This skillet gnocchi recipe is so easy: it doesn’t need to be cooked! Cook it with tomatoes and pesto and be amazed.
Did you know that one of the easiest ways to make gnocchi is to bake them on a baking sheet? No need to boil a big pot of water! Throw on a baking sheet, cover with pesto, add the vegetables and put in the oven. They cook to a deliciously crunchy texture on the outside, gooey on the inside, which is extremely tasty and all Then simply. The Gnocchi on plate is from Jessica Merchant’s brilliant new book, Daily dinners. Come and experience the magic!
What you need for gnocchi on a plate
Gnocchi (let’s say NYOW-kee) are Italian dumplings made with potatoes, eggs, and flour. For this recipe, we use store-bought gnocchi, which are easy to find at your local grocery store. Gnocchi on a plate are to die for because instead of cooking them, all you have to do is place them on a baking sheet! There are many variations on the concept of cooking gnocchi on a griddle: Jessica has some seasonal variations Daily dinners. What you need for this simple summer version:
- Packaged Raw Gnocchi: Use your favorite brand! Look for gluten free if you want. See more below!
- Cherry or Grape Tomatoes: Use the best summer produce or good tomatoes from the supermarket (hydroponics taste good)
- Fresh Basil: An essential! Here’s our quick guide to basil with more info on how to grow it at home.
- Basil pesto: Find your favorite store-bought brand or make homemade pesto
- Spices: Oregano garlic powder, basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
- Parmesan cheese: For garnish !
Here’s how it works: Throw everything onto a baking sheet!
Standard Italian gnocchi are typically boiled, then reheated in a pan with a sauce or added to sautéed vegetables. This gnocchi tray is a brilliant concept where you simply toss the uncooked gnocchi onto the baking sheet along with veggies and spices. The following should be noted:
- Throw it away raw: straight out of the box. It’s weird the first time, but the steam from the veggies and the oven cooks the gnocchi!
- It comes out soft with clean edges. The texture is nice and crispy on the outside and well cooked. Don’t expect it to be as soft and doughy as cooked gnocchi. It’s like a whole new version of yourself!
- Leftovers should be reheated. Sheet metal gnocchi are best straight from the oven, but you can store leftovers in the fridge. Just note that they harden in the fridge; You’ll need to reheat the leftovers before enjoying them!
Types of gnocchi to use
You can use most types of gnocchi you can find at the store for this recipe. Here are some notes on usage:
- Potato dumplings: Use Any Brand: We love DeLallo (in fact, DeLallo once taught us how to make potato gnocchi!)
- Gluten-free gnocchi: Several brands also offer gluten-free gnocchi
- Cauliflower Gnocchi: You can also use Trader Joe’s very popular Cauliflower Gnocchi! See notes in recipe below (Thanks, Jessica!)
What to avoid? Don’t use homemade gnocchi with this recipe: the texture doesn’t last in the oven. Use the traditional cooking method for this!
About the book: Everyday Dinners by Jessica Merchant!
This gnocchi recipe and skillet technique is straight from Jessica Merchant’s delicious new book, Daily dinners. The subtitle is “True recipes to prepare your family for a successful week,‘ and my God, does he keep that promise! This book is one of those ones where you look at every page and think… I want to do this! And that. And that!
Jessica is a genius in the kitchen: mother of two, author of the How Sweet Eats website, and an amazing person overall. The book is super practical but full of fresh and imaginative flavors. A few recipes that interest us: Crispy Orange Cauliflower with Coconut Rice, Baked Ziti with Burrata (I mean, burrata!), and Chili Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Kudos to Jessica for an amazing collection of beautiful, creative recipes!
Gnocchi variations on a plate
There are so many variations in the recipe for gnocchi on one plate! You can add other vegetables that will cook in 20-25 minutes. Just be careful not to overload the pan: otherwise cooking may take a little longer! If you add to this recipe, too Be sure to increase the spices accordingly. Here are some ideas for other vegetables that would work well:
- 1 or 2 peppers
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small yellow pumpkin
- 2 cups broccoli florets (cut small)
- Chopped Onions
Outside of the oven, you can also add many other fresh herbs: thyme, oregano, basil, chives or dill. What would you add to this dish?
Make it vegan/plant-based!
Final note – you can make this gnocchi recipe vegan or plant-based! Here’s what to do:
- Make sure the gnocchi are vegan. Some brands of potato gnocchi are already vegan (like DeLallo).
- Make vegan pesto. Our vegan pesto recipe is a dream!
- Leave out the parmesan. Make sure everything is well salted, and you don’t have to!
These gnocchi on plates are…
Vegetarian. For vegan and gluten-free see notes in the recipe.
The description
This skillet gnocchi recipe is so easy: it doesn’t need to be cooked! Cook it with tomatoes and pesto and be amazed.
- 1 16-ounce package of uncooked potato gnocchi (vegan or gluTen freely selectable, or cauliflower gnocchi*)
- 1 pint Grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup Basil pesto (use vegan pesto for vegans)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan for garnish (omit for vegans)
- 1 a handful of torn or chopped basil leaves for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray or line it with parchment paper.
- Spread the gnocchi and tomatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and mix. Pour in the pesto and stir until everything is covered. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, dried basil and red pepper flakes and mix well. Make sure everything, especially the gnocchi, is well seasoned.
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until gnocchi is tender, stirring once during cooking.
- Serve the gnocchi immediately. Sprinkle with Parmesan, additional red pepper flakes and fresh basil. (Note that any leftover gnocchi will harden in the fridge; you should reheat them before eating the leftovers.)
Remarks
*Look for vegan or gluten-free gnocchi for these diets (some brands are already vegan). You can also do this with Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi. Use them straight from the freezer, making sure the gnocchi aren’t clumped. Fry for about 25-30 minutes, noting that the outside may not be as crispy as regular potato gnocchi.
- Category: main course
- Method: Cooked
- Kitchen: Italian inspired
- Diet: vegetarian
Keywords: Recipe for gnocchi, gnocchi, gnocchi on plate
