This easy and delicious weeknight meal features fresh or frozen gnocchi, a blended no-cook cherry tomato and garlic sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil pesto, all baked up until bubbly, melty and golden. A great meatless dinner recipe that can be assembled ahead and baked later.
This easy, meatless weeknight dinner combines store-bought gnocchi (fresh or frozen) with a quick blender cherry tomato sauce, basil pesto and fresh mozzarella that bakes up to golden, gooey goodness. Serve with crusty bread and a big green salad for a great dinner in a flash!
This delicious baked gnocchi can be assembled ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes about the key ingredients …
Gnocchi – You can use fresh, frozen or shelf-stable gnocchi for this recipe. In all cases, you’ll want to cook the gnocchi briefly in boiling water until they float.
Fresh mozzarella – For best results, use a fresh mozzarella ball that is sold in a tub in water. Drain and pat the mozzarella ball dry, then tear it into large pieces to add to the dish.
Basil pesto – Jarred basil pesto is fine here, though you can certainly make your own if you like.
Cherry tomatoes – Fresh cherry tomatoes are recommended, as they will have less water content than chopped whole tomatoes. That said, in a pinch, you can use large fresh tomatoes. Spoon out and discard the seeds and juices, then chop the rest.
Passata – This is typically sold in jars in and around the canned tomatoes at the grocery store. Once you open the jar, the rest will keep well in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. If passata is unavailable, you can substitute crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, or you can mix 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste and 3 1/2 Tablespoons of water and use that instead.
Fresh basil – Fresh basil leaves are lovely in the cherry tomato sauce. If fresh basil isn’t available, substitute a Tablespoon of dried basil leaves.
How to make tomato and pesto baked gnocchi: step-by-step
This is a visual summary of the steps to make this recipe. Scroll down to the Recipe Card below for the complete list of ingredients and instructions.
Step 1: Start some water boiling, then add the gnocchi to the pot.
Step 2: While the gnocchi cooks, add the cherry tomato sauce ingredients to a blender.
Step 3: Blend the sauce until smooth.
Step 4: When the gnocchi floats, drain the gnocchi.
Step 5: Add the cooked gnocchi to a casserole dish.
Step 6: Add the cherry tomato sauce, torn fresh mozzarella, Parmesan and dollops of pesto. Cover and bake.
What to serve with tomato and pesto baked gnocchi
Treat this dish like any tomato-based pasta and pair it with crusty bread or garlic bread and something green, such as a salad, green beans or broccoli. This roasted broccoli Caesar salad would be a great side or a classic Caesar salad.
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Get the Recipe: Tomato and Pesto Baked Gnocchi
Ingredients
For the cherry tomato sauce:
- 1 lb (454 g) cherry tomatoes
- 1/3 cup (100 g) passata, *see Note 1 below
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- handful fresh basil leaves, or 1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper
For assembling the casserole:
- 1 lb (454 g) fresh, shelf-stable or frozen gnocchi, 1 lb
- 4 1/2 oz (125 g) ball mozzarella, drained weight, torn into large pieces
- 3/4 cup (100 g) Parmesan cheese, grated (3/4 cup)
- 4-5 Tablespoons basil pesto
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (regular bake setting – adjust as needed for convection or fan-assisted).
- Start a large pot of water to boil. When boiling, salt the water, then add the 1 lb fresh, shelf-stable or frozen gnocchi (1 lb). Stir while the water returns to a boil, then cook the gnocchi in the boiling water until it floats to the surface. Drain the gnocchi.
- While the gnocchi is cooking, add the 1 lb cherry tomatoes, 1/3 cup passata (*see Note 1 below), 1 clove garlic, 2 Tablespoons olive oil and a handful fresh basil leaves (or 1 Tbsp dried basil leaves) to a blender. Add the 1/2 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper. Blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the drained, cooked gnocchi to a casserole dish (1 1/2-2 quart). Pour the cherry tomato sauce over the gnocchi and stir to combine. Add torn pieces of the 4 1/2 oz ball mozzarella (drained weight, torn into large pieces) over the top, sprinkle with 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated (3/4 cup)), then add dollops of 4-5 Tablespoons basil pesto on top. Cover the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Bake covered in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and continue baking for 20-25 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Notes
Adapted from a Good Food recipe
More 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!
