Meow Recipes: Three Cheese Baked Gnocchi with Spinach

Three cheese baked gnocchi with fresh basil torn on top. The gnocchi is in a cast iron skillet.

This recipe is sponsored by DeLallo.

Tender gnocchi blanketed in a creamy tomato sauce, speckled with fresh spinach and bites of melty cheese – capital G to the orgeous!

This recipe is a new fave around here and I think it walks that summer-to-fall line perfectly: just a beautifully simple tomato sauce made with mild tomato passata (a skinless, seedless, silky, and pure tomato puree that pretty much tastes like fresh tomatoes in a jar), thinly sliced garlic and onion, a little torn basil to hold onto those last few days of warmth, and a dollop of mascarpone cheese to kick off the cozy vibes for the season.

Add some pre-made gnocchi and spinach to that dream of a sauce, blanket it under some fresh mozzarella and Parmesan, and you are looking at a dinner-party-worthy recipe that conveniently also works as an SOS weeknight meal.

Ingredients for three cheese baked gnocchi. There's purple text over the top that says the name of each ingredient.

Here Are The Ingredients We’re Working with Today

Your wonderfully short ingredient list consists of:

passata (love! love love love. I recommend DeLallo passata because they make only the best authentic Italian products so you know they’re doing it right. Their passata is just so mild and lovely.)
onion / garlic
mascarpone cheese
pre-made gnocchi (see above about DeLallo)
spinach
cheese for topping – I like mozzarella slices and a little dusting of Parmesan
basil

Fab. Amaze. Perfection. Couldn’t love this lineup more.

Three cheese baked gnocchi sprinkled with fresh basil on top. The gnocchi is in a cast iron pan and there's fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese in a bowl on the side.

How To Make Baked Gnocchi

Making this couldn’t be easier:

You make the sauce.

You add the gnocchi and spinach.

You bake it under cheese.

How you deal with all the goodness, though, is a more challenging affair. Do you invite friends over? Share with a neighbor? Eat the whole thing in 1-2 sittings? Or save a small container in the fridge for a midnight snack? I can personally confirm these are all effective and appropriate ways to conduct yourself around a large bubbling skillet of cheese-blanketed gnocchi. You can’t go wrong.

Three cheese baked gnocchi in a cast iron pan.

I’ve also tried adding a can of white beans for a little extra bulk, which would be a good trick to keep in your back pocket, but I would submit to you that the glory of this recipe is its simplicity – the chewy gnocchi, the tender cooked spinach, and the tangy tomato sauce with just the right amount of creaminess – and honestly I hate to mess with such a good thing.

Grab your cozy clothes and let’s get into this.

Three Cheese Baked Gnocchi: FAQs

Can I use frozen gnocchi?

Absoultely! Just thaw the gnocchi beforehand.

How can I bulk this meal up?

It’s super filling on its own, but you can always add white cannellini beans or spicy Italian sausage. Either would be delish!

I can’t find mascarpone. Any substitutions?

Ricotta cheese can work in a pinch. The texture just might be a little grainier.

Three Cheese Baked Gnocchi with Spinach

Author: Lindsay
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 5-6 servings

Print Recipe

Description

You’re in for a treat with this delicious Three Cheese Baked Gnocchi! Tender gnocchi blanketed in a creamy tomato sauce, speckled with fresh spinach and bites of melty cheese. Gorgeous!

Ingredients

Units

Simple Delicious Tomato Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
quarter of an onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced or thinly sliced
12 ounces DeLallo Passata Tomato Purée
1/2 cup broth or water
torn basil
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt

Gnocchi:

one 16-ounce package DeLallo Potato Gnocchi (I used shelf-stable gnocchi but frozen would also work)
a handful of baby spinach
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese slices
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Video

Make the sauce: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the onion and garlic; sauté until translucent and fragrant. Add passata and water or broth; bring to a low simmer. Add torn basil, mascarpone, and salt. YUM.
Bake it up: Add gnocchi and spinach. Stir to coat evenly with sauce. Top with mozzarella slices and a sprinkle of Parmesan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until gooey and light golden brown on top. Serve with more basil. THE END. That’s it. You’re in heaven.