Creamy Tuscan Gnocchi Dish (Printable)

Rich skillet dish with pillowy gnocchi, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and a luscious garlic-Parmesan cream sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Gnocchi

01 - 1 lb potato gnocchi (store-bought or homemade)

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 tbsp olive oil
03 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and sliced
06 - 3.5 oz baby spinach leaves

→ Cream Sauce

07 - 1 cup heavy cream
08 - ¼ cup vegetable broth
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - ½ tsp dried Italian herb mix
11 - ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ To Finish

13 - Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
14 - Extra grated Parmesan, for serving

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions until they float to the surface. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet and sauté for 2 minutes. Incorporate baby spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
04 - Pour in heavy cream and vegetable broth. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese, dried Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes if using. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Add cooked gnocchi to the skillet and toss to coat thoroughly in the cream sauce. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through and creamy.
06 - Plate immediately, garnishing with fresh basil leaves and additional grated Parmesan cheese as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's done in 30 minutes, which means you can have something restaurant-worthy on the table faster than you'd think.
  • The cream sauce is so forgiving and adaptable that you'll end up making it again and again with whatever vegetables you have.
  • Gnocchi has this way of making you feel like an actual cook, even when you're just tossing everything into one skillet.
02 -
  • If your cream sauce looks like it's separating or breaking, it means the heat got too high—turn it down immediately and add a splash of cold broth to calm everything back down.
  • Don't overcook the gnocchi before adding them to the skillet, because they'll continue to soften in the warm sauce and finish perfectly.
03 -
  • Fresh Parmesan that you grate yourself melts into the sauce like butter, while pre-shredded cheese can sometimes get grainy and stick together.
  • If you're using homemade gnocchi, cook them just until they float plus about 30 seconds more—overcooked gnocchi are the only real tragedy in this dish.
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