Cheesy Baked Gnocchi With Spicy Tomato Sauce

By Yossy Arefi

Published April 16, 2025

Cheesy Baked Gnocchi With Spicy Tomato Sauce
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35 minutes
Rating
5(468)
Comments
Read comments

A stellar weeknight meal starter, shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi is combined with a zippy tomato sauce to make this deeply comforting one-pot meal. Stir in as much crushed red pepper as your family and friends can handle, then top the whole thing with a blanket of melty mozzarella, umami-packed Parmesan and bright basil. If you keep Calabrian chile paste on hand, it makes a great substitute for the crushed red pepper, as does harissa.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings 
  • 2(28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes 
  • 2tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste
  • Salt
  • 2(16- to 18-ounce) packages shelf-stable or refrigerated potato gnocchi
  • 2cups/8 ounces shredded low-moisture mozzarella
  • ½cup finely grated Parmesan
  • ¼cup torn basil leaves
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

519 calories; 22 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 22 grams protein; 1135 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes in each can into small pieces, or crush them with your hands.

  2. Step 2

    Heat a large (12-inch), high-sided, oven-safe skillet over medium. Add the butter and olive oil. Swirl the pan until the butter melts, then add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until sizzling and fragrant, taking care to not let the garlic brown.

  3. Step 3

    Add the tomatoes and their juices to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly. Taste, then season with salt and more red pepper if desired. While the sauce is simmering, heat the broiler.

  4. Step 4

    Stir the gnocchi into the simmering tomato sauce and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over the top, then slide the pan under the broiler to melt and brown the cheese slightly, 2 to 5 minutes more. Keep a close eye on the pan, as all broilers vary.

  5. Step 5

    Let the gnocchi cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then top with Parmesan and basil to serve.

Ratings

5 out of 5
468 user ratings
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Comments

JRMBin Massachusetts

This recipe, another in the first recipes for singles series, is a good starting point, but the tomato sauce needs a lot of augmentation to taste like more than canned tomato: Italian seasoning, red wine, tomato paste, onion, crushed garlic, a little sugar, salt, maybe some mushrooms, some ground beef or pork for the carnivores out there. Adding more ingredients will of course increase the prep time, but the prep time to flavor balance definitely comes down on the flavor side. And there is no reason to use whole tomatoes, which usually have some skin on them, unless you like to squeeze them in your hands, which admittedly I do. Crushed or chopped canned tomato will work just as well.

Arugula

@MJ Yes. Still want to note that it didn’t work out.

Arugula

The gnocchi really didn’t cook. Are we missing a step here, like boiling the gnocchi first?

Veronica

Yum! Added bacon for some protein, and Penzey’s Pasta Sprinkle seasoning. Finished with some fresh basil.

Christina

This was awful. Way too much sauce and flavorless and too cheesy.

AinDC

I made a few adjustments based on what I had available at home and it worked fine: -Used 1 can crushed and 1 can whole tomatoes -Skipped the fresh basil, but added a couple of frozen basil cubes to the sauce -Chopped up a ball of fresh mozzarella and sprinkled it on top before broiling, instead of using shredded Overall thoughts: -Super quick and easy, and quite satisfying, although I think I prefer the similar (but slightly more involved) crispy gnocchi with burst tomatoes and mozzarella NYT recipe. -This made a ton of food! At least 5-6 servings for me. I used a deep 10-inch skillet because that’s what I own and it was almost overflowing. Next time I’d use a Dutch oven. -There’s a high sauce to gnocchi ratio. I didn’t mind, because I love tomatoes in any form, but this almost felt more like a tomato and dumpling soup than a baked gnocchi given the quantity of sauce. I made a quick slice of garlic bread by rubbing garlic on toasted baguette and it was nice to have the bread to sop up the extra sauce. -De Cecco is my favorite brand of shelf-stable gnocchi and I always keep a couple of packages in the pantry. I like the somewhat chewy texture and that it maintains its shape when cooked. I think it cooked in the sauce in about 3 minutes, but suggest judging cooking time by taste. Next time I’d sauté the gnocchi first, as others suggested, to give it a bit of crisp.

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