Photos: Joe Lingeman; Food Styling: Jesse Szewczyk; Design: The Kitchn
For years, I’ve kept gnocchi in my freezer to grab for quick and easy dinners. However, it wasn’t until I discovered you can skip the boiling and roast it in the oven that it became a total weeknight game changer. Now, I don’t even have to dirty more than one dish. I toss it onto a sheet pan with other tasty things — like cherry tomatoes, sausage, or cheese — and I have a complete meal that practically makes itself.
Here are five sheet pan gnocchi dinners that will change how you think about gnocchi forever.
5 (3-Ingredient) Dead-Simple Sheet Pan Gnocchi Dinners
- The gnocchi: Each dinner calls for 1 pound of fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi. If desired, alternatives such as frozen cauliflower or kale gnocchi can also be used.
- The pan: Use a large 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheet, also known as a half sheet pan, to prepare these recipes.
- The method: Toss the gnocchi and vegetables or protein with olive oil, salt, and pepper, spread out in an even layer on a sheet pan, and roast until the gnocchi are plump and lightly browned. Finish with an optional garnish.
- Serving size: Each recipe serves 4 people.
- Pantry staples: Olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper are considered staple pantry items so they are not included in the ingredient count.
1. Tuscan Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Heat oven to 400ºF. Drain 1 (8.5-ounce) jar oil-packed marinated sun-dried tomatoes, thinly slice them, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread out in an even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, until gnocchi are plump, 18 to 20 minutes total. Remove from oven, sprinkle with 5 ounces baby spinach (about 5 packed cups), and toss gently. Return to oven and roast until spinach is just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes more. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
2. Mixed Mushroom Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Heat oven to 400ºF. Slice 1 pound mixed wild mushrooms, chop 2 medium shallots, and place both on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread out in an even layer and roast, stirring halfway through, until gnocchi are plump and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes total. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, if desired.
3. Garlicky Shrimp Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Heat oven to 400ºF. Place 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread out in an even layer. Roast, stirring halfway through, for 12 minutes total. Remove from oven and add 1 pound medium peeled and deveined shrimp, 5 minced garlic cloves, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss to combine and spread into an even layer. Continue to roast until shrimp are just cooked through and gnocchi are plump, 6 to 8 minutes more. Garnish with a big squeeze of lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley leaves, if desired.
4. Spicy Sausage & Peppers Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Heat oven to 400ºF. Cut 1 (16-ounce) bag mixed baby bell peppers into 1-inch chunks and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread out in an even layer. Remove casings from 1 pound uncooked spicy Italian sausages, if needed. Drop bite-sized pieces of sausage all over the top of the gnocchi mixture. Roast, stirring halfway through, until gnocchi are plump, the sausage is cooked through, and the peppers are tender, 15 to 20 minutes total. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley leaves, if desired.
5. Caprese Sheet Pan Gnocchi
Heat oven to 400ºF. Place 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups, halve the tomatoes if large) and 1 pound fresh, shelf-stable, or frozen potato gnocchi on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread out in an even layer. Roast, stirring halfway through, until gnocchi are plump and some of the tomatoes have burst and caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and add 12 ounces marinated bocconcini mozzarella balls (about 2 cups). Toss to combine, spread in an even layer, and continue to roast until mozzarella has softened, 2 to 3 minutes more. Garnish with chopped fresh basil leaves, if desired.