After making gnocchi for the first time a few weeks ago, I'm kind of hooked. This time I didn't go the whole hog by making my own gnocchi, I just used a packet of the pre-made stuff. Honestly, home-made gnocchi is way better, but it takes quite a while to make - so it's totally up to you which you go for. I'd like to make my own again in the future, but I'd be lying if I said it will become a regular event in my kitchen.
If you want a quick dinner recipe, shop-bought is the way to go. Then you just need to add simple, classic Italian flavours to transform your gnocchi into something that's part pizza, part pasta bake - pizza baked gnocchi! Start with a simple tomato sauce, add your gnocchi, and then top it with some (...lots of...) mozzarella and whatever pizza toppings you fancy, and you end up with a rich gnocchi bake with all the flavours of your favourite pizza. I went for tomatoes and mushrooms, but you can mix it up with whatever you like. My other favourite pizza toppings are red pepper, black olives and sweetcorn, so I might try those next.
This baked gnocchi just looks so perfect when it comes out of the oven, just like the top of a pizza...
You really can't beat gooey, melty mozzarella! And then you dig in...
I literally have no words.
Serve this alongside a salad or some garlic bread and you've got yourself a really easy dinner that will please everyone.
(seriously, if you know someone who wouldn't like this... just give up. They're past helping)
- 1tbsp oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ onion, sliced or diced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 250g passata
- 2tbsp tomato purée
- 150ml vegetable stock
- Black pepper
- 500g gnocchi
- 150g mozzarella, grated
- A selection of your favourite pizza toppings - I used some sliced mushrooms and some halved cherry tomatoes
- Fresh herbs, for serving (I used chives, but basil or parsley would work well too)
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas Mark 6 / 400°F).
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan, and cook the garlic and onion over a medium-low heat for a few minutes, until soft. Add the dried herbs, passata, tomato purée, stock and plenty of black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Add the gnocchi, and cook for a few minutes.
- Transfer the gnocchi and sauce to a baking dish measuring around 8 x 6 inches. Top with plenty of grated mozzarella, and then add your pizza toppings. Add a bit more black pepper if desired. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is melty and slightly browned.
- Serve topped with plenty of fresh chives.
Are you a fan of easy recipes to throw in the oven? Try my enchilada pasta bake:
Della says
I trust you meant ml instead of g for the passata?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Actually for some reason passata here is sold in grams! No idea why, ml would make more sense. But either will be fine, a small difference isn't going to matter for this recipe :)
Stoney Lake says
Nice recipe but please be consistence in your measuring units.... You use grams and milliliters to measure some things and tablespoons to measure others.... A lot of people (most) are not on metrics measurements for cooking or baking.... To help those that are not it would be helpful to use one or the other or to specify both.... Just food for thought....
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Thanks for the feedback! I actually sometimes use tablespoons because I know everyone can understand them, no matter what measurement system they use. Plus it's hard to measure out, say, 20 ml of something whereas it makes much more sense if you say a tablespoon!
Hannah Vuong says
Hi!
I made this for my husband and I the other night. I doubled the recipe because we live off of leftovers. It was DELICIOUS!
I too am a vegetarian who is in LOVE with cheese so your website has been a haven for me. (I just found it a couple days ago). Thanks for being awesome! I am looking forward to trying your red thai curry soup tonight.
I have just started in the blogging world and wrote a small post on the dish! I don't have like any traffic now, but hopefully one day I will so they can be forwarded to all your vegetarian goodness!
Thanks for being Awesome!!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Woop woop, glad you liked it, thanks for the comment! So happy you found me, I hope you'll find plenty here you like :D
Lindsay says
I made for this dinner tonight and I just wanted to say thank you - it is so easy and unbelievably delicious! I haven't met a recipe of yours I did not like! :D
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Yay thanks Lindsay, so glad you liked it! Hope you find some other recipes you like here :)
Jenny Weeks says
Me & my partner are making the transition to vegetarianism, so are looking for easy, fun & tasty meals to help get us started - this is perfect! Gnocchi bought, it's already on this week's menu. Thanks Becca!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hey Jenny, thanks so much for your message! Hope you enjoy it :)
Suz says
I've finally made this after wanting for ages! I did a couple of extra things though. I added baby spinach leaves to the tomato passata, and put blobs of pesto on top.
This is a really nice change from the way I usually bake Gnocchi.
Kelley Quigley says
Wow, this looks awesome!! I'm glad I found it this morning before I did my Menu Monday post because I'm definitely going to have to switch things around to include this recipe this week. :)
Melanie says
Is there different kinds of gnocchi? The only kind I have seen at the store is potato gnocchi. Dont think thats the right one for this. Where in the store os it?
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Hi Melanie! Yes, potato gnocchi is correct! As far as I know, all gnocchi is potato-based (or sweet potato!).
Rebecca says
I am a gnocchi freak - I MUST try this! I looks devine. I made a gnocchi and kale bake it was delicious.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
That looks amazing!!
Ashley Bee @ Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine says
Oh man, I love gnocchi so freaking much. I need to try this!
Lynne Gill says
Save a bit - I'm on my way up the M6!