My whole family loves this easy gnocchi with tomato sauce Aka gnocchi al Pomodoro. Pillowy potato gnocchi cooked in rich flavourful tomato sauce. It is quick, easy and delicious. This is the recipe to make when time is off the essence. It Is totally fool proof too.

This recipe is so good that you can cheat with store bought marinara or spaghetti sauce. I like making my tomato sauce from scratch but hey, no judgement here. I also used store bought gnocchi because it is convenient.
My easy gnocchi with tomato sauce is a hybrid of this gnocchi Bolognese without the ground beef and cheese. Serve it with cauliflower steak, homemade garlic bread or air fryer garlic bread.
What makes gnocchi with tomato sauce so good
It is affordable.
Simple yet packed full of flavour.
It comes together under 30 minutes which makes it great for a busy weeknight dinner.
A restaurant quality dish served at home.
It is vegetarian but can be made vegan with some smart swap, perfect meatless Monday meal. You can make it gluten free by using gluten free gnocchi. This is now readily available in most grocery stores.
You can make this Italian dish one pot especially if you would rather bake it.
Ingredients
Here is the basic list of ingredients needed to make this delicious quick gnocchi dinner recipe.
Potato gnocchi: I used store-bought refrigerated gnocchi. You can use homemade gnocchi or shelf stable gnocchi/dumplings
Passata: substitute with chopped tomatoes
Garlic
Onion
Celery
Italian seasoning: substitute with herb de Provence or Mixed herbs if you are in the UK, I like the one from Asda
Sugar: this is optional, I only used about 1 teaspoon to counter the acidity from the tomato used.
Cayenne pepper: substitute with red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Unsalted butter
Fresh basil to serve
Parmesan cheese
How to make the best gnocchi with tomato aka gnocchi al pomodoro
Heat up the olive oil and butter until hot, add chopped onions, celery and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. This shouldn’t be more than 3 minutes.
Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper stir and cook until reduced but not too thick. Add shredded Basil leaves and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
While the red sauce is simmering, boil gnocchi in salted water for 2 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Drain and add immediately to the reduced sauce.
Toss or stir in the tomato sauce to combine, add grated parmesan cheese and stir. If the sauce is becoming too thick at this point, add water or chicken broth to help thin it out. Cook for another minute or two.
Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese and enjoy
Tips for success
- For cheesy tomato sauce, add mozzarella cheese, cover for about 2 minutes or broil for 5 minutes.
- You can also bake to make this one pot dish and there will be no need to boil the gnocchi when doing this. Add about 1 cup of chicken broth to the tomato sauce that way the gnocchi cooks through without sticking to the pan too.
- Add water or chicken stock to the sauce if it is becoming too thick
- Serve this gnocchi on it own as a main meal or with veggies of choice. You can add shredded chicken or shrimps to the gnocchi sauce. Ensure any protein you add is completely cooked before adding the gnocchi.
How to store cooked gnocchi
I prefer to serve this dish on the day it is made as gnocchi can easily become rubbery if not handled well. However, if you inevitably have some leftover then store in the fridge an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To reheat: the best way to reheat gnocchi is on the stove top or leave out on the countertop for a few minutes to come to room temperature.
More gnocchi recipe
Pan fried gnocchi with sundried tomato
Easy Pasta recipes
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Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 kg potato gnocchi
- 650 ml passata
- ⅓ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 stalk celery chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- ½ tablespoon mixed herbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil to serve
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil and butter until hot, add chopped onions, celery and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant. This shouldn’t be more than 3 minutes.
- Add tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper stir and cook until reduced but not too thick. Add shredded Basil leaves and stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
- While the tomato sauce is simmering, boil gnocchi in salted water for 2 minutes or according to the packet instructions. Drain and add immediately to the reduced sauce.
- Toss or stir in the tomato sauce to combine, add grated parmesan cheese and stir. If the sauce is becoming too thick at this point, add water or chicken broth to help thin it out. Cook for another minute or two
- Serve immediately with more parmesan cheese and enjoy
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
Justine M says
This is amazing. I’ve made it for my family of five many times now. It’s so delicious! I think the sugar is necessary to cut the bitterness of the tomatoes, though it says optional.
Ajoke says
Thank you, Justine. I am glad you all enjoyed it. Happy holidays to you and yours! x