

What is Gnocchi?

If you’ve never had gnocchi before, they’re a sort of an Italian pasta-dumpling. They’re made with potatoes and a bit of flour to hold them together. They have a soft, chewy, texture that kids really like. Making homemade gnocchi is fun and therapeutic, but also time consuming – not something I want to do on a regular basis.

Luckily, you can buy pre-made gnocchi that’s made from high-quality whole food ingredients, and that is what we used here to make this a fantastic quick and easy weeknight meal.

Gnocchi sometimes flies under the radar as a dinner option. It’s delicious, but not something you often think of to make. Here’s your reminder that it exists! And here is an easy, healthy, and delicious way to prepare it.

This Easy Gnocchi Recipe is great because it’s packed with veggies! Mushrooms, onions, spinach, and tomatoes. It makes a great, filling vegetarian meal. Plus, you only need a handful of ingredients. And most of them are things that are easy to keep stocked for last minute dinner options.

How to Pronounce Gnocchi:

Gnocchi is pronounced “NYOH-kee”. The “g” is silent, and the stress is on the first syllable.

ingredients for easy gnocchi recipe

Ingredients for our Easy Gnocchi Recipe:

  • Onion– Onion adds flavor and depth to the sauce. When cooked, onions become very soft and sweet, they help to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes.
  • Mushrooms– Mushrooms add a meaty, savory flavor and texture to this vegetarian sauce. They also add additional nutrients such as protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
  • Garlic– Garlic helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes and adds a warm, aromatic quality to the dish.
  • Olive Oil– Olive oil can helps make the sauce more flavorful and satisfying. It also allows the flavors to develop and meld together.
  • Diced Tomatoes– Diced tomatoes add both flavor and texture to the sauce. They add a slightly sweet and acidic flavor, which helps to balance out the other ingredients.
  • Italian Seasoning– dried Italian Seasoning adds a boost of flavor. To add brightness, fresh herbs such as basil, oregano and parsley can be added as well.
  • Salt & Pepper– rounds out the flavor of the dish.
  • Spinach– Spinach adds nutrients, flavor, and color to the sauce. It’s a good source of vitamins and minerals and increases the nutritional value. It has a mild, slightly sweet and earthy flavor that can complement the flavors of the other ingredients in the sauce.
  • Gnocchi– Gnocchi are small, soft dumplings made with potatoes, flour, and eggs. They are similar in appearance to pasta, but they have a softer, more pillowy texture.
  • Parmesan Cheese– Shredded Parmesan cheese adds a cheesy, salty flavor to the dish and really pulls all of the flavors together.
process shots for easy gnocchi

How to Make this Easy Gnocchi Recipe:

  1. Dice onion, slice mushrooms, chop or slice spinach, and mince garlic.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute onions and mushrooms for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
  3. Add diced tomatoes (including juice) and seasonings. Add spinach and allow to wilt.
  4. Stir in uncooked gnocchi. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the gnocchi is cooked. Top with Parmesan cheese and serve.
an overhead shot of an easy gnocchi recipe in a skillet

Tips & Suggestions:

Is gnocchi healthier than pasta?

Both gnocchi and pasta can be part of a healthy diet, depending on how they are prepared. Gnocchi is made from potato, flour, and egg, and is generally lower in calories and carbohydrates than pasta.

How do you keep gnocchi from becoming gummy?

Because this recipe calls for pre-made gnocchi, it’s pretty easy to prevent gummy gnocchi. Make sure you cook the gnocchi properly. Do not overcook the gnocchi or they may become mushy.

Can I use pasta instead of gnocchi?

Of course! If you would rather use pasta, boil 16 ounces of pasta in salted water. Drain well and stir into the pasta sauce after the spinach. Follow the rest of the recipe as directed.

Which is the best storebought gnocchi?

Our very favorite storebought gnocchi is the potato gnocchi from Trader Joe’s.

a serving of easy gnocchi on a white plate with veggies in the background

More Easy Weeknight Meals Ideas:

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3.8 from 298 votes

Easy Gnocchi Recipe

A healthy and delicious meal you can have on the table in just 20 minutes.. thanks to store-bought whole wheat gnocchi! Try this Easy Gnocchi Recipe that's cooked in a simple and flavorful veggie-packed tomato sauce.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 241kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Dice onion and slice mushrooms. Chop or julienne spinach. Mince garlic.
  • Heat a large skillet with high sides (or stockpot) over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute onions and mushrooms until the onions begin to go translucent (4-5 minutes). Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds.
  • Pour in diced tomatoes (including the juice) and add Italian seasonings, salt and pepper. Add the spinach leaves and carefully stir.
  • Once spinach is wilted, add uncooked gnocchi and stir together. Simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the gnocchi is cooked. Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve warm.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 990mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1180IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 160mg | Iron: 5mg
Keyword : easy gnocchi recipe

www.superhealthykids.com

Natalie Monson

I'm a registered dietitian, mom of 4, avid lover of food and strong promoter of healthy habits. Here you will find lots of delicious recipes full of fruits and veggies, tips for getting your kids to eat better and become intuitive eaters and lots of resources for feeding your family.

