Easy and delicious, one-pan baked gnocchi, with canned cherry tomatoes, spinach and bocconcini, that melts into perfect cheese puddles.
This baked gnocchi dish is perfect weeknight fare. Simply combine the ingredients and bake. No pre-boiling of the gnocchi is required (unless you want to). Start with pre-made fresh (refrigerated) or shelf-stable gnocchi and canned cherry tomatoes. Add in some chopped spinach or arugula and some big bocconcini.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Gnocchi – you can use fresh, frozen or shelf-stable gnocchi for this recipe.
Tomatoes – I love to use canned cherry tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes will work fine, as well.
Bocconcini – look for the balls of bocconcini in container, stored in liquid. If the bocconcini is very large, you can cut in half or quarters, as needed.
Step-by-Step Photos
1. Add gnocchi to a large bowl. Add canned cherry tomatoes with the juice. Add garlic and dried basil, along with some salt and freshly ground pepper. Add 1/2 cup water.
2. Pour mixture into a casserole dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake covered for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in some chopped spinach and add the bocconcini. (Be sure to push the spinach down in to the mixture, to keep it moist. Return to the oven, uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes until bubbly and the cheese has melted. Let stand a few minutes and serve with some grated Parmesan on top.
Cook’s Notes
- If you can’t find canned cherry tomatoes where you are, you could use canned diced tomatoes instead. A small can is all you need.
- Either arugula or spinach is lovely in this dish, but you could also use any leafy green such as kale or chard, if you like.
- You can considerably shorten the oven-bake by pre-boiling the gnocchi, omitting the 1/2 cup of added water, then combining it with the rest of the ingredients. Bake in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email and I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Seasons and Suppers.
You can unsubscribe at any time.
Get the Recipe: Baked Gnocchi Bocconcini
Ingredients
- 400 - 500 g gnocchi, ( 14-16 oz.) fresh or shelf-stable
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 398 ml canned cherry tomatoes, (13.5 oz.) with juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 handfuls baby spinach, chopped, or baby arugula
- 7 large bocconcini , large cherry sized bocconcini
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, combine the gnocchi, chopped garlic, cherry tomatoes (and juice) and a generous sprinkling of salt and a bit of freshly ground pepper. Add 1/2 cup water and stir gently to combine (to avoid breaking the tomatoes). Pour into a baking dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake covered n preheated oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove dish from oven and remove foil. Stir in chopped spinach and place 7 large bocconcini balls randomly into the mixture. *Push spinach down in to the liquid, so they soften nicely. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, or until bubbly. Allow to stand a few minutes, then spoon out and serve, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
More Baked Gnocchi Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Hi, I also put a bit of grated carrot, and a couple of small chopped mushrooms and a bit of milk as well as water, it’s good, bit more of a veg hit
Great idea!
Love this easy recipe
So glad you are enjoying it, Diane :) Thanks!
This was so simple and delicious! I made it a couple of weeks ago and loved it so I’m making it again tonight… This recipe is a keeper!
So glad you are enjoying it, Colleen :) Thanks so much!
Hello! What if your gnocchi says it is ready in 5 minutes – no boiling or draining required? How would that affect cooking times?
Hi Shawna, I think you could just skip the first, covered oven cooking part altogether and simply mix and bake for uncovered for 20-25 minutes. (You could probably omit some of the added water, too, as it is used to cook the gnocchi really. Use your best judgement to decide if any water is needed to the mix).
Making this again tonight. Was so good last time. I used cherry tomatoes from the produce aisle and cooked them in water and some tomato paste, to make a little sauce and it turned out good too! Love your website! Zoe
I’ve done that before too Zoe, when I didn’t have canned and just as nice :) Glad you’re enjoying it!
Wow, this looks delish, especially when you see how easy it is. Gnocchi are the best and even better when baked. :)
Thanks Mademoiselle. I agree. One of my favourite comforting bowls!
I love baked gnocchi, this is my dream dinner!
Mine, too Laura!
This looks like melty perfection! We’re already into the 80’s down here in Texas so I may just have to blast the AC and go for it :)
Thanks Katie. I’d say this is definitely AC worthy ;)
There’s still snow on the ground here too, but it’s melting!! I am craving this recipe so bad! It looks great!
Thanks Katrina. Lots of good melt happening here, too. At last!
What a gorgeous dish, like the fact it is a quick one can fix for the family during the week.
Thanks Cheri. It’s always good to have a quick fix dinner recipe for those days when they’re needed :)
This sounds like the best dinner! So quick, I love it. Happy that you added some arugula too! “Canned cherry tomatoes” — with skins on? I don’t think I have ever seen that product here. I’m fascinated and will try to seek some out. I might have to go plain-old diced canned tomatoes and a couple fresh cherry tomatoes on top :) Awesome recipe!
Thanks Sophie. I’ve been picking up the canned cherry tomatoes at the Italian grocery I stop in at in Toronto. And yes, skins on. They are great for pastas! Since then, I’ve noticed that my local grocery carries them as well (President’s Choice, for those in Canada :)
Failing that though, diced tomatoes will work fine for the sauce. I think if you put a couple of fresh cherry tomatoes on top before you put them in to the oven, they’ll cook up nice and soft in the 20 minutes.
Great tips! Thanks!
I just love how quick this dish is, not to mention gorgeous!! I hope your snow melts soon, all you need is a good pour for a day! I can send some rain your way. :-)
Thanks Julia. This is one of my favourite dishes for delivering lots of flavour with little time! Sadly, we’ve had several good pours already and it’s still here. Really unusual for April to have this kind of snow on the ground. Will be so glad to see it go!