Learn More about Natalie

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Recipe Rating




42 Comments

We has this last night and it was delicious! I didn’t have any parmesan cheese so I subbed Colby, but I followed the rest of the recipe exactly. Very good!

Made this dish last night and loved it! A few edits to mine-
– Used an entire onion
– Used an entire carton on mushrooms (8.0 oz)
– When I added the garlic, I also added the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning
*Red wine to deglaze the pan sounded like a good idea*
– Added more spinach
All and all, an awesome dish and really easy to make during the week! For us, this came out to 3 servings, instead of 4.
Thanks for providing!

I made this today, and yes it turned out very good, easy as 1,2,3 and taste delicious, I used gluten free gnocchi and gluten free Hunt’s diced tomatoes. I will use this recipe over and over again. I am Vegan so I left out the Parmesan cheese. Thanks, Juanita

You should try this but sub the parmesan for nutritional yeast, or try with vegan parmesan? (Blend together cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, and salt) đŸ™‚

Very simple, but tasty recipe. I added zucchini & jalapeños, because I had them leftover from another recipe. The house smells great while it is cooking.

Ty we love gnocchi, I make Olive Gardens chicken and gnocchi soup but I want to try it in a tomato base. I am going to try your recipe this week.

Made it exactly to the recipe and its was delicious, i added a can of mixed beans with it ( drained and washed ) and had with rough cut bread, superb ??

This was great! I am definitely NOT the cook in the house, but I made this and it turned out delicious! I added some baked chicken in that I shredded, but I think it would be just as good without it. I always forget about gnocchi… But now my boyfriend wants this to become a regular dish around here. đŸ™‚

Just as a warning, “proper” parmesan is not vegetarian, its traditional ingredients include rennet from calf’s stomach so double check it specifically states it is veggie! This is a bigger issue within the EU where in order to be called parmesan, it must be produced in a specific region of Italy and to the traditional ingredients.

Pecorino can be a good substitute. And many supermarkets now stock “Italian hard cheese” which is often vegetarian.

This is delicious!! I didn’t do cheese but added a little shredded chicken. Definitely yummy and I don’t feel guilty eating it. đŸ™‚

Hi me and my boyfriend are not vegetarians but his daughter is. I was hoping you could suggest a meat I can add into this dish after I set aside some of the original recipe for her.

5 stars
Hey Katrina. Thanks for the recipe, which I am about to attempt for myself and my daughter while my wife recovers from a booze-soaked all-nighter. I have one suggested amendment to your recipe – buy some loose mushrooms and slice them oneself, getting faster each time with practice. Less packaging, less waste eh? đŸ˜‰

5 stars
Thank you. Super fast, easy and delicious meal. I didn’t have spinach leaves so I freestyled some broccoli and peas. The little terrors licked their plates clean đŸ™‚

5 stars
Lovely easy meal and very tasty. Left out the onion and grated lacto free cheese on top instead of using parmesan. Would definitely make again.

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5 stars
Great recipe, so glad I found it, thank you! This will be a regular in my house from now on. Quick, easy, cheap, healthy and tasty, what more could you want?

5 stars
This was sooo delicious!! Perfect Lenten dish!! It was to quietest meal we’ve ever had! ?

4 stars
Thank you for this recipe it was very good. I just had to make a few changes. The onions took about 20 minutes to cook through. I added a whole carton of mushrooms and I believe more spinach would have been nice. I also had to add more spice for flavor. More salt pepper and garlic salt. Overall very good.

I noticed that under the nutrition information, it says 344 calories. Last time I made this recipe it showed 264 calories. The ingredients are all the same still, though, so I was wondering which calorie count is accurate?

Sorry about that! For some reason the servings defaulted to 4, but it really serves 6. I recalculated the nutrition and changed the servings. It is accurate now. Thanks for noticing and letting me know!

5 stars
My family, and I loved this recipe. I used what I had on hand so I swapped out mushrooms for zucchini. I also added a little honey to give the sauce a touch of sweetness. Served it with a slice of Texas toast, and it made an easy delicious meal